Daly: No playoff format changes discussed in CBA talks; progress made on LTIR
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While talks continue between the NHL and National Hockey League Players' Association on a new collective bargaining agreement, changes to the league's playoff format have not been discussed.
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun in The Athletic that the division-based seeding has not been raised as an issue by either side.
"Yeah, so the way I would answer that is at any point in time on any issue, there can be discussions between the NHL and the NHLPA, but I will say that with respect to this particular issue, it hasn’t even been raised or discussed as part of our (CBA) discussions with the Players’ Association," Daly said. "Look, we have our own view with respect to the merits to the current system. There does not appear to be agitation on the players’ side about that format."
The NHL has used its current playoff format since 2013-14, with each of the four division winners drawing a wild-card team in the first round of the postseason and the winner of that series advancing to face the winner between the second and third-place finishers in their division.
This season, the Carolina Hurricanes drew the New Jersey Devils in the first round after finishing second in the Metropolitan Division. On paper Carolina, who finished fourth in the Eastern Conference, drew an easier matchup than the Toronto Maple Leafs who finished second in the conference and first in the Atlantic Division. The Maple Leafs played the Ottawa Senators, who finished sixth in the East with 97 points, six more than the Devils who were tied with the Montreal Canadiens for the least points among playoff qualifiers.
In the Western Conference, the Dallas Stars finished third in the Western Conference but drew the Colorado Avalanche in the Central Division bracket despite Colorado having the fifth-best record in the conference. Based a on a one-through-eight seeding in the conference, the Stars would have faced the Edmonton Oilers, who now await them in the Western Conference Final.
The Oilers have met - and eliminated - the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the playoffs in each of the past four years.
Playoff LTIR changes on the table
Daly did confirm to LeBrun that changes continue to be discussed on changing the removal of the salary cap in the playoffs, which teams have used to bring players back from long-term injured reserve after using their cap space at the trade deadline.
"Nothing’s done until it’s done, but I would tell you that I think we’ve made progress toward getting to a good resolution on that issue." Daly said.
Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk, Edmonton Oilers winger Evander Kane, Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog and Dallas Stars defenceman Miro Heiskanen are the among the players who have returned this postseason after being on LTIR at the trade deadline.