The NHL’s current playoff format isn’t the greatest, but what if I told you there might be some change in the future?
As it stands right now, the top three teams from each of the four divisions — plus two wild card teams from each conference — make the playoffs. It’s not the most popular format out there.
It’s in fact flawed.
Having two teams such as the Maple Leafs and Lightning facing off in the first round, as exciting of a series it is, just shouldn’t happen.
Who enjoys seeing two of the NHL’s top “Stanley Cup contenders” as some might say, battle it out in the first round? You’re cutting the excitement in half after the opening series.
A lot of fans reminisce on the days when the NHL’s playoff format took the top-eight teams from each conference, having the number one team face the eighth seed and so on.
It was more fun. It made sense. It allowed for more cinderella stories that the current playoff format doesn’t.
As good as it was, I highly doubt we see it for a long time. Partly due to the NHL saying they’re not going back to it, but also because of what the AHL is currently testing out.
If you don’t already know — with the AHL being the league right below the NHL — they’re usually the first to try something before it makes it to the league above.
They did it with the hybrid icings back in 2012 and they even test …

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Author: Nick Barden / The Leafs Nation