Fansided

A 24-seeded playoff format could benefit the Montreal Canadiens

By Omar L |
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 16: The Montreal Canadiens skate in warm-ups prior to the game against the New York Rangers in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 16, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 16: The Montreal Canadiens skate in warm-ups prior to the game against the New York Rangers in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 16, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 03: Montreal Canadiens (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 03: Montreal Canadiens (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images) /

The NHL is experimenting with different ideas for the playoffs, and if it’s a 24-team tournament, the Montreal Canadiens may catch teams by surprise.

Things may get pretty goofy in the NHL if there comes a time where it starts up again. With the league on pause, NHL owners are discussing how the rest of the year is going to play out. The initial belief was that it would be about a week or two before training and practice facilities open up. However, with the new recommendation from the Cente of Disease Control, it looks as if we may go even longer without watching the Montreal Canadiens play.

The CDC announced their recommendation on Sunday that all events with 50 or more people should be cancelled or postponed for the next eight weeks. The NHL may be able to get away with that if they ban fans from arenas. However, they would scratch the max line when taking into account both teams, coaching staff, management, and building staff, to name a few.

If that’s the case, we won’t see NHL hockey until May. It’ll be tough to see the NHL want to have a regular-season play out in May if there needs to be time to have a mini-training camp for players to get back in the groove of things. Therefore, the league is exploring a scenario where the NHL jumps right into the playoffs.

Darren Dreger touched on some of these alternatives already, including an event where the top 16 teams in the league make the playoffs.

MONTREAL, QC – APRIL 20: Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC – APRIL 20: Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /

Igor Eronko added another layer to the narrative. According to Eronko, the NHL is considering a 24-team playoff with a first round that includes single-game eliminations.

Let’s play with this idea. For starters, congratulations Montreal Canadiens. If this happens, the team breaks their playoff drought as the 24th seed and makes the playoffs for the first time since the 2016-17 season.

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This may see the Habs have to battle with one of or multiple teams within that grouping of eight who wouldn’t have made it otherwise. Marc Bergevin’s philosophy could come into play here.

Carey Price has gotten the team through worst conditions. Knowing he’s back in the playoffs during an awkward year where anything could happen may trigger Price for the better. At the same time, there will be plenty of time between then and now for the team to get healthy and recover from some of the injuries they were battling through the season. Of course, the same thing would apply to the opposition, but again, that speaks to the importance of Price.

If it’s the best of the worst vs. the worst of the worst, that may see the Montreal Canadiens take on the Calgary Flames (this is if the standings are based on pure points rather than points percentage). The Flames have been an inconsistent year and goaltending will make it or break it for them as well. If it comes down to one single game, the Habs have just as good as a chance as anyone.

MONTREAL, QC – APRIL 12: Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC – APRIL 12: Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /

Even if it’s longer, say a best of three, the Montreal Canadiens still have decent odds.

We saw last year what fighting for your life could do for you in the playoffs. The Columbus Blue Jackets took the Tampa Bay Lightning by surprise in the first round while the Carolina Hurricanes fought their way to the Eastern Conference. Going from looking forward to the Draft Lottery to competing in the playoffs may spark something in this group.

Montreal has had ‘never give up’ as one of their main mantras this season. Even when they’re losing, they still work hard to the very end if that can come up in a playoff format that includes the Montreal Canadiens, who knows what could happen.

The downside of a format such as this is it could mean those lower teams will end up playing more games. That will surely make the battle during the playoffs a lot more difficult.

It’ll be a complicated dilemma for the NHL to figure out. However, it would be exciting to see the Montreal Canadiens there. Think back to the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs, where they went in as the eighth seed and upset the Washington Capitals in seven games. They carried that momentum to the East Conference Final but ended up losing to the Philadelphia Flyers in six games.

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Would it be surprising if something crazy like that happened this year? Again, it all depends on what happens with the virus. Considering how things have gone so far, it could lead to a very entertaining playoff.

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