In this Oct. 1, 2013, photo, Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith carries out the Stanley Cup during a banner raising ceremony before an NHL hockey game between the Blackhawks and the Washington Capitals in Chicago. In an Associated Press and Canadian Press survey of player representatives from all 31 NHL teams, 48 percent favor changing the current divisional playoff format. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)


April 22, 2019 - 12:13 pm


That doesn't mean they are blind to some of the inequalities of the NHL's current divisional playoff format. An Associated Press/Canadian Press survey of NHLPA representatives from all 31 teams shows that almost half favor changing the format — and most of those support going back to seeding the Eastern and Western conferences 1 through 8, the structure that was used from 1994-2013.


"It's kind of tough the fact that a lot of good teams are going out first or second rounds," Columbus defenseman David Savard said. "I think maybe we need to look back at maybe 1 against 8 and play that format."



"I think it's good for the rivalries," said New Jersey goaltender Cory Schneider, who supports the current format. "I think it's good for the teams seeing each other year after year. You can cry what's fair or not fair, the two best teams meeting in the second round, but it's going to be great hockey one way or another. I think that's the best part about the playoffs is that it's a two-month gladiator event where everyone just beats the crap out of each other."


Travel is the biggest concern among players when it comes to a playoff format, and it's much more of an issue in the spread-out West. Grouping by divisions is designed to limit those issues, but the wild-card system means a team like Nashville could face a team from California, Vancouver, Edmonton or Calgary in the first round if it lines up that way.

"The biggest issue is probably the travel for the Western Conference," said Predators defenseman Yannick Weber, who did not indicate a preference either way for changing the format. "If we have to go to California for each round and Eastern teams have a little bit of an easier schedule, I think that's the only downside from it."


The Southern Professional Hockey League has tested a "challenge round" format where the top three seeds in each conference get to pick their first-round opponent from seeds 5-8. Florida Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle suggested that for the NHL in a recent interview with Sportsnet in Canada.


"It almost gets to a point that the regular season doesn't really mean anything because you see those divisions, there's such a big difference between them," Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang said. "If you have to cross over and now you're facing an easier division because you're a wild card, doesn't seem to be fair for me. The whole regular season needs to have a bigger effect on the playoffs."


But this format is locked in through at least next season.

Colorado's Ian Cole, who played twice in the recent Penguins-Capitals playoff trilogy, supports the division rivalry format because it's doing what it intended: generate interest.

"We were actually talking about it the other day in the locker room: As much as you'd like to see one through eight or one through 16, then you're having Calgary playing Florida, for instance, in the first round," Cole said. "Does that move the needle, as opposed to Boston versus Montreal, which certainly does move the needle?

"I think there was some good thought behind it and yeah, sure, there are going to be some divisions stronger than others. Some teams are going to get left out because of that or get in because of that. It's one of those things that this is the current format and we work with it the best we can."


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