Gary Bettman Makes Major Announcement Regarding the Future of the NHL Playoffs
Photo credit: NHL
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has a lot to think about in regards to the NHL Playoffs and the current format which has proven to be very polarizing.
Gary Bettman is a controversial figure in the history of the NHL and that has been true since he became the commissioner all the way back in 1993.
Some fans do not like him because of the prioritization of Southern American teams over those who were born and raised out in Canada.
Meanwhile, there have been numerous lockouts under his tenure and that is something that both fans and players have grown some resentment for.
Gary Bettman confirms the history of the NHL playoffs
There have also been other questionable decisions from Bettman and his staff and one of them just so happens to do with the NHL playoffs.
Years ago, the league decided to go with a Divisional bracket that did away with the 1 Vs. 8 and 2 Vs. 7 format that had dominated the sport for decades.
This is a format that has proven to be quite controversial and recently, Pierre LeBrun asked the commissioner if the league would ever revert back to the original way of doing things.
As it turns out, the league has no interest in changing the NHL playoffs, and some fans might be disappointing about that.
Per Pierre LeBrun:
I asked Gary Bettman whether he envisioned talking to the NHLPA about changing the playoff format in upcoming CBA talks, going back to the old 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7 etc format. An empathic No from the commissioner. He likes the format the way it is now.
At the end of the day, the NHL is thriving compared to previous years and the league is adamant that this current format is creating rivalries.
While some fans find the matchups redundant, Gary Bettman does not feel the same and that is all that matters.
Whether or not you agree with his perspective, is a different story entirely.
| POLL | ||
MARS 19 | 196 ANSWERS Gary Bettman Makes Major Announcement Regarding the Future of the NHL Playoffs Do you believe Gary Bettman needs to change the structure of the NHL Playoffs? | ||
| YES | 171 | 87.2 % |
| NO | 25 | 12.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
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