NHL has 'best playoff first round in any sport.' But at what cost?

May 1, 2026, 5:13 p.m. ETThe Stanley Cup playoffs are well underway, with what has been an exciting first round.There's been a lot of very good hockey so far. And while the first round of the NHL playoffs promises strong matchups and divisional showdowns, it raises the question: Is it too much of an early glut, and do the later rounds suffer under the current playoff format?The postseason in the NHL is structured as follows:The division winner with the best record plays the second wild card teamThe division winner with the second-best record plays the first wild card teamThe second- and third-place finishers from both divisions play each other in the first roundThis structure has been in place since 2014, and commissioner Gary Bettman has dug his heels in on it time and time again."More than comfortable," Bettman told reporters last month with regards to the format. "It gives us a sensational first round. Probably the best playoff first round in any sport. We get more games and longer series as a result of the format. And you can always pick at certain situations in any given year and say, 'Well, I'd like it to be different that year.' But