Bourne: Ditch This Format, Revive 1-vs-8 Conference Playoffs

Justin Bourne lays out the case for why the NHL needs to scrap its current division-heavy playoff setup and return to the pure 1-vs-8 conference format that rewarded regular-season dominance. GMs in backroom chats grumble about wild cards turning top seeds into road warriors against divisional rivals they've seen 50 times already. With the schedule locked into four games per divisional foe, this mismatch only worsens, and Bourne argues it dilutes the stakes for the league's true heavyweights.