Do the Playoffs even matter?

[TommyDevil13]

I know it's a fun weekend, and there's a trophy at the end of it, but a team only needs to win 4 games (or less if they win one leg of the semi-final by a sizeable margin after losing the other) to be 'Playoff Champions'.

It's so different in the NHL, where they have to progress through various rounds of 'best of 7' before lifting the Stanley Cup...it's still a real achievement to get to that point, especially as teams are only playing the best teams in the League.

I'm sure teams like winning silverware, but the Playoffs feel to me like somewhat of an anti-climax. I know people have posted about changing the format on here, and I know there are issues about the Arena teams being able to secure ice time, but surely there must be a way of re-establishing the Playoffs as a more significant part of the season?

I remember they used to do a mini-round robin group at the quarter-final stage - I thought that worked well.

Any thoughts on how it could be improved?

 

[Earnie]

I guess we are not over excited about playoffs at the moment since we failed to get to the POWE twice in a row.
It is a very exciting weekend whether your team is there or not. This year we were treated to some great games.(excluding the stupid 3rd place game)
It was all the better by having two non Arena teams (Hull and .Coventry) qualifying and both teams gave a terrific performance with Coventry emerging Champions.
However the format leading up to the semi finalists needs refreshing. A one off home and away against just one team is not really good enough. Not impressed with shunting conference winners up the table either.
Lots of room for discussion here.
As for the question 'do they even matter? - yes they do. They provide an exciting end to the season and a final chance for someone else to win a big trophy.

 

[d20]

Play offs are fine but to make it more interesting I would get play a best of 5 series between teams , finish the season a week earlier so the games could be played sat,sun,wed,sat,sun it would make it a good play off series against the other teams more money for both clubs and more exciting games as the series would build , could easily be done and one way is not having the stupid qualifying games of the CC , top 2 who win groups play each other , don't need this group games then top 4 in each group play each other again , ridiculous .

 

[ASHIPP]

Farcical in their current format....a team on form only needs to play 4 good games to potentially win a trophy and qualify for European tournament! Whereas the CC and League
games are a much more realistic test of the ability and consistency of a team.

A North American style 'best of 5 or 7' series would be fantastic before a one-off final weekend. ....but unlikely to happen in the UK at the mo. Some teams simply couldn't sustain
the expense of a series.

 

[Devilsdude4]

I'm fine with the finals weekend,
It's the quarter finals that got to change, best of 5 first to 3 games is more exciting than what we got right now,

 

[Temme]

All of this was discussed at the fans forum on Sunday morning (video now on youtube)

Basically, we are the ONLY league in the world that prioritises league ahead of playoffs.

I love the playoff weekend, but would love to see us move to more of a stanley cup layout like everyone else uses.

 

[block15blaze]

I was speaking to an import player who has been in UK for 3/4 years. He said he understands the importance UK put on the league but regardless of format he'd pick the playoff trophy every day of the week. It's in built into them. Eye opener for me.

 

[Finny]

I was speaking to an import player who has been in UK for 3/4 years. He said he understands the importance UK put on the league but regardless of format he'd pick the playoff trophy every day of the week. It's in built into them. Eye opener for me.

Was that a Blaze import who had just won the playoff trophy?

 

[Temme]

Exactly :lol: :lol: :lol:

I'm sure all Sheffields imports would say the league is more important.


As i said earlier, we are the only league in the world that prioritises league above Play-offs, and in my eyes this needs to change.

 

[Gaz G]

Exactly :lol: :lol: :lol:

I'm sure all Sheffields imports would say the league is more important.


As i said earlier, we are the only league in the world that prioritises league above Play-offs, and in my eyes this needs to change.

Why?

 

[jimmy snels]

For me the q
quarters should be best of 5 and semis. Have a genuine final still if league feels it needs its money spinner. It'd make winning it so much more special if you did ya know

 

[Wagstaff]

In answer to the original question, yes of course they do, it's the FA cup of British ice hockey and I guarantee that if Cardiff had won the playoffs, this thread would not exist!

 

[TommyDevil13]

I can assure you that it would. After coming so close to winning the league, and then falling short, the playoffs felt to me like a rushed afterthought and an anti-climax. I'd have been pleased if the Devils had won the playoffs, but it wouldn't have made up for losing the league.

Perhaps that wouldn't be the case if they'd finished lower down the table, but for a team that almost won the league, the playoffs seemed less important.

I'm all for the playoffs, but I think the format could be improved to balance the importance of the 3 trophies on offer.

 

[Ocko]

Of course they matter, it's a trophy to win afterall.

But are they comparable to what a play off trophy should be? And does it matter as much as in other leagues? Not a chance.

Easiest thing to win by far.