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Toronto Maple Leafs: Pros and Cons of NHL Playoff Play-In Games

By Stephen Nixon

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 11: Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitchell Marner (16) reacts to his penalty shot goal during Game 1 of the First Round between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 11, 2019, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 11: Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitchell Marner (16) reacts to his penalty shot goal during Game 1 of the First Round between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 11, 2019, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON – APRIL 21: Frederik Andersen #31 of the Toronto Maple Leafs  . (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – APRIL 21: Frederik Andersen #31 of the Toronto Maple Leafs  . (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Pros to a Play-In Playoff Format:

NHL Playoffs Would Be More Balanced

It feels like every year, there is one or two teams that miss the playoffs that shouldn’t have. Whether it’s due to injuries or a bad overtime/shootout record, a team is on the outside looking in.

There is so much parity in the NHL today that a team in 10th place has the ability to beat the 1st place team any night of the week. Therefore, by adding four more teams in each conference into the playoffs, we would be making sure that every good team in the NHL is in the playoffs.

If you look at the current standings right now, the teams in each conference to miss would be the following:

Eastern Conference: Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings

Western Conference: Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks

Nobody would say that those teams deserve to make the playoffs, whereas the 12th team in each conference (West – Chicago Blackhawks, East – Montreal Canadiens) have a case that if they made the playoffs, they could at least win a round.

More Playoffs Games Equals More Entertainment

From an entertainment standpoint, more playoff games means more excitement and entertainment for fans. The new format would give eight new fan-bases hope and excitement, that they typically wouldn’t have.

If you look at the other Big Four sports leagues, they’ve all expanded their playoff systems. The MLB now has a play-in game, and the NFL will be adding a seventh playoff team to each conference in 2021.

Although the Toronto Maple Leafs would currently have made the playoffs in today’s system, they have had a number of seasons over the past two decades that could have benefited from this new format.

It’s a win for everyone involved if they expand the playoff format. The best teams get a well deserved bye and a few extra fan-bases get into the big dance. More entertainment and competition also enhances current rivals and legitimizes more franchises.

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