When players start feeling bad for other teams in their own division due to the NHL’s playoff structure, it might be time to take a deeper look.
That’s exactly what Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos did earlier this month, telling TSN that “I don’t think it’s the most fair” approach to playoff seeding, citing how the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs have been getting and will likely continue getting the short end of the stick.
The NHL’s current playoff format, introduced in 2014, pits the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in each division against one another in the first round.