23-team playoff format approved Board of Governors approves

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Josh Tupper
July 11, 2024 (2:50 PM)

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The American Hockey League (AHL) Board of Governors has approved the continuation of the 23-team playoff format for the 2024-25 season. According to Tony Androckitis of InsideAHLHockey.com, the league will review potential changes to the playoff structure next summer, coinciding with the expiration of their current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

"I hope you like the American Hockey League's expanded 23-team playoff format..

The AHL's Board of Governors has approved the format for one more year, sources tell InsideAHLHockey.com, meaning that the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs will remain unchanged from the previous format from the previous three playoffs.

The decision to extend the playoff format for only one year came to fruition as a way to revisit the topic next summer when the current AHL CBA expires." Androckitis said.

https://x.com/TonyAndrock/status/1811391996495372419

In 2022, the AHL expanded its playoff format from 16 to 23 teams, an increase intended to help teams generate additional revenue following the COVID-19 lockdowns.

"This will be the fourth postseason the AHL has used this expanded playoff field, as it began with the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs as a way for teams - coming out of the COVID shutdowns - to generate some extra revenue." Androckitis said.

The current format introduces an additional playoff round, the 'First Round,' which is a best-of-three series featuring six teams in the Eastern Conference and eight in the Western Conference. The structure is somewhat unconventional, especially in the Pacific Division, where the first-place team gets a bye to the 'Division Semifinals' round. Meanwhile, the second through seventh place teams compete for the remaining three spots in round two. In the North and Central Divisions, the top-three teams get a bye to the second round, with the fourth and fifth place teams facing off in the first round. In the Atlantic Division, the top-two teams get a bye to round two, while teams ranked third through sixth play in the best-of-three first round.

As the AHL approaches the expiration of its CBA next summer, the decision on whether to retain or adjust the playoff format will be critical. Many argue that the 23-team format is excessive, and a return to the 16-team structure used from 1996 to 2019 might be a more sensible approach.

Source: Blade of Steel
Board of Governors approves 23-team playoff format in 2025