Yes, I filled out a bracket. I felt some weird obligation to do so. Admittedly, I had fun making my picks at first. Then, once it was completed, I took a look and initially felt like the structure was cheating some of the great teams.

Why was I forced to pick between the top two teams in the East, Pittsburgh and Washington, in the second round? Why are Chicago and St. Louis playing each other in the first round? Both of these teams are legitimate Cup contenders, and the series was definitely worthy of being played in the conference final. Reviewing the bracket made me re-evaluate the playoff format, and my initial reaction was to hate it - but looking back at the first round, I actually liked the way the matchups worked out.

Of the 4-1 series victories, the Lightning and Red Wings provided some physical fireworks, while the Sharks and Kings kept games close: game 3 needing extra time and only game 5 was determined by more than one goal. The Rangers and Penguins series seemed to be the most lopsided, which can be partly accounted for; the Rangers were counting on Lundqvist to steal some games, only for him to take a stick to the eye in the series opener. Even the Flyers seemed to instill some doubt into a juggernaut Capitals team this year.

In the past, we were sometimes treated to an upset - such as the Kings in 2012 - but underdog teams having deeps runs or winning the cup is not as common as it seemed. While I still think that the bracket doesn’t really belong in the NHL, the new playoff format may have some advantages. In the second round we’ll see two of the best teams in the East face off, and maybe that will leave room for some more Cinderella stories. In the West, it will be multiple offensively talented teams which can make for a high scoring and hard fought series.

I think most of us agree – despite all this, there are elements of the current system to dislike - primarily watching conference final quality teams being eliminated in the first round. Looking at the big picture though, it is inevitable that all but one team will have to be eliminated, and the Cup is still no harder or easier to win. While the current system isn’t perfect, constant changes aren’t any better. After watching some great first round play; I can't complain.

And, for the time being, the NHL Playoff Bracket is a thing. Below are my picks in my updated brackets (as I had the Panthers and Ducks winning their respective series). So, how is your bracket? If you didn't complete one, what would interest you to do one in the future?

- Sharks vs. Predators: The Predators are coming off of a huge high, and may have a slight advantage on defense, but I don't think it is enough to overcome the Sharks. The Sharks PP was huge against the Kings, while the Predators' proved problematic. The Sharks have a veteran core and a goalie who went toe-to-toe with Vezina Trophy nominee, Jonathan Quick, while Rinne is streaky - and I don't have enough confidence he can repeat his game 7 performance four more times. Sharks in 6

- Blues vs Stars: The Blues handled the likes of Toews and Kane, and now they will have Benn and Seguin (who is out for the first two games) to handle. The Blues, with the help of Pietrangelo, have shown that they can rise to the occasion. Elliot answered the call (and hushed the naysayers) with a .929 save percentage, and if the Stars want to have a shot, Lehtonen will have to be better. Blues in 6

- Capitals vs Penguins: In case you missed the podcast yesterday (which if you did, why aren't you watching?!), I picked the Caps in 7. Why? Mostly, Holtby.

- Islanders vs Lightning: This one was also on the podcast, but just in case, I went with the Isles in 6. I noted that Greiss could go head-to-head with Bishop (so far, so good on that one), and that the Lightning are too injured. Hedman, who averaged 27 mins per game in the 1st round, looked tired and his puck control was sloppy in game 5 against the Red Wings. Will be interesting to see how the Lightning respond to game 1.


About Jillian:

Jillian Fisher is a sport anthropologist who focuses on sport culture and fan culture. Growing up with three older brothers, sports have always played a large part of her life. While she enjoys all sports, hockey has always been her first passion. Jillian has traveled across the world - from the Philippines to Italy and across the US - studying the impact of sports, all while cheering for the home team and discovering what makes each place so unique, even being referred to as the Anthony Bourdain of sports. She is currently filming her own web series, Out of the Park, that highlights the different cultures surrounding our favorite sports across the country. Always in search of the next event, Jillian can be contacted on Twitter, Instagram, or emailed at jillianfisher00[at]gmail.com

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