Just a thought..

[blocker]

Some times a team gets beaten up so badly in the first round of playoffs, that they fade in later rounds. And, sometimes two of the stronger teams in a conference meet in the first round. Talent and toughness vary from division to division.

I know it'll never happen, but I'd like to see a fairer ranking. The division winners should be in the playoffs, but not have a guaranted 1 - 3 spot. If a division winner has the fifth best won-loss in the conference, then they should be the fifth seed. If that same team has the ninth best record, they should be in the playdowns, but as the eighth seed.

IMHO, that would be a small step toward ensuring that the best teams in the conference would end up playing each other.

Right?

Or wrong, as usual.

[sarsippius]

@blocker

I would be all for anything that seeds the teams differently than the current system, which does nothing but make sure crappy teams in Bettman's folly markets get more exposure and an easier playoff opponent.

I don't think it would be outrageous to guarantee the top team in the conference the top seed, and let the other two division winners fend for themselves based on points.....but I guess that's just ranking the conference 1-8. Or lock in the top two division winners and let the third fall where it may, but no way a cheese champ from the SouthEast division should get a benefit it didn't earn.

Yes, I'm still pissed that we got the Pens as our reward for finishing ahead of NJ, and NJ ends up with FL. To quote Aladdin Sarsippius Siliminajik Jackson the 3rd, THIS IS RICOCKULOUS!