If the NHL is ever going to evolve, the people best positioned to kickstart that process are the players.
Nobody internalizes the game like NHL players, and as such when they vocalize their desire for change, the league ought to listen. It just so happens that - in this case - everybody except the NHL is on the same page, more or less.
During the NHL's All-Star festivities on Friday,
Sidney Crosby answered lots of questions - he is, after all, still a hot commodity. One question posed to the Penguins' captain pertained to the current Stanley Cup playoff format.
Crosby respectfully expressed his desire for a return to the 1-8 seeding format as opposed to the current 'Wild Card' format.
Judging from polls we've administered in the past, most fans fall in with Crosby on this topic. The Wild Card format was a decent experiment, but it simply doesn't offer the best playoff experience; not for fans nor for players.
One example for fans, is that Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning fans can basically stop watching games, as their first-round playoff matchup is all but confirmed. For players, it doesn't reward teams who have achieved more in the regular season and makes it easier on opponents in weaker divisions.
Take for example the fact that the Leafs (3rd) are slated to play the Lightning (6th), while the Winnipeg Jets (7th) would play the Minnesota Wild (14th) if the playoffs started today. The 1-8 would ensure fairer competition and a more natural environment.
The Wild Card format has a very artificial feel to it, as if the league overtly trying to force rivalries earlier. Whereas the 1-8 system naturally pushes the best teams further, causing increased tension throughout the playoffs.
Maybe that's just me...
