NHL Playoff format to undergo major change if expansion goes through
Photo credit: James Carey Lauder-USA TODAY Sports
Chris Johnston believes the NHL's playoff format is headed for a significant overhaul the moment the league officially expands to 33 teams.
The veteran insider addressed the topic on his own show, tying the postseason changes directly to the expansion push already underway in Texas.
The NHL has been working toward adding a franchise in either Houston or Austin, with billionaire Dan Friedkin's group reportedly finalizing a $2 billion expansion fee.
Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly has indicated a formal announcement could come before the end of 2026, with the new club potentially dropping the puck as early as the 2029-30 season.
That timeline has insiders like Johnston already looking ahead to how an odd-numbered league would reshape the road to the Stanley Cup.
Why An Odd Team Count Forces The League's Hand
Right now, 16 of the NHL's 32 teams make the playoffs each spring, an even split across two conferences.
Adding a 33rd franchise breaks that symmetry, and Johnston does not see the league accepting a setup where the postseason field shrinks relative to the league's size.
The minute you go to 33 [teams], the league's gonna be expanding the playoffs; I don't think they would have a set of circumstances, at least my understanding, where you would have more teams missing...than qualify
What Expansion Could Mean For Fans
A larger playoff bracket would likely mean more meaningful games down the stretch and fresh scenarios for bubble teams that have historically been eliminated early.
It could also reshape divisional rivalries depending on how the new team is slotted into a conference.
Nothing is finalized yet, and the NHL's Board of Governors still has to sign off on the Texas expansion itself before format questions get resolved.
But with momentum building toward a 33rd franchise, playoff structure conversations appear to be moving from hypothetical to inevitable.
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