A/B-Rival Playoff Format Example 1
In this format, there are no Conferences or Divisions that close off which teams can meet which other teams more frequently. Instead, a fluid balance is achieved in giving each team 6, 4 or 2 games against each other team, depending on which pairs of teams are considered “A-Rivals”, “B-Rivals”, or simply “not rivals”. Here is a map of my vision for how these relationships would work for each team in the league, including the expansion Seattle franchise:
In order to have a playoff format work with this type of alignment, playoff qualification must be dependent partially on each team’s overall record (as 59% of games are between non-rivals), but also partially on performance relative to one’s rivals. I have chosen to make this qualification depend on each team’s performance within their A-Rivalries only, for simplicity, and to ramp up the importance of these rivalries:
Teams who are in first place amongst their A-Rivals automatically earn a playoff spot, while teams in last place amongst their A-Rivals are
automatically eliminated from the playoffs. The remaining spots (if there are any) go to each second-place team in order of overall record:
If a third-place team has a better record than a second-place team that earns a playoff spot, that third-place team earns one as well, as long as there is still at least one spot available (a lower second-place team must earn a spot for this to occur, otherwise the team is left out). Here,
Nashville clinches with Arizona, Vegas clinches with Buffalo, leaving Pittsburgh to clinch the last available spot:
Now, each qualifying team is seeded by overall record. Teams’ overall positions are retained here, because they affect how the matchups are
drawn:
Playoff matchups are determined by pairing teams who are A- or B-Rivals with the most separation in seeding position between them. Since Toronto and Buffalo are A-Rivals, and have the most separation in seeding position of any 2 Rivals, they draw each other. Montreal is also Rivals with each team, but there is not as much separation (other Rivals are indicated in order of priority for matchups to the right of each team’s logo):
The next matchup of Rivals with the most separation remaining is #4 Philadelphia vs. #16 Pittsburgh. Once again, other Rivals for each team are indicated, but these potential matchups do not have as much separation between the teams:
The next matchup of Rivals with the most separation remaining is #5 Minnesota vs #14 Edmonton:
The next matchup of Rivals with the most separation remaining is #2 Detroit vs #11 Nashville:
The next matchup of Rivals with the most separation remaining is #7 Los Angeles vs #13 Vegas:
The next matchups of Rivals with the most separation remaining are #6 Montreal vs #10 Carolina, and #8 San Jose vs #12 Arizona:
This leaves two remaining teams: Dallas and NY Islanders, who are not Rivals:
With one series being a Non-Rival series, alternative matchups can now be considered in order to make that one Non-Rival series more fair. This is done by considering alternative opponents for each team in this matchup, then seeing if the difference in the standings in this matchup can be increased by doing this:
By switching Dallas’ opponent to Nashville, #2 Detroit becomes available, and by switching NY Islanders’ opponent to Philadelphia, #16 Pittsburgh becomes Detroit’s opponent, which has much more separation in the standings than the Dallas-NY Islanders matchup would have. Both alternate Rival matchups are in between the Non-Rival matchup, so no team gets a higher/lower Rival team without their original opponent also getting a lower/higher opponent:
The faded out teams indicate playoff series losses in the first round, while the solid colour teams move on to the second round:
In the second round, the process repeats. Now, the Rival matchup with the most separation is #9 NY Islanders vs #16 Pittsburgh:
The next matchup of Rivals with the most separation remaining is #10 Carolina vs #15 Buffalo:
The next matchup of Rivals with the most separation remaining is #8 San Jose vs #13 Vegas:
The last two teams are #3 Dallas and #14 Edmonton, who are not Rivals. Each other matchup in the 2nd Round is between 2 teams who are each other’s only remaining Rival, so no alternatives need to be considered here:
Assume the faded out teams have lost their 2nd Round matchups:
None of the remaining teams are Rivals, so they match up as best vs worst remaining:
After these two matchups are decided, the winners face each other in the Stanley Cup Finals:
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