The NHL's playoff format has been a topic of debate, especially with the upcoming 2026 postseason. Currently, the league uses a divisional seeding system, but many fans reminisce about the previous 1-8 seeding format used from 1993 to 2013. Under this old system, the Eastern Conference playoffs would feature the top-seeded Carolina Hurricanes facing the eighth-seeded Philadelphia Flyers, while the second-seeded Buffalo Sabres would host the seventh-seeded Pittsburgh Penguins. This matchup is particularly notable as it marks the Sabres' return to the playoffs after a lengthy absence since 2011. The remaining matchups would see the Tampa Bay Lightning take on the Ottawa Senators and the Montreal Canadiens face the Boston Bruins. In the Western Conference, the Colorado Avalanche would still hold the top seed, facing the eighth-seeded Los Angeles Kings. The second-seeded Dallas Stars would play against the seventh-seeded Anaheim Ducks, while the third-seeded Minnesota Wild would go up against the sixth-seeded Edmonton Oilers. The fourth-seeded Vegas Golden Knights would face the fifth-seeded Utah Mammoth, maintaining their positions in the playoff bracket. This proposed bracket highlights the differences in matchups that could arise under the old seeding format, stirring discussions among fans about the merits of each system.