Avalanche superstar weighs in on what's wrong with the NHL
Photo credit: C. Morgan Engel / Mile High Sticking
Colorado Avalanche superstar defenseman Cale Makar has shared his thoughts on the current state of the NHL, weighing in on the issues he believes are holding the league back and sparking discussion among fans and analysts alike.
Makar shared his opinions on the NHL's current playoff format, outlining the changes he would like to see implements.
Cale Makar gives his honest opinion on what's wrong with the NHL.
Nestor Quixtan from Mile High Sticking writes that the NHL's current system for crowning its annual champion has faced growing criticism. As Avalanche fans know all too well, this existing playoff format doesn't make it easy for contending teams to suceed.
"Last spring, the Avalanche were unfortunate victims of the NHL's current unbalanced playoff format. The Avs-Stars first-round matchup should have been the Western Conference Final. Instead, it was a deathmatch that certainly eliminated one Stanley Cup contender." -Quixtan
Many players are eager to move away from gruelling first-round matchups. While most interviewed for a September 15 piece in The Athletic support the current 16-team playoff format, opinions differ on the seeding.
Makar is one player who has voiced his thoughts on the system, saying...
«I like the way it is, personally. I think it's a great playoff format, other than 1 to 8 - we should probably go back to that.» -Makar
In the past, the NHL seeded eight teams per conference, matching the top seed against the eighth, the second against the seventh, and so on. This system produced some dramatic upsets while allowing other teams to dominate their way through the playoffs.
"But there was something almost certain in the 1-to-8 seeding. Unless there was a major upset at some point, the two best teams in each conference would face off in the Conference Final." -Quixtan
Under the old format, the Avalanche would have faced the Kings in the first round, potentially changing the entire outcome. The Kings would have confronted a different opponent, while the Avalanche might have enjoyed a comparatively easier path through round one.
"As for the Dallas Stars, they would have run into the Oilers in the first round rather than in the Conference Final. Could the Stars have knocked off the Oilers in the first round? It's a possibility. The Stars might not have run out of gas against the Oilers in the first round like they did in the third one." -Quixtan
It's unlikely the NHL will alter its playoff format anytime soon, leaving fans to wonder who the Avalanche will face in the opening round this spring.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 19 | 21 ANSWERS Avalanche superstar weighs in on what's wrong with the NHL Should the NHL revert back to their original playoff format? | ||
| yes | 20 | 95.2 % |
| no | 1 | 4.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
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