4 More Playoff Teams? Pray For Lockout

At the end of yesterday's NHL/PA negotiations, Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet in Canada tweeted this out:

Although it hasn't been brought up in negotiations both #NHL #NHLPA have had internal discussions on 4 more teams qualifying for playoffs

— Nick Kypreos (@RealKyper) January 2, 2013

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Is this legit? Imagine 10 teams making the playoffs. Honestly, 8 teams are probably a few to many, but it allows for Cinderella stories like Los Angeles (although if you look at their roster, it was more under-performing during the regular season than it is Cinderella story) to run through the playoffs en route to a Stanley Cup. 

But 10 teams per conference? Really? 

If you look at the NHL this year, the Eastern Conference would've had Buffalo (39-32-11) and Tampa Bay in the playoffs (38-36-8) as the 9 and 10 seed (and how awful does it feel to say 9 and 10 seed?) with Tampa barely hitting the .500 mark to get there. In the West, Calgary (37-29-16) and Dallas (42-35-5) are your 9 and 10 seeds.  

I would venture that the first two seeds in the conference get a bye into round 2 and the first round is just 3-10, like a 1-8 matchup schedule, but then the second round is a cluster fuck because instead of going 4 bracketed games (1v8, 2v7, 3v6, 4v5) going to 2, you have 4 bracketed games going to 3 and everything gets all fucked up. 

The second reason I hate this is that it's a clear cash grab for the NHL and the NHLPA. With two more teams per conference entering the fray of playoff competition, teams will more than likely sell out their arenas with those fun, increased ticket prices. If Winnipeg ever makes the playoffs (and god knows we're hoping they don't because Jets fans are insufferable) think about the bank they'll make. Those people are retarded for hockey because the only other thing that have to do up there is NOTHING. 

Allowing two more teams per conference into the playoffs allows shitty teams in good markets (like Winnipeg :gasp:) to get into the playoffs and make that money, which in turn lines the pockets of the NHL and the PA only to have them fight about it 5-to-6 years. 

I hope that if this is ever discussed, the owners/players see beyond the green and realize what an awful idea this would be for the sport. Also, would that make the Stanley Cup presentation late June/early July? The Kings won the Cup on June 11, 2012, which was the 6th game of their series. Boston won on June 15, 2011 which was the 7th game of their series. Could an increased number of teams push the playoffs another 7-14 days? It's possible. 

Either way, this idea sucks and I say good day. 

I SAID GOOD DAY!