Cale Makar Just Reignited the Debate Leafs Fans Haven't Stopped Talking About
Photo credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Colorado Avalanche phenom Cale Makar boldly brought up what everyone really wants, and seems to side with Leafs fans with how he wants the playoffs structured.
With a lot of focus on how the NHL playoffs have been structured, it brings up the debate as to whether or not it's a great system or if going back to an old method would be the best.
The league has experimented with different formats over the years to varying success, though ones that fans seem to find so beloved is your classic 1 vs. 8 seeding, where the 8th place team plays the 1st, 7th plays 2nd, and so on.
It creates some incredible potential underdog stories and it also helps prevent some premium matchups from being held in the first round (case in point St. Louis vs. Chicago in the mid 2010's, or Boston and Toronto in the first round).
Why Makar's Comment Could Have Changed Toronto's Recent Playoff Runs
Fans want it back but the league is being pretty stubborn when it comes to drastic changes to the format, though they are seemingly working on changing things slowly through the new CBA; so we could see a change in the future.
But one player who doesn't want to wait, much like fans, is Colorado Avalanche phenom Cale Makar.
Speaking during the NHL Media Tour, Makar mentioned to ESPN reporter Greg Wyshynski that he, along with most of the league's players want a change back to the old format:
I feel like all the players want back to 1-to-8.
If Makar had his way, things might have been very, very different for the Maple Leafs in the past. Looking at the last three seasons they played Tampa Bay, Boston and Ottawa in 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 respectively.
If the old format was in place, they would have played the Rangers in 2022-23, coincidentally the Bruins in 2023-24 again, and Montreal in 2024-25.
It's possible the Leafs could have easily made it out of the weeds, and Florida would have had to deal with Carolina last year, Tampa Bay in 2023-24, and the 135-point Bruins squad in 2022-23.
What a Return to the Old Format Would Mean for Today's Maple Leafs
In hindsight, that's great for Toronto. Going forward, they could potentially find their way into a Finals appearance if things go in their favor.
Let's say Toronto finishes first in the Eastern Conference, odds are the team in 8th isn't going to be that strong, and while we've seen upsets before; it's a rarity.
Compare that to a third place finish, where a sixth seed could certainly knock them out; and it could lead credence for a team like Florida (who may not be Atlantic Champions) to be upset in the first round.
It would certainly give the Maple Leafs a better chance at going through the playoff slog, and their greatest successes in recent memory did come with the 1 vs. 8 format.
Plus, with the league changing their schedule to have 84 games, going back to the old ways would allow for some last minute standing swaps and see certain teams on the cusp actually break through (think Calgary last year).
As long as Gary Bettman is in charge, it seems we are going to stick with what's been going on for a decade-plus.
But as 'new' as this format is, it's feeling quite stale. So going back to tradition may bring that freshness fans and players are seeking.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 13 | 730 ANSWERS Cale Makar Just Reignited the Debate Leafs Fans Haven't Stopped Talking About Should the NHL go back to a 1v8 playoff format? | ||
| Yes | 661 | 90.5 % |
| No | 69 | 9.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
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