Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand got candid with reporters on Thursday about his thoughts surrounding the NHL’s playoff structure. The winger made it clear he is no fan of the current format.
“I don’t think its fair that… (a team) would finish second and have to play a third or fourth place team, compared to a seventh place team,” he told reporters, via TSN.
Under the new set of rules implemented back in 2013, the first six spots in each conference are comprised of the top three teams from each division. The wild card slots in each conference then are filled by the next two highest-placing teams.
At the moment, Boston would be slated to play Toronto in the first round of playoffs for the second year in a row. Although he doesn’t care much about who the Bruins could face in the first round, Marchand still is not pleased with how the postseason is structured.
“I don’t think its fair in terms of why you play and the advantage you’re supposed to have come playoff time,” the star winger said.
“It doesn’t matter who you play,” he continued. “If you’re going to win a Stanley Cup, you’ve got to get through your whole conference anyways.
Despite many criticisms, there currently are no plans to alter the playoff format anytime soon, according to NHL executives.
