NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly ‘pretty satisfied’ with current playoff format

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly joined Leafs Morning Take with Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill on Friday morning.

Among the topics discussed was the current playoff format and how it is structured, where two 100-point-plus teams will face each other.

Currently, eight teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs. The new playoff format was instituted in 2014; the first, second, and third-place teams in each of the four divisions qualify for the playoffs, then two additional teams from each conference, regardless of divisional alignment, also qualify for the playoffs.

Jay Rosehill: This playoff format, I remember when it came in. I was playing and we thought it would lead to a lot of rivalries. As we just discussed on the flip side of that, it lends to the potential for 100-plus-point teams to face each other and inevitably one’s going home. Is there any discussion about tweaking the playoff format, or are you guys pretty satisfied with how it is? 

Bill Daly: Pretty satisfied with how it is. I mean, obviously that comes up from time to time, it’s talked about is kicked around. I think the result has been that we haven’t changed it, right? So it means I think we’re satisfied with what we’ve got. We feel like, first of all, it’s not bad to have really good matchups in the first two rounds of the playoffs if you can have them. I think it’s exciting for the fans. It’s good for the rightsholders, it’s good from that perspective. So, then when it’s competitively, you know, as a practical matter, you’re gonna have to go through those teams anyway, to win a Stanley Cup championship and so I think our clubs have come to accept that there are pros and cons to it, but we think the pros outweigh the cons.