Safe to say Daniel Winnik doesn't like the NHL's postseason format.

"It's stupid," the Washington Capitals forward told The Washington Post's Isabelle Khurshudyan Monday. "It's the stupidest thing ever."

The league's divisional playoff format, instituted in 2014-15, matches the second and third-place teams in each division against one another in the first round.

It was brought in to foster intra-division rivalries and create new ones, but Winnik thinks people are getting tired of watching similar matchups each spring.

"I’m sure fans are getting sick of seeing the same two teams play each other in the first round and second round," he said, according to The Associated Press' Stephen Whyno.

The Capitals became the first team this season to clinch a playoff spot Saturday night and currently hold the tiebreaker over the Columbus Blue Jackets for the league's best record.

Related: Blue Jackets putting serious heat on Capitals in Presidents' Trophy race

A first-place finish would ensure the Capitals of a first-round matchup against the worse of the two Eastern Conference wild-card teams (right now, that's the Toronto Maple Leafs), whereas a slip to second place would force Washington to battle either the Blue Jackets or the Pittsburgh Penguins.

That underscores just how important it will be to finish first, and those three Metropolitan Division foes are separated by a single point through Sunday's games.

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Like the players they employ, NHL executives get paid by performance, and Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving is owed some financial security.

Treliving is the only GM in the league without a contract for next season, and while the focus in Calgary has suddenly shifted into a race for home ice in the Pacific Division playoffs, an extension for the 47-year-old is a must for the Flames this summer.

Since his tenure begun in 2014, Treliving has built a strong roster short of any cap-restricting contracts, and his club is on the verge of reaching the postseason for the second time in three seasons.

His track record isn't perfect - that's the nature of the beast as an NHL GM. However, his body of work far outshines his predecessor, Jay Feaster, who despite drafting the franchise cornerstones Treliving has masterfully kept together, has a trade track record that's far better left unseen for Flames fans.

Here's a look at the current makeup of the Flames' core, all of whom had their contracts extended by Treliving.

Treliving's heist of Hamilton from the Boston Bruins and the extension that followed may stand as his best move to date. He's also responsible for drafting forwards Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk, who look to be on a fast track to increased prominence in Calgary's offensive strategy going forward.

After Treliving gets signed, Calgary's roster situation is destined to shift, as Dennis Wideman's ($5.25M) and Deryk Engelland's ($2.9M) hefty cap hits come of the books.

Ideally, the extra money can be allocated to the expiring deals of Bennett, trade deadline steal Michael Stone, and Brian Elliott, who looks to have returned to the form Treliving desired when pulling the trigger to acquire him at the draft.

All in all, Treliving has built a young, competitive roster that's improved drastically under his command, and it's imperative to the Flames' future success that he's awarded the chance to bring the club to the next step.

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There's just something about Boston-based sports stars.

Bruins forward Brad Marchand channeled New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski when asked about Bobby Orr on the legendary defenseman's 69th birthday.

"It's a great age," Marchand told reporters Monday, according to CSNNE's Joe Haggerty. "Great year. He's an incredible human being."

The comment came less than an hour after Marchand was named the NHL's first star of the week for piling up five goals and nine points in three games.

Gronkowski has shown a near-obsessive fascination with 'the sex number' over the years.

Related: Gronkowski's GF says he's been telling 69 jokes since he was 3

By all accounts, this is new territory for Marchand, but we eagerly await Orr's response.

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Markus Granlund is going under the knife.

The Vancouver Canucks forward will have surgery to repair an ongoing wrist issue and his recovery timetable won't be provided until after the procedure, the club announced Monday.

Granlund posted 19 goals and 32 points in 69 games with the Canucks this season.

The 23-year-old was a second-round pick of the Calgary Flames in 2011.

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It's been nearly three weeks since the clock struck 3 p.m. ET on trade deadline day, so it's time to take stock of how some of the biggest acquisitions have fared.

There have been a few early disappointments, but most of the players dealt on or before March 1 have already made an impact with their new teams. Thomas Vanek, Drew Stafford, and Alex Burrows have each produced at an impressive clip since changing uniforms.

Ben Bishop, the deadline's biggest goaltending prize, has allowed only 10 goals in four games since being traded from the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Los Angeles Kings, but he is 0-2-2 with an .899 save percentage with his new squad.

Here's how the most significant skaters have done since their respective deals:

Vanek hasn't scored much since being acquired by the Florida Panthers, but he posted a four-point game against the Toronto Maple Leafs last week.

Burrows leads all deadline acquisitions with four goals, but his production comes with an important caveat.

Jarome Iginla had only eight goals and 18 points in 61 games with the Colorado Avalanche this season, but the 39-year-old has looked somewhat rejuvenated with L.A., scoring twice, including the overtime winner, against the Nashville Predators earlier this month.

It's been a tough start to Jannik Hansen's tenure with the San Jose Sharks. The former Vancouver Canucks forward was initially held up for multiple games due to visa issues, and now he's banged up after suffering an injury Saturday against the Anaheim Ducks.

Johnny Oduya has only nine points all season, but he has a pair in the five games since being reacquired by the Chicago Blackhawks.

Curtis Lazar isn't included in the chart, but he notched an assist in his first game with the Calgary Flames on Sunday night. He was acquired from the Ottawa Senators on deadline day.

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No surprise here, but Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand was named the NHL's first star of the week after registering five goals and four assists in three games, including his second-career hat trick in a marvelous performance against the Canucks. The 28-year-old's surge has propelled him into second place in the league's goal scoring (37) and points races (79).

The only player with more goals than Marchand, Sidney Crosby, received second star honors after netting eight points in four games, highlighted by a natural hat trick Sunday versus the Panthers to hit the 40-goal mark for the second time in his career.

Lastly, red-hot Calgary Flames netminder Brian Elliott was designated as the third star after going 3-0-0 with a sparkling 1.95 goals against average and .926 save percentage. Elliott has won 11 consecutive starts, matching Flames icon Mike Vernon for the longest such run in franchise history.

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Covers.com is the biggest and best source for sports betting information, providing unrivaled and original content sports bettors cannot live without.

Our Covers NHL cheat sheet breaks down the best NHL betting notes so you can handicap the week like a pro, including the one-sided recent history between the rival New York Rangers and New York Islanders.

Season Sweep Bruin for Leafs?

The Toronto Maple Leafs have their eye on a very satisfying season sweep as they tangle with the division-rival Boston Bruins at Air Canada Centre on Monday night. Both teams are jockeying for position in the Eastern Conference playoff race, and a win would carry great significance for the Leafs as they cling to the second wild-card berth entering the week. Toronto has dominated the season set, out scoring the Bruins 14-7 over the first three games. The Leafs haven't won four straight games against Boston since 1967, the year they last captured the Stanley Cup.

Rangers Reeling vs. Rival Isles

One of the most heated geographical rivalries in hockey resumes Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden when the New York Rangers entertain an Islanders team chasing the pack for an Eastern Conference wild card spot. The Isles enter Monday just one point behind the Leafs for the second wild card, and have recent history squarely on their side in Wednesday's tilt. They have victories in nine of the previous 12 games between the teams, with four of the previous five contests playing to the Over. They have also scored three or more goals six straight times vs. the Rangers.

Another Wild Result vs. Canucks?

Take a good hard look at the recent history between the Canucks and Wild before taking a shot at a totals wager when these two teams meet Saturday afternoon in Minnesota. While the Wild have one of the best goal prevention units in the NHL - and the Canucks can't seem to score away from Vancouver - these teams have filled the scoresheet in their last four games, averaging a combined 8.3 goals per contest to hit the Over each time. Don't be surprised to see this game boast a 5.5 or even a 6, despite the Wild's elite D and Vancouver's road struggles.

Injury News

* The loss of defenseman Christian Folin to an arm injury has played a role in the Wild's recent defensive problems. Minnesota has dropped seven of eight games in Folin's absence and has allowed three or more goals seven times in that span.

* Devils winger Michael Cammalleri remains sidelined with an upper-body injury that has limited him to just one game this month. New Jersey has lost seven of eight games without him and has scored two or fewer goals five times over that stretch.

Player Notes

* Sidney Crosby is at it again, potting a natural hat trick to reach the 40-goal plateau in the Penguins' 4-0 triumph over Florida on Sunday. The Pens are a scorching 20-1-2 SU and 16-6-1 O/U in games in which Crosby records multiple points.

* Brad Marchand's magnificent March has had an impact on both the Bruins' playoff push and its totals record. Marchand enters Monday with nine goals and four assists this month, during which Boston has gone 5-3 SU and 5-2-1 O/U.

* Has Devan Dubnyk fallen out of Vezina Trophy contention? The Minnesota goalie is a dismal 2-6-0 with a 2.61 goals-against average so far this month, and is just 9-9-0 with a 2.67 GAA since the All-Star break. The six losses are his most in any month.

Stanley Cup Futures

* Don't look now, but the Columbus Blue Jackets are making a charge for the best record in hockey. The Blue Jackets extended their winning streak to four games with a 4-1 win over New Jersey on Sunday, and enter the week tied with the Washington Capitals at a league-best 100 points. This latest surge has Columbus installed at +950 to win its first Stanley Cup title, according to Sports Interaction.

* A late-season collapse has had an impact on the Wild's odds of winning the league title for the first time. Minnesota finds itself at +600 as of Monday, the second-best odds in the Western Conference and fourth-best in the league. But things might be getting better down the stretch for the Wild, who will play seven of their final 11 regular-season games in the friendly confines of Xcel Energy Center.

* It's a bad time for a rough stretch from the Ottawa Senators (+1,300) who have one of the toughest remaining schedules in the league. The Sens enter the week having lost four straight games, including back-to-back contests to the division-leading Canadiens - and with eight of their final 11 games on the road, and two of their three home games coming against the Pens and Rangers, it could be tough sledding in Ottawa.

Over/Under Trends

* Low-scoring games have become the norm for the St. Louis Blues, who enter the week having gone 3-8-2 O/U in their previous 13 games. The Over drought has moved the Blues back to even on the season at 30-30-11 O/U.

* The Tampa Bay Lightning are coming off their longest Under stretch of 2016-17, putting together seven in a row before seeing that streak come to an end in Saturday's 5-3 setback to Washington. Tampa Bay is now 31-33-7 O/U for the season.

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Follow theScore's fantasy feed on Twitter (@theScoreFantasy) for the latest news, features and more. And download Squad Up, theScore's free-to-win-money sports game.

Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Monday, March 20 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):

Dynamic Duos

• LW Patrick Maroon (36K) & C Connor McDavid (73K), Oilers (vs. Kings): The Kings are on the second half of a back-to-back and lost Game 1 to the Calgary Flames by a score of 5-2. G Jonathan Quick started but lasted less than 12 minutes with two goals on seven shots. Edmonton's top line with C Leon Draisaitl on the right wing averages 3.22 expected goals for and nearly 12 scoring chances per 60 minutes.

• LW Filip Forsberg (67K) & RW James Neal (59K), Predators (vs. Coyotes): The Predators new-look lines featured the top-two wingers flanking C Calle Jarnkrok. The trio played 13.52 percent of the 5v5 minutes in Saturday's game, but they totaled 10 SOG. Arizona continues ranking near the bottom of the league in every defensive metric, including 10.55 scoring chances against per 60 minutes, since Feb. 20.

• LW Henrik Zetterberg (63K) & RW Gustav Nyquist (56K), Red Wings (vs. Sabres): The Red Wings' offense has rarely been a recommendable target, but Buffalo ranks 29th since Feb. 20 with 10.76 scoring chances allowed per 60 minutes. The goaltending has helped a bit with a more-reasonable 2.88 expected goals allowed per 60. Zetterberg, Nyquist and LW Tomas Tatar own a Corsi For rating of 56.57 percent in 120 minutes.

(Photo courtesy Action Images)

Bargain Plays

• LW Tyler Ennis (28K), Sabres (at Red Wings): Ennis has vastly underperformed this season with no points since Feb. 25. The three-time 40-point player has just nine points and 67 SOG in 41 games played. He was bumped up to the Sabres' top line with Cs Jack Eichel and Ryan O'Reilly in their most recent game. Ennis' 17:17 of TOI was his most since the season opener. He can be paired with either linemate.

• RW Joonas Donskoi (29K), Sharks (at Stars): The Sharks' third line of Donskoi, C Tomas Hertl and RW Mikkel Boedker played 17.11 percent of the 5v5 minutes together in their most recent game. The trio has a Corsi rating of 52.81 percent in just over 40 5v5 minutes. Donskoi has no points but seven SOG over his past five games. The Stars' goaltending is always a target.

• D Jake Muzzin (25K), Kings (at Oilers): Muzzin's minimum salary is undeserved, as he has played over 21 minutes in each of his past five games, totaling three assists and 11 SOG. The Kings lost three of those five games, but Muzzin has remained productive and a key contributor in a large role.

(Photo courtesy Getty Images)

Top Fades

• C Ryan Johansen (66K), Predators (vs. Coyotes): Johansen has developed into a pass-first center with 12 goals and 43 assists on the season. He has been separated from his top two options in Forsberg and Neal. He tallied just two SOG in his first game without them, failing to produce more on his own. It's a quality matchup, but he lacks the ceiling has with the other two stars.

• LW Evander Kane (48K), Sabres (at Red Wings): With Eichel and O'Reilly now playing together, Kane has been placed on a line with C/LW Zemgus Girgensons and RW Brian Gionta. The three have a CF% of just 47.15 together and average just 5.08 scoring chances per 60 minutes. Kane's own scoring chances have lessened in quality despite stable shot counts.

• D Oscar Klefbom (32K), Oilers (vs. Kings): Klefbom played more than 23 minutes in each of his past two games, and he has a goal and an assist over his past three outings. The Kings are coming off a 5-2 loss, but they've defended the points well all season and limit the fantasy production of opposing defensemen very well. Klefbom's upside is capped.

Contrarian Options

• RW Jordan Eberle (49K), Oilers (vs. Kings): With the McDavid line serving as the most likely target, Eberle's ownership will remain low. The team's second line of Eberle, C Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and LW Milan Lucic was the most used trio at 5v5 in the Oilers' most recent game, playing 25.88 percent of the 5v5 minutes. Eberle has a goal and three assists this month, recording three SOG on four occasions.

• C Tomas Hertl (46K), Sharks (at Stars): Hertl is the third-most expensive Sharks center and the fourth-most popular in the minds of the general population. He has just one assist in March and has gone without a shot on goal in each of his past two games. He has had three SOG in three of nine games this month, but he averages 17.6 minutes per game and has a very favorable matchup for a natural goal scorer.

• LW Tanner Pearson (44K), Kings (at Oilers): Pearson was held without a shot on goal during Sunday's loss to the Flames, but he had tallied at least three in each of his previous six games. He has just one goal and one assist for the month, but his 4.3 shooting percentage is well below his rate of 13.5 for the season. His ice time has dipped slightly, but he remains beside Cs Tyler Toffoli and Jeff Carter.

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Calgary Flames rookie Matthew Tkachuk will have a hearing for elbowing Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty in the head, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Monday.

Here's the play:

Tkachuk wasn't assessed a penalty on the play, but after the game Doughty was outspoken, calling the 19-year-old a "pretty dirty player."

It's not the first time Tkachuk has ruffled feathers this season, as he avoided supplemental discipline after slew-footing Maple Leafs defenesman Martin Marincin in January.

Tkachuk's antics could begin to outweigh a fine debut season if they persist, as last year's sixth-overall pick has 13 goals and 33 assists in 68 games.

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Get your popcorn ready.

Intrigue abounds with about three weeks left in the NHL's regular season. On both individual and team levels, the final push before the playoffs should feature no shortage of excitement.

Here are three major storylines to pay attention to during the home stretch:

Eastbound traffic jam

The "loser point" has been wreaking havoc in the East all season, and the oft-debated point awarded for overtime and shootout losses could end up deciding who gets in and who doesn't in a crowded race for the final wild-card spot.

(Courtesy: NHL.com)

The Toronto Maple Leafs have benefited most from the single point, and they have the inside track with a game in hand on all potential usurpers except the Carolina Hurricanes, as well as more regulation-or-overtime wins (the first playoff tiebreaker) than all but the New York Islanders among those battling it out for the final playoff positions.

Considering the ROW totals, it's likely a three-horse race between the Leafs, Islanders, and Tampa Bay Lightning.

The schedule doesn't exactly favor the Philadelphia Flyers, while the postseason hopes of the Hurricanes and Florida Panthers have all but faded. Each of these three teams would need a near-perfect finish coupled with disastrous skids by the better-positioned clubs.

But hey, anything is possible. Right, Kevin?

Rocket men

The race for the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy looks like Sidney Crosby's to lose.

Crosby's hat trick Sunday gave him a three-goal cushion over Brad Marchand in the goal-scoring race, but it's not over yet by any means. Vladimir Tarasenko sits three goals behind the Boston Bruins forward, followed by a handful of players tied with one fewer tally than the St. Louis Blues sniper.

Here's how the top Richard contenders' schedules look this week:

Evgeni Malkin also has 33 goals, but his injury will make it tough to catch his top-ranked teammate.

Getting to the point

Barring a surge from one of the other contenders, Crosby really only has to worry about fellow Nova Scotian Marchand in the goal-scoring race, but winning the Art Ross Trophy will be more difficult.

Crosby is tied with Connor McDavid atop the points leaderboard, with a trio of stars in close pursuit. Here's how their respective weeks break down:

McDavid gets the league-worst Colorado Avalanche twice, while Patrick Kane faces three non-playoff teams with no back-to-backs.

Buckle up, because it should be an entertaining ride.

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