PDA

View Full Version : Playoff format change supported by player reps



Denver Native (Carol)
04-23-2019, 04:12 PM
Hockey players are conditioned to think that winning the Stanley Cup means going through the best teams to be the best team.

That doesn't mean they are unaware of 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 support going back to seeding the Eastern and Western Conferences 1 through 8, the structure that was used from 1994 to 2013.

This is the sixth playoffs in which each division's top three teams and a wild card are bracketed together with no reseeding by round. A year ago, Nashville and Winnipeg finished first and second in the league in points and had to meet in the second round. The same thing happened with Washington and Pittsburgh in 2017.

"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."

rest - http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/26579531/playoff-format-change-supported-player-reps