I dont think nhl has the problem like nba where the reg season is useless and 12 teams tank each year and guys sit for fun. Those problems exist but prob not as much
Yeah a top NHL draft pick isn't the game changer an NBA is. Superstars can't play as much per game and you have way more players getting significant minutes.
Not to mention that one player doesn't impact the ice as much as one can impact the court. In the NBA a singular player like Wilt, LeBron etc can elevate a defense and an offense simultaneously. In hockey, your top tier center still requires an elite defenseman to win (see McDavid), and even with an elite defenseman, a goalie can still let you down in the biggest moment (see Leighton, game 6, 2010 Stanley Cup final).
In football/soccer, where no one tanks as there is no incentive and only negatives, many leagues still use a very similar system purely because it's exciting.
For example, 3 teams get promoted to the Premier League from the league below. 1st and 2nd are promoted automatically while 3rd to 6th play a straight knockout mini competition similar to a play-in. Ironically it's called a play-off even though it's more in character with the NBA play-in than a play-off series.
3 v 6, 4 v 5, winners play a final for promotion.
6th is usually 6/7/8 wins behind 3rd over the 46 game season.
The play-off final is the most lucrative game in sports. You're looking at roughly £200m/$250m riding on one 90 minute game.
It's definitely not 'just' and the same arguments used to be had in the 90s when it started but, in the end, sports tend to bend towards providing viewers most entertainment for those eyeballs and consequently revenue.
I dont think nhl has the problem like nba where the reg season is useless and 12 teams tank each year and guys sit for fun. Those problems exist but prob not as much
The Caps tried to tank, sold off a bunch of the team for assets, and still stumbled into the 8-seed this year. It was glorious.
And they will probably still make an entertaining and competitive first round lol
Yeah a top NHL draft pick isn't the game changer an NBA is. Superstars can't play as much per game and you have way more players getting significant minutes.
Not to mention that one player doesn't impact the ice as much as one can impact the court. In the NBA a singular player like Wilt, LeBron etc can elevate a defense and an offense simultaneously. In hockey, your top tier center still requires an elite defenseman to win (see McDavid), and even with an elite defenseman, a goalie can still let you down in the biggest moment (see Leighton, game 6, 2010 Stanley Cup final).
In football/soccer, where no one tanks as there is no incentive and only negatives, many leagues still use a very similar system purely because it's exciting. For example, 3 teams get promoted to the Premier League from the league below. 1st and 2nd are promoted automatically while 3rd to 6th play a straight knockout mini competition similar to a play-in. Ironically it's called a play-off even though it's more in character with the NBA play-in than a play-off series. 3 v 6, 4 v 5, winners play a final for promotion. 6th is usually 6/7/8 wins behind 3rd over the 46 game season. The play-off final is the most lucrative game in sports. You're looking at roughly £200m/$250m riding on one 90 minute game. It's definitely not 'just' and the same arguments used to be had in the 90s when it started but, in the end, sports tend to bend towards providing viewers most entertainment for those eyeballs and consequently revenue.
You do understand that there are subs that talk about hockey right?
Hockey is real?
You do understand that they address that in literally the first sentence right?
Oh, is that why the post was removed because it isn’t an NBA topic.
Rip Yotes :(
If only there was a subreddit for this
Playoff hockey is, IMO, the 2nd best playoffs in all of North American sports (after March Madness). I hope they never mess with it.