Should the NHL do away with the divisional playoff format?

[Mike A. S.]

I personally hate the current format. The idea that Pitt and Columbus will cannibalize one another while Ottawa Boston draw one another just doesn't add up for me. Go back to seeding the conference.

Exactly. This format is terrible. I can't wait until they realize this and go back to 1-8 seeds per conference.

 

[forty_three]

So, to close the loop, now that the season is done...

Under the old way, East Matchups

1 WSH - 8 TOR stays the same
2 MON vs 7 BOS Always a classic
3 PIT vs 6 OTT VENGEANCE FOR METHOT
4 CBJ vs 5 NYR Home Ice would be nice

Out West:
1 CHI vs 8 NSH
2 ANA vs 7 CGY
3 MIN vs 6 SJS
4 EDM vs 5 STL

I think I would rather enjoy an EDM/St Louis series.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

I think I would rather enjoy an EDM/St Louis series.

Always nice watching two teams who traded away Chris Pronger for peanuts.

 

[Payton]

Divisions are more about making scheduling easier and travel lighter than they are about playoff seeding, I think.

All I know is that if they can completely break up the Chicago v Detroit rivalry like they did, nothing is off the table...

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

I think it's funny that this system was supposed to promote divisional rivalries and the system worked this year to prevent all of the Battle of Alberta, the Battle of Ontario, the Sharks-Ducks, the Bruins-Habs and the Leafs-Habs.

Heckuva system, Gary.

 

[RangersReds03]

My biggest problem with it is now in the 2nd round Ottawa has home ice over the Rangers who had a better record. But when we played the Kings in 2014 we were a 2 and LA was a 3 but the Kings got home ice because they had a better record.