Carolina Hurricanes weren't exactly happy with NHL's proposed playoff format, coach says

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NHL announces return with 24-team playoff in two hub cities

The NHL will abandon the 2019-2020 regular season and resume with a 24-team playoff; former NHL goalie Kevin Weekes explains the format.

Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said Wednesday the NHL’s 24-team playoff format to determine a champion does not bode well for the team.

If approved, the Hurricanes could end up playing the New York Rangers in a best-of-five qualifying round. The Hurricanes would be pitted as the No. 6 seed in the playoff. Brind’Amour said the format basically scrubs the team’s accomplishments during the 2019-20 season.

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“I think the bigger issue felt like, and especially our guys, was like 'what was the 68 games we played for?’ What did we grind for? The bulk of the season was completed, and they just threw that out, and I think that's how [the Hurricanes] felt,” he said during an interview on the “ESPN on Ice” podcast. “I think that's justifiable in a way.”

Carolina was 38-25-5 with 68 points when the NHL paused the season in March. The team had the first Eastern Conference wildcard spot. The Hurricanes and the Tampa Bay Lightning were the only two teams to vote against the plan.

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Brind’Amour said the NHL could have played out the rest of the season and had a normal 16-team postseason format.

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“Why not carry the points over that you have?” he said. “If we're playing in -- I think the thought was if you're playing in, five, six, seven games, however, we could easily have all had the same amount of games, figured that out and that would have been your play-in, and take your points with you and see how you end up.”