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Fewer than five decades after the Stanley Cup was settled on a CBS afternoon broadcast, getting into the NHL postseason feels markedly more difficult. With the league now at 32 teams but the playoff field still capped at 16, every point carries more weight — and every change to the format would reshape who gets a shot at hockey’s top prize.
The NHL’s bracket has been stubbornly consistent: a 16-team tournament that traces its modern roots to the 1970s and remained intact even as the league doubled in size. That stability stands out when compared with other major U.S. sports, and it helps explain why playoff races in both conferences are often razor-thin well into April.
Why it’s tougher to qualify
Several structural shifts have made the postseason harder to reach. The most obvious: a larger league with the same number of berths. Expansion from 21 to 32 clubs means more competition for unchanged postseason slots.
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Competitive balance tools such as the **strong**salary cap** and a schedule that produces many regulation-overtime-shootout hybrid outcomes — sometimes described as **strong**three-point games** because of the points distribution — have tightened standings across the board. The result is that teams that once coasted to contention now fight for every overtime and back-to-back.
There are exceptions and dramatic late-season swings: this year’s scramble saw teams like Ottawa and Buffalo climb out of long slumps to re-join the conversation, while the New York Islanders’ late collapse after leading their division earlier in the season underscored how quickly fortunes can change.
How other leagues handle postseason access
Compared with the NHL, most major leagues have broadened their playoff access, either formally or effectively:
- NFL: Expanded to 14 postseason teams from a smaller field decades ago, matching its growth to 32 franchises.
- MLB: Now sends 12 of 30 teams to the playoffs, a substantial increase from the four-team format in 1980.
- NBA: Still lists a 16-team bracket but operates a **strong**play-in tournament** that often involves the 7th through 10th seeds, effectively enlarging postseason opportunities.
- NHL: Retains a straight 16-team format (with the pandemic year exception of a 24-team field in 2020), despite league expansion to 32 clubs.
That comparison clarifies a practical point: the NHL could increase playoff participation without formally expanding the bracket by adopting its own play-in model, a move that would generate additional high-stakes matchups — and more broadcast and ticket inventory — late in the season.
Commissioner Bettman’s calculus
Commissioner Gary Bettman has publicly resisted changing the playoff structure, even as expansion interests — accompanied by reported entry fees in the neighborhood of $2 billion — make adding franchises likely in the near term. From the league’s perspective, preserving the 16-team format protects the postseason’s rigor and rewards consistency over a long schedule.
There is also a competitive argument: the Western Conference’s current scramble illustrates that a play-in would not necessarily add clarity or quality. Some stretches produce clustered standings where the final wild-card spot is decided among middling records rather than clear contenders.
What fans and teams stand to lose or gain
A play-in or expanded field would mean more playoff-type games and late-season excitement in every market, but it could also dilute the achievement of qualifying and shift how teams manage rosters heading into March and April.
- For fans: More markets remain relevant later into the season, increasing local engagement and viewership.
- For teams: Coaches could alter load management and trade strategies to chase play-in positioning rather than classical seeding.
- For the league: Added playoff inventory is attractive commercially, but maintaining the integrity and prestige of the postseason is a counterweight.
The point of the postseason is not merely to extend the calendar; it is to test teams over a long haul and to reward sustained excellence. Those who worry that the NHL is being overly conservative point to the NBA’s play-in as a blueprint that preserves regular-season importance while adding drama and revenue. Bettman and the owners see risks to that approach, and for now the league is keeping the gates at 16.
Whether that’s the right balance depends on what the league values most: widening access to more markets and moments, or keeping the Cup chase narrow and grueling. For players, coaches and fans who prize endurance and consistency, the current setup still delivers an uncompromising path to the **strong**Stanley Cup** — one that remains difficult to earn, perhaps intentionally so.
