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What& #39;s most insane about the 24-team suggested format is that it inordinately impacts a select few teams. CHI and MTL go from like <1% chance of making the "playoffs" to (let& #39;s back-envelope) 40% while the Oilers go from about 95% to ~60%.
Then you have some bizarre cutoff point: Oilers go from 95% to 60% whereas Dallas goes from 95% to 100%. They& #39;re separated by the thinnest of lines. Oilers actually have a superior goal differential (+8 vs +3). Seriously?
Why even play 70 freaking games in the regular season? It& #39;s like the entire season was played for a 7 team relegation. You play the games to get some meaningful separation between good teams and bad teams. A 5-game "intro" round throws that shit directly in the garbage.
Does the NHL wonder why fans are cynical about their choices? Tell me with a straight face that they& #39;d be entertaining a 24-team conference-based format if CHI doesn& #39;t happen to be the 12th place team in a division-less Western Conference.
Want to make this "fair"? Make it so that the Blackhawks need to win 4 out of 5 in the series. Seriously. Oilers win 2 and the thing is over. Requiring CHI to win 5/5 is actually fairer but let& #39;s spot them this one.
