Majority of NHL players want the league to return to one format

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Dorin Canaday
January 29, 2023 (4:25 PM)

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The NHL had intentions of creating divisional rivalries when it made the decision to alter the playoff seeding structure.

Unfortunately, all it has done is punished good teams in strong divisions while offering an advantage to those in weak ones.

Several players and team staff were interviewed on the idea of returning to the 1 to 8 seeding for the postseason, and it appears that a majority are in favour.

One of them who weighed in was Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils. Even though he's never actually played in the postseason:

''I did think, growing up, it was pretty cool when they had the 1 through 8 seeding. Maybe less play in the divisions. Because sometimes the divisions are stacked.''

''I don't know. I just hope we make the playoffs one of these years.''

Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues states that divisional play leads to good hockey but thinks it lacks variety:

''I think the division rivalries are fun to watch and fun to play in. It always leads to good hockey, there's just no variety in the current setup.''

Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin, who knows all about the old format from his playing days, has heavily been in favour of ditching the 'divisional bracket' for a while now:

''I'd like to go back to 1 through 8. I like the wild card for qualifying for the playoffs, but then I'd like to go back to a 1 through 8.''

As much as we all love to see the Toronto Maple Leafs lose in the first round, they're the perfect example of a good team that lost because of a stacked division.

Especially last season when they lost in seven games to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Despite what the players feel, it's pretty clear that commissioner Gary Bettman has no intention of making changes anytime soon:

''I think it creates great competition throughout the regular season, it makes the games most meaningful, and there's nothing like our playoff tournament.''

''The Stanley Cup is the hardest [championship] to win. And there's nothing in any sport like our first round.''