Chris Chelios did not hold back when he addressed the NHL’s playoff format. He raised concerns that top teams may exit far too early and feels they should be rewarded instead.
Chelios, a three-time Stanley Cup champion, played under the previous playoff format. During his career, the format saw the division leaders slot into the top three spots in their respective conference. Then, matchups were determined by regular-season conference standings.
The format changed in the last decade, as NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman felt it brought more parity.
Under the current playoff format, the matchups are determined by division and wild card rankings. The 1st place team overall will play the 2nd wild card team, the other 1st seed will play the 1st wild card team. That would be followed by the 2nd and 3rd place teams in each division playing each other in the 1st round.
Chelios, who achieved most of his success with the Detroit Red Wings, experienced the highs and lows of the playoffs. Detroit was usually at the top of the Western Conference, so they were rewarded with a matchup against lower-seeded teams.
The Hall of Fame defenseman wants to see the NHL return to its previous format.
“I still think it should be 1st vs. 8th, 2nd vs. 7th, 3rd vs. 6th, and then you have 4th vs. 5th, which is hit or miss depending on the teams,” Chelios exclusively told Heavy Sports via Come On Sports.
Chris Chelios Shares His Take on NHL’s Current Playoff Format
Chris Chelios shared his thoughts on the NHL‘s current playoff format and explained the pros and cons.
Chelios feels that some top teams are put at a disadvantage despite having strong regular-season results. He noted that the league uses the TV ratings for the opening round to justify the format. However, he highlighted that big markets lose interest afterward due to their teams’ elimination.
“There should be some kind of reward after the regular season to have that advantage in the 1st round. I think the biggest example right now is Dallas. You’re going to see a Stanley Cup contender out in the 1st round, which is never a good thing,” Chelios exclusively told Heavy Sports. “Most of the time, these contenders are bigger market [teams]. So those are the teams you really want. There’s always going to be upsets, and I’ve been on both sides of it.”
He added:
“There’s all these numbers and I listened to Gary Bettman the other day speak about it and analytics. And it’s true, 1st round ratings may be up, but as soon as one of those top teams loses, you lose a big market.”
Chelios Says Stanley Cup Finals Should be Best vs. Best
Chelios also pointed out that the current format results in some teams possibly reaching the Stanley Cup finals due to a favorable path.
With top teams being eliminated in the opening round, it opens the door for some of the lower-seeded teams to advance.
“Yeah, [it should be the best teams advancing] – or at least keep them in there for a couple rounds. A team that is finishing 2nd or 3rd with 90 points, as opposed to a team with 15 less points. I don’t think it’s right, but it’s the way it is now,” Chelios said.
Exclusive: Chris Chelios Drops Blunt Take on NHL’s Playoff Format