May 1, 2022 — The first round of the NBA playoffs just concluded and the first round of the NHL playoffs starts tomorrow. This was the first time since the NBA expanded to 7 games (in 2003) that the first round had no upsets and no game 7s. History shows that the NHL playoffs are usually more exciting, with fewer first-round sweeps, more games 7s, and more upsets. It's as likely for a 5th, 6th, or 7th seed to win in the NHL as a 5th seed in the NBA.

The NHL version below looks a little different for a few reasons. A lockout wiped out an entire season, resulting in no 2005 playoffs. In 2014, the NHL changed their postseason format to create more division matchups, so instead of seeds 1 through 8, each of the 4 divisions has their 2nd and 3rd best teams face off (equivalent to a 3-6 or 4-5 matchup). And in 2021, the first-round playoff matchups were exclusively division matchups.