But it’s hard to know what upset potential really looks like until you see the framework of the postseason because matchups matter., giving us some insight into the exact structure. The format – which gives the top four teams in each conference a bye and then brackets the next 16 teams by conference seed – has a March Madness feel to it, and most of the matchups are quite compelling.
As a quick refresher, I pulled out the key underlying numbers for those 16 potential play-in teams and calculated net advantage off a few key performance measures. Seventy games of regular-season data – whether you are looking at goal measures or shot measures – is more than enough to understand the competency of a team, but we are in unprecedented times, and no one is quite sure if these teams will be as effective as they were two months ago.
Outside of the Pittsburgh versus Montreal matchup, most of these teams are separated by relatively small goal differentials, which is encouraging if you are looking for a competitive series. In three of the eight matchups, the lower-seeded team actually carried a better goal differential than their respective opponent – that would include the Winnipeg Jets, Arizona Coyotes, and Florida Panthers.
So what are the questions surrounding each matchup? I’ve gone through all eight – let’s start in the Eastern Conference:This is a grim match-up for a Columbus team that was right on the playoff cutline. Toronto is probably one of the best teams playing in the play-in round, and has the type of offensive potency to pick apart Columbus’ respectable defence.
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