<a href='https://www.markerzone.com/hockey/stats/nhl/player/Gabriel-Vilardi-43292' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Gabriel Vilardi</a> was in the mood to poke the bear a bit in his most recent interview, and he took the time to call out Gary Bettman and the NHL as well. <a href='https://www.nhl.com/jets/' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Winnipeg Jets</a> winger Gabe Vilardi does not like the modern NHL playoff format. His gripe? The first two rounds are fixed divisional series, <a href='https://winnipegsun.com/sports/you-cant-make-rivalries-jets-vilardi-says-nhl-playoff-format-flawed?fbclid=IwY2xjawI_yGhleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHTcc5a9-0npEQTekYtcrVY9HE5wiKTjCHKs2tz_9BhJMKLT--GUATbS7Ow_aem_2moM35lEu-HfHp69LQv4EA' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>which can lead to powerhouses knocking each other out early</a> instead of facing each other later in the playoffs. <a href='https://www.nhl.com/jets/player/gabriel-vilardi-8480014' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Vilardi</a> prefers a return to conference format: 1-vs-8, 2-vs-7, etc. This argument is not new. A lot of players and management are with Vilardi. It's just ridiculous that if we finish first or second, maybe in the NHL, we have to play Colorado or Dallas, he said on Wednesday. You see L.A.-Edmonton every year in the first round. Is that really good for the league? - Gabe Vilardi <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/friesensunmedia/status/1899964647744430392'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> The NHL went to the divisional alignment ten years ago to prioritize rivalries, but only after the Players Association initially spurned the proposal. If the old format was still in place, Winnipeg would still be facing Calgary in the first round. You can't make rivalries, Vilardi said. They just happen naturally. That's my opinion. They probably won't change it, honestly. I brought it up at the PA meeting or dinner earlier in the year and it was like, 'Ah, whatever.' Maybe we should have a talk about it in the summer. But Dallas and Colorado would be facing each other outside <a href='https://www.nhl.com/standings/2025-03-14/wildcard' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>the Central Division</a>, with No. 2 Dallas against No. 7 L.A., and No. 4 Colorado against No. 5 Edmonton. The Eastern Conference pairings, however, would remain unchanged <a href='https://www.nhl.com/standings/2025-03-12/wildcard' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>based on Wednesday's standings.</a> <h3>The Jets made some moves at the deadline to prepare for the playoffs</h3> In order to be better prepared for a possible powerhouse matchup, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff advocated for <a href='https://www.hockeylatest.com/nhl/trades/winnipeg-jets-acquire-530-game-veteran-forward-from-the-seattle-kraken' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>a trade deadline pickup</a> of a second-line center, but the one they already have, Vlad Namestnikov, will not get the credit he deserves. <a href='https://www.nhl.com/jets/player/vladislav-namestnikov-8476480' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Namestnikov</a> broke a 12-game drought without a goal with the first tally in Winnipeg's 2-1 win over the Rangers. The 32-year-old has now scored 11 goals this season, equal to last year in considerably fewer games. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/HockeyDaily365/status/1899617584464408850'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> Namestnikov's line got the attention of head coach Scott Arniel, who praised the play of the line that consists of <a href='https://www.markerzone.com/hockey/stats/nhl/player/Nikolaj-Ehlers-36830' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Nikolaj Ehlers</a> and Cole Perfetti after Tuesday's win.