NHL Will Re-Seed Playoffs After Each Round, Best-of-Seven Chosen by Players

Big news comes down today from the NHL regarding the eventual playoff format if things get back underway. A 24-team play-in leading to a 16-team playoff already having been approved, the details of how those playoffs will now work becomes the important discussion.

According to a number of sources on Thursday, the NHL has made a decision in that regard.

Elliotte Friedman reports in his latest 31 Thoughts column that:

The major NHL news today was the finalization of the playoff format. Initially, the league preferred “bracketing” the post-season after the “play-in” round, but chose to give the players the final decision. They preferred the highest-remaining seed against the lowest after each round, and that will be the way it goes. Every series after the opening qualifiers (which are best three-of-five) will be best-of-seven.

In the event of a tie-breaker regular-season points percentage will come into play.

There is some debate for a team like the Boston Bruins. Some are arguing that the Bruins would rather be given the No. 1 seed they deserve coming out of the regular season instead of having a three-game round robin determine it. Others argue that with re-seeding every round, the Bruins will be at worst 4th and always have the best pick among teams five and beyond who moved forward.

This is certainly the more traditional way to format the playoffs and the best-of-seven is something I’m sure fans will be much happier to see.

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