NHL Playoff format

As we are exactly 3 weeks from the start of the NHL playoffs the big debate is which current playoff format do you prefer.  Here are some of the options and the possible match ups.

With the current format the playoff match-ups would be:

Columbus vs Tampa Bay
Toronto vs Boston
Carolina vs Washington
NY Islanders vs Pittsburgh

Arizona vs Calgary
Las Vegas vs San Jose
Winnipeg vs Dallas
St Louis vs Nashville

The old 1-8, 2-7, 3-6, and 4-5 the match-ups would be:

Columbus vs Tampa Bay
Carolina vs Boston
Pittsburgh vs Washington
Toronto vs NY Islanders

Arizona vs Calgary
Dallas vs San Jose
St Louis vs Winnipeg
Vegas vs Nashville

The strict division format 1-4 and 2-3:

Montreal vs Tampa Bay
Toronto vs Boston
Carolina vs Washington
Pittsburgh vs NY Islanders

Dallas vs Winnipeg
St Louis vs Nashville
Arizona vs Calgary
Vegas vs San Jose

And to make it very interesting here would be the all NHL playoff match-ups if it was 1-16, 2-15, 3-14, 4-13, 5-12, 6-11, 7-10, 8-9 free for all

Arizona vs Tampa Bay
Dallas vs Calgary
St Louis vs Boston
Columbus vs San Jose
Vegas vs Washington
Carolina vs Toronto
Pittsburgh vs NY Islanders
Nashville vs Winnipeg


I don't care for the current format since if you had 3 of the best teams in the same division one of those teams would be eliminated from the playoffs in the 1st round.

I don't like the strict division format since Montreal with less points would get in over Columbus who has more points this NHL season. 

I prefer the 2nd format since in my opinion it is the most fair and you still have keep many of the traditional rivalries in each conference.

However wouldn't an all NHL playoff free for all be fun? Obviously it would never happen with all of the travel and no real rivalries.