The NHL playoff format is getting a lot of criticism again. Many in the league are unhappy with the current divisional system and want changes.

According to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun, support is growing for the old 1–8 playoff seeding system. LeBrun talked about this issue on the Melnick in the Afternoon show. He explained that many people in hockey agree with this idea.

“I hear from owners and managers and coaches and players that they would rather go back to 1–8; people in every corner of the league are tired of this format,” he stated, as per NHL Rumour Report.

His comments show that the frustration is not just from fans or the media, but also from NHL decision-making groups. The league abandoned its 1-8 conference-based playoff seeding format before the 2013-14 season.

Under the current playoff system, teams are placed within their divisions. This often causes strong teams to meet in the first round.

As a result, top contenders get eliminated early, while other teams have an easier path to the Final. Critics state this lowers the value of the regular season and makes the playoffs less balanced.

In contrast, the 1-8 system would rank teams based only on conference standings. That would mean the 1st seed plays the 8th seed, the 2nd clashes with the 7th, and so on.

This makes the playoffs more performance-based because teams are rewarded for their regular-season results. Pierre LeBrun said this is not a new debate, but it is becoming more urgent as frustration grows across the league.

Competitive Season Reignites Format Debate

This season’s close standings have made the playoff fairness debate even stronger.

In the Western Conference, the Colorado Avalanche won the Presidents’ Trophy. Meanwhile, teams like the Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild were expected to face each other in the first round, even though both are strong teams.

There was also a tight race in the Pacific Division involving the Edmonton Oilers, Vegas Golden Knights, and Anaheim Ducks. Because of the current format, the playoff matchups arguably did not fully reflect the teams' overall strength.

In the Eastern Conference, teams like the Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, and Tampa Bay Lightning also faced tough matchups early in the playoffs due to their positions.

Pierre LeBrun’s reporting shows that this debate has come up many times before, with Minnesota GM Bill Guerin having recently criticized it. But the high level of competition across the NHL this season has brought the discussion about returning to a 1–8 playoff format back into focus.

Do you think the NHL will seriously consider going back to the 1–8 playoff format as league-wide frustration continues to grow? Comment down below. 

Read more at the NHL Fan Central.

Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Sijo Paul