Report: A 24 team Stanley Cup Playoff bracket is “inevitable”

We may be biased here… but there’s no other sporting event quite like the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The mental and physical grind that NHL players put themselves through just for a chance to hoist the Stanley Cup is unlike anything else in sports. 

The opening round of the playoffs can sometimes even be the best. With 16 teams in action, fans are guaranteed high level, high stakes game every evening during the first round. In short: It’s perfect.

However, there are rumbling from NHL insider Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet that changes are coming to the Stanley Cup Playoffs and that regardless of how you may feel, that change is “inevitable”.

During today’s Hockey Central and Noon broadcast on Sporsnet, Kypreos was asked about the Stanley Cup Playoffs format moving forward and a proposed 24 team playoff bracket by host Jeff Marek. Kypreos’ reply was very, VERY interesting, to say the least.

Check it out:

“I do think it’s inevitable. It’s because, I think there’s more teams coming. Our number is at 32 in three years, I could see that list climbing into the mid-thirties.”

“I think there’s markets and there’s people out there that won’t even flinch at $650 as a number.”

“There’s money to be made with more teams. When you continue to add teams, you’re going to have to find a way to get more teams in the playoffs.”

Interesting… not sure the NHL needs anymore teams than 32, but the idea of more teams in the playoffs is intriguing, to say the least.

The balance of 16 teams per conference and eight teams per conference who make the Stanley Cup Playoffs is damn near perfect though… not sure how you improve on that. 

In the end though, you just KNOW Gary Bettman and the NHL will do what’s best for the league’s bank account and not necessarily the on ice product of the fan experience. In other words: deal with it, hockey fans.