The NHL is doing everything they can do get the season resumed and finished.
Greg Wyshynski shared an eye-opening tweet the other day about one particular plan:
According to @SportsnetSpec, this is the "most popular" playoff format idea if the NHL can't finish its regular season this summer.
It's a format in which the Buffalo Sabres and Anaheim Ducks would be playoff teams, while the NY Rangers would not. https://t.co/bw90ic5Pj0 pic.twitter.com/YHczDylJNY
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) April 29, 2020
This format would allow the Sabres to get into the postseason.
In case you forgot just how bad the Sabres were/are this season, here’s a reminder:
There is no table associated with this shortcode.
6th place in the Atlantic Division.
This plan that Wyshynski says is the “most popular” seems to only be the case if there aren’t any more regular season games played. With some reports out there stating that the league is considering pushing the start of next season back into November or December, it may be tougher for this playoff format to come to life.
But would Sabres fans want it? It would be a best-of-3 series against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Round 1.
And while the Sabres would be playing playoff hockey, it definitely would come with an asterisk next to it because they certainly aren’t deserving of any postseason action right now.
Would playoff hockey mean the same thing to you even though it wouldn’t be the typical postseason we’re used to?