![]() The format doesn’t change the reality that Nashville will be the team to beat on one side of the bracket and Tampa Bay is No. 1 Xavier in the NCAA tournament and the Golden Knights’ shocking run through this season and it’s hard not to see the parallels.Ĭonclusion: No matter what format you use, the four-round gauntlet is a challenging endeavor. But Vegas and Florida State are deep - the Golden Knights can roll four lines effectively, while Florida State utilizes a 10-man rotation. Vegas does not have big-name stars, just as the Seminoles are led in scoring by Phil Cofer and Braian Angola, who are both averaging around 13 points per game. In our Sweet 16 matchups, Anaheim and Boston are separated by about 3,000 miles.įun comparison: Vegas Golden Knights and No. One lure of the divisional format is that it keeps travel bearable in the early rounds. Philadelphia?Ĭould it work? Aggravating travel is the primary reason why the Sweet 16 format would never receive widespread support. Would Capitals fans prefer that over Washington vs. You end up with some unique matchups, including Washington vs. In this 1-16 format, only one matchup features two divisional teams. The Stars aren't in the playoffs today under the current set-up, but the Stars are the No. Sweet 16: Adopting the Sweet 16 format, nine teams from the West would be in the playoffs and only seven from the East. The Kings, with Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty and Jonathan Quick, would gladly take their chances against the Predators in a Final Four matchup.Ĭurrent format vs. Their corner of the bracket includes a team in its first season (Golden Knights), a team that has advanced to the playoffs once in in the past 10 seasons (Jets) and the inconsistent and disappointing Blue Jackets. They would certainly like these matchups better than facing the Ducks, a team that gave the Predators trouble last season or the Kings, who have a storied playoff history or the skilled Jets.Ĭinderella potential: Los Angeles Kings. If they win the first round, the Predators would play either the Wild or Sharks, two teams who are in the middle of the pack among playoff teams. Cooper is Jay Wright, and Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos are like Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson, two offensive powers.īest draw: Nashville Predators. It's a greater advantage for a No. Guess that makes the Tampa Bay Lightning Villanova. The Winnipeg Jets, with their young talented squad, would be this year’s version of the Kentucky Wildcats, who are starting five freshmen. More: Predators' Pekka Rinne has become the Vezina Trophy favorite More: NHL GMs call for change on goalie interference challenges 16 by points, regardless of geography.īecause David Poile and the Nashville Predators remind us of Mike Krzyzewski and Duke and the Colorado Avalanche have a Clemson possibly-in-the-tournament-after-a-long absence vibe, we decided to have fun and see how it looked. That got us thinking about what the NHL playoffs would look like if it were seeded like the NCAA college basketball tournament, ranking teams No. ![]()
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