How to Make a Playoff Schedule

Putting together a hockey playoff schedule can be a bit confusing since 16 teams make the playoffs in the NHL every year. In order to plan the playoffs, the schedule maker must have the regular-season standings in front of him to plan the matchups in the Stanley Cup playoffs. All playoff series are best-of-seven.

Instructions

    • 1

      Put eight teams from the Eastern and Western Conferences in the postseason playoffs. There are three divisions in each conference. The first-place teams in each of the conferences are the top three seeds, even though one of the second-place teams may have a better point total than one of the division winners. The three division winners and the second place team with the highest point totals all get home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Those teams will play games 1, 2, 5 and 7 at home in the playoff series. The top-seeded team is the first-place team with the best overall record in the conference. That team plays the No. 8 seed. The No. 2 seed is the first-place team with the second-best overall record in the conference and it will play the No. 7 seed. The third division winner is the No. 3 seed and plays the No. 6 seed. The second-place team with the best record is the No. 4 seed and plays the No. 5 seed. This is how the first round works in both conferences.

    • 2

      Advance the winners of the first round to the second round of the playoffs, also called the conference semifinals. Say the No. 1, No. 2, No. 4 and No. 6 teams win the first round of the playoffs. In that case, the No. 1 seed will play the No. 6 seed in the second round with the No. 1 seed getting home ice advantage. The No. 2 seed will play the No. 4 seed with the No. 2 seed getting home ice advantage.

    • 3

      Advance the winners of the second round to the finals of both the Eastern and Western Conference. The higher remaining seed gets home ice advantage.

    • 4

      Put the winners of the Eastern and Western Conferences in the Stanley Cup Finals. Home ice advantage goes to the team with the most regular season points. It does not matter if one of the teams was a division winner and the other was not. Home ice in the finals is determined by total points during the regular season.