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Playoff formats that would and wouldn’t work for the Vegas Golden Knights

By Andrew Steele-Davis

SAN JOSE, CA - APRIL 23: Paul Stastny #26 of the Vegas Golden Knights skates with the puck against the San Jose Sharks in Game Seven of the Western Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center on April 23, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA - APRIL 23: Paul Stastny #26 of the Vegas Golden Knights skates with the puck against the San Jose Sharks in Game Seven of the Western Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center on April 23, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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Paul Stastny of the Vegas Golden Knights and Tomas Hertl #48 of the San Jose Sharks go for a face off in Game Seven of the Western Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center.
Paul Stastny of the Vegas Golden Knights and Tomas Hertl #48 of the San Jose Sharks go for a face off in Game Seven of the Western Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center. /

Tradition

As mentioned in the previous slide, the NHL would love nothing better than to finish the regular season and then commence with the Stanley Cup Playoffs in its traditional format.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that this would be the best-case scenario but, given everything that is going on right now, you don’t need to be top of your class either to grasp that this is probably a long shot.

But let’s consider it for a brief moment anyway.

Should by some kind of miracle the Golden Knights get the opportunity to finish the regular season before the playoffs begin, then they would likely enter the postseason as the winner of the Pacific Division.

As a result, they would have home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs and that in itself is a huge advantage, especially at T-Mobile Arena.

Obviously, this would be the best-case scenario for the Golden Knights and finishing the regular season first would allow them to shake off some rust before getting down to business.

Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and Mathieu Perreault of the Winnipeg Jets celebrate their victory against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place on March 11, 2020, in Edmonton, Canada.
Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and Mathieu Perreault of the Winnipeg Jets celebrate their victory against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place on March 11, 2020, in Edmonton, Canada. /

24-Team Playoff Field

One of the most popular suggestions thrown about in regards to the Stanley Cup Playoffs has been to expand the field to 24-teams.

The thinking behind that idea is, if the regular season is cancelled, then an expanded playoff format would allow those teams currently on the bubble the chance to extend their season.

For the likes of the New York Rangers, the New York Islanders and the Vancouver Canucks, they would benefit from the NHL expanding the field.

Each Conference would have 12 teams and it would certainly make for a wild battle for the Stanley Cup, especially when hockey is likely to run through the summer if hockey does return.

Hot weather, cold beers and playoff hockey, what could be better?!

From an entertainment and fairness point of view, expanding the field to 24-teams would probably be the best option.

However, there is a negative for the Golden Knights at play here and that is the fact that, as a top seed, they would get a First Round bye with those teams on the bubble having to contest a play-in game.

Now, in normal circumstances, having the luxury of a bye in the wake of a gruelling regular season would be ideal.

But, in this situation the Golden Knights will already be coming off a prolonged hiatus and they will have enough rust to shake off in the first place, let alone having to wait another week or two before getting back on the ice.

That is a sentiment that has been echoed by Golden Knights Head Coach Peter DeBoer in separate interviews with The Athletic and ESPN On Ice.

It is a tough one because jumping straight into the traditional playoff format wouldn’t be fair on those bubble teams, but the NHL needs to ensure that they protect the integrity of the Stanley Cup at the same time.

For the Golden Knights, they would still be a top seed and have home-ice advantage in a 24-team playoff format, although they would have have to wait for their opponent with the Nashville Predators, the Winnipeg Jets and the Minnesota Wild all possibilities.

It wouldn’t be ideal for the Golden Knights in the aspect that they would have to wait even longer before they actually hit a puck in competitive anger, but 24 teams would certainly make for crazy viewing.

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