<P> The 1981--1982 season brought forth the return of divisional matchups, with the top four teams from each division qualifying for the playoffs . Division champions would be determined, followed by the Conference champions, who would meet in the Stanley Cup Finals . The division semifinals was a best - of - five affair until the 1986--87 season, when it became a best - of - seven series, while all other series remained best - of seven . </P> <P> For the 1993--94 season, the league revamped its playoff structure to become conference - based rather than division - based . Eight teams in each conference qualified for the playoffs . The division first - place teams were seeded first (the team with the best record in the conference) and second in the conference playoffs and received home ice advantage for the first two rounds . The next six best teams in each conference also qualified and were seeded third through eighth . All teams played in the first round: first - place versus eighth, second versus seventh, third versus sixth and fourth versus fifth . All series were best - of - seven, but the arrangement of home games was changed for Central and Pacific division teams . Instead of the normal 2--2--1--1--1 rotation, a series involving teams from both divisions was 2--3--2, with the higher seeded team having the option of starting play at home or on the road (ALL teams with home - ice advantage chose to play the default 2 - 2 - 1 - 1 - 1 format, from 1995 - 1998). After each round, surviving teams were reseeded to play a conference semi-final, then a conference final . The conference winners then played each other in the Stanley Cup Finals . Home ice advantage was determined by higher seed in the first three rounds and by regular - season points of the two teams in the Stanley Cup Finals . </P> <P> In 1998--99, the league was re-organized into two conferences of three divisions apiece, resulting in the playoff format used through 2013 . The qualifiers remained sixteen, but the seeding changed . The three first - place teams in each division qualified and were seeded first through third for the playoffs . Of the other teams in each conference, the top five finishers qualified for the fourth through eighth seedings . All teams played in the first round: first - place versus eighth, second versus seventh, third versus sixth and fourth versus fifth, by those criteria . After each round, surviving teams were reseeded to play a conference semi-final, then a conference final . Like the 1994--1998 system, the conference winners then played each other in the Stanley Cup Finals, and home ice advantage was determined by higher seed in the first three rounds and by regular - season points of the two teams in the Stanley Cup Finals . </P> <P> The NHL realigned into a four - division, two - conference system for the 2013--14 season . Under the new postseason system, the top three teams in each division make the playoffs, with two wild - cards in each conference (for a total of eight playoff teams from each conference). The format is division - based, similar to the 1981--82 system . In the First Round, the top - ranked team in the conference plays against the lowest - ranked wild - card, while the other division winner plays against the higher ranked wild - card . The second and third place teams in each division then play each other . The first round winners then meet in the Second Round . The third round will still consist of the Western Conference and Eastern Conference Finals, with those conference winners advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals . </P>

Who has home ice for stanley cup finals