Conference-Range Example 2
Here is another example of this format, to demonstrate an additional rule about seeding and matchup setting. To begin, the playoff teams in order of record only:
The seeding is set once the top 2 teams from each Division are granted the top 4 seeds by record, followed by the next 4 teams by record in the #5-8 seeds. In this example, in the Eastern Conference, Florida gains 1 spot in the seeding due to this rule:
To determine which of these teams are drawn as opponents, first all of the standard matchups that are already between teams from the same Division are set:
In the East, #1 Carolina and #4 Florida both do not have an available alternative Divisional opponent, so they draw their standard opponents. In the West, #2 Winnipeg is only eligible to play 2 Pacific teams, so they draw their standard opponent (#7 Arizona). However, #3 Nashville and #4 San Jose draw #5 St. Louis and #6 Vancouver respectively, since both alternative matchups are Divisional:
Assume the faded out teams have lost their matchups, and the remaining 8 move on to the 2nd round.
For the second round, the process repeats, but the teams in each Conference are completely re-seeded based on their previous seed positons 1-4, and their eligibility to play opponents is based on +/- 1 seed in a 1-4 arrangement:
The matchups in the East do not switch, because the top two teams are from the same Division, and the bottom two are from the other Division, preventing any possible switches. Allowing the top 2 teams to be from the same Division, rather than making the #1/2 seeds be Division winners prevents the top 2 teams from playing in the second round if #1 switches opponents to #3 and #2 has a worse record but won their Division. The West matchups also remain the same:
Assume the faded out teams lost their matchups, and the 4 remaining teams move on to the 3rd round.
3rd Round matchups are between the 2 remaining teams per Conference:
Remaining teams meet in the Stanley Cup Finals:
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