The Stanley Cup Playoffs may actually be happening. Let’s let that sink in before getting to the heart of this piece.
It was announced on May 22 that the NHL and NHLPA agreed to the 24 team playoff, but there are still hurdles to overcome. Hub cities, seeding for teams ranked 1-4, and above all else, the overall format of the playoffs. Two options are being discussed.
The playoffs will be conducted either under the current bracket, with teams advancing and sticking to those parameters. They could also be held with reseeding after every round, having the top seeded team play the lowest seeded team every round.