The NHL’s current division-based postseason format successfully fostered rivalries like the Pittsburgh-Washington matchup that was renewed last week.
But there appears to be a groundswell of support to alter the setup.
Washington coach Barry Trotz was asked at the All-Star break in Tampa, Florida, about possible changes to the playoffs and noted the current system has its flaws.
“You look right now, there is some good and bad to the setup,” he said during media day on Jan. 27.
Trotz knows all too well about the drawbacks to the current postseason format, which was implemented in 2014.