Perhaps you’ve heard of TSN’s “Hodgemail” segment.  In it, they ask viewers to write in about their thoughts on a given question.  This week’s query:

“Does Washington’s first-round loss make a mockery of the regular season?”

My own answer:

How does this question even make sense?

The first-place team was defeated by the eighth-place team.  It’s hardly an indicator that the regular season is moot.  Instead, we call it an “upset” and move on.

Granted, the Capitals led 3-1 in the series, yet Montreal stormed back to take it.  But this isn’t an indication that the regular season is flawed; rather, it is an indicator of the tenacity of the 2010 Montreal Canadiens.

I’ll be honest about two things, just to add some perspective: 1) I cheer against Montreal, and 2) I already wish I hadn’t picked the Habs to beat the Pens.  But to entertain the possibility of the Habs’ first-round victory being some kind of earth-shattering aberration is lunacy.  If we’re worried about teams’ regular-season records not carrying over to the playoffs, let’s talk about the San Jose Sharks and their playoff runs over the last several years.

Is the regular season too long?  Of course.  But is it pointless?  No way.  Teams are seeded, and then we see who’s got the stones to carry on.  If playoff upsets were really that devastating to the structure of a sports league, then the brass would be changing all the rules every time the top regular-season team didn’t run away with the championship.

And I don’t know about you, but I think that such a cakewalk would get pretty boring.

Power to the bottom eight.