Gary Bettman says No to expanded playoffs

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Ryan Hall
April 18, 2024 (10:47)

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The NHL playoffs are upon us and there has been much debate over the past couple of years on what fans would like to see in terms of NHL playoff change, one idea was an expanded playoff where more teams were allowed into the tournament to have a shot at the Stanley Cup.

However, according to Gary Bettman the NHL has no desire to expand the number of teams to enter.

Bettman feels the playoffs format is working exactly as hoped and there is plenty of entertainment that more teams are not necessary.

"We're not giving any thought to expanding the playoffs," Commissioner Gary Bettman said in advance of the playoffs, which begin Saturday. «We have no interest in it. What we have is working very well. When you look at how our playoffs play out, the number of six- and seven-game series, the competitiveness of it, nothing in anybody else's playoffs rivals that.»

Even some players have weighed in on the debate including Trevor van Riemsdyk and Reilly Smith who feel there are plenty of teams in the playoffs and that their current teams just need to play better so that they can join the party.

«You like what you know, I feel like,» said Washington's Trevor van Riemsdyk, who won the Cup with Chicago in 2015. «It keeps the importance of the regular season and all that stuff in the right place. I think 82 games is plenty of time, ample time, to make it.»

The format of 16 teams has been with the NHL since 1987 and the only change they have done was moved away from the one versus 8 model to the wild card style which has had mixed emotions by the fan base and some hockey players.

It seems no matter how loud the discussions are, the NHL is clearly satisfied with how their playoffs are running.