[Dr. Sivana]

Hockey was much better when there were 21 teams.

Agreed. However, at one point there were 16 playoffs teams out of 21 teams going to the playoffs, and the team with the best winning percentage rarely won the Stanley Cup. I had jokingly suggested that they should have had 20 teams make the playoffs so we can play 82 games so one team can feel REALLY BAD.

I don't like that the most important hockey is played in June. Either shrink the playoffs, or shorten the regular season. It should end where there could conceivable be snow on the ground in the original six cities.

[xp38]

I completely agree with you but I don’t foresee June hockey disappearing because it has been going on so long now it seems entrenched. It would require daring and vision to shrink the season. That is not how I see the NHL leadership.

[Hieronymus]

I remember reading a Sports Illustrated pre-season article back from the days of 21 teams, and it had a section with a line to the effect of “and here we have the five teams we predict witll not make the playoffs, which in hockey is like not making the telephone book.”

I also recall at least one season where the team with the second worst overall record made the playoffs, because they happened to be in the same five-team division as the worst team.

[Wayne07]

Yeah, it did diminish the regular season when ~75% of the teams got to go to the playoffs every year. If there was an upside, it did mean almost every year the same teams would be playing each other, which created intense rivalries that have faded with more teams and the wildcard. Boston v Hartford, Chicago v Minnesota, Calgary v Winnipeg. You’d think LA and Anaheim would be a great rivalry, but they’ve only played each other 1-2 times in the playoffs in the last 20 years.

[Alberta's Child]

I would prefer to see the NHL playoffs end by the time the World Hockey Championships begin in early May.