The NHL tried it, and next season the WHL will follow suit.
For at least the next three seasons the WHL will adopt the new playoff format introduced by the NHL this season. That means the top three teams in each of the four divisions will make the 2015 WHL playoffs and the remaining four spots will be given to the next two highest-finishing teams in each conference.
In some cases, all five teams from one division could make the playoffs. It's also possible only three teams in one division would qualify for the postseason.
"We believe the new format is a hybrid of the WHL's previous Conference and Divisional formats," said WHL commissioner Ron Robison, a league release. "This will allow us to feature our regional rivalries in the playoffs and offer the most fair and competitive path to the WHL championship."
The division winner with the best regular-season record in each conference will be matched in the first round against the wild-card team with worst record, while the wild-card team with the better record would play the other division winner.
The second- and third-place finishers in each division will play each other in the first round in the same bracket headed by the winner of their respective division. Each of the first-round winners will then play each other within the same bracket in second round to determine the four teams which will play in the conference finals.
In each playoff series, the team with the better record will have home-ice advantage.
If an East Division team advances to the WHL championship, the team that starts the best-of-seven series on the road would host the next three games at home, if needed, with the final two games played in the other team's building.
The new playoff format was approved at league meetings this week in Vancouver.
In other WHL news, Victoria Royals head coach Dave Lowry has been named an assistant coach of Canada's world junior team. Benoit Groulx (Gatineau Olympiques, QMJHL) was named head coach and Scott Walker (Guelph Storm, OHL) is the other assistant. The world junior championship will be played Dec. 26, 2014 to Jan. 5, 2015 in Montreal and Toronto
The WHL also approved establishment of WHL milestone awards to recognize career achievements of players, coaches, athletic therapists/trainers and on-ice officials.
League governors re-elected Bruce Hamilton as chairman of the board for another two-year term. He's entering his seventh term as chair. Patrick LaForge of the Edmonton Oil Kings (Central Division) and Russ Farwell of the Seattle Thunderbirds (U.S. Division) were also re-elected to two-year terms on the WHL executive committee, joining Ron Toigo of the Vancouver Giants (B.C. Division) and Gord Broda of the Prince Albert Raiders (East Division).
