This is how an NHL superstar would change the playoff system: "A thing we would like"

The NHL playoff system has received a lot of criticism from fans over the years. Now players have also spoken out. Colorado Avalanche star defenseman Cale Makar hopes for a return to the old system that was in place before 2013. He talked about it in an interview with Greg Wyshynski.

In the current system, the conference’s top seed faces the wild card team with the fewest points, which may also be from another division. However, the second and third teams from the division will definitely face each other in the first round, regardless of how they are ranked within the conference.

In the old model, divisions were not considered, but conferences were. For example, the top seed from the Western Conference would face the eighth seed, the second seed would face the seventh, and so on.

– I feel like all the players want the one through eight model. I believe it’s something we would like, but I understand the current system. It makes things harder sometimes, Makar commented.

In recent years, it has also become a problem that the same teams often face each other in the first round.

– Yeah, if it’s Edmonton or L.A., then that’s true. Sometimes you get a suitable opponent, and sometimes you end up playing against a top 6 team, even though you are also a top 6 team, like we did last year.

Makar refers to the first-round playoff series where Colorado Avalanche faced Dallas Stars. Both teams were among the top favorites to win the championship.

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NHL | 26.10.2026 07:45