I knew somebody would bring this up so I might as well join the party. I actually agree with you. It sort of renders the regular season meaningless. And, in reality, it perpetuates the methodology of teams like BU and BC (and I'm a BU guy all the way) to continue to recruit elite talent, cruise through the season and then turn it on when the games count (and then have them leave and go pro, only to repeat the following year). But we all know WHY this is done. $$$$$$$$$$$ As usual, the powers that be figured out how they could make even more money. Plus, the prevailing sentiment that everyone needs a "second chance" these days. Look at the ridiculous MBPBEGAR ("Make believe phony baloney everyone gets a ribbon") round that they thankfully got rid of this year (with apologies to Chuck Murray - I know I got the acronym wrong).
But if you think it's bad in hockey, look at the NCAA Basketball Tournament. The idea of sports is to WIN, right? So how do they get off saying that the team that finishes eighth in the B1G, for example, "deserves" to go to the tournament over a team that won 25 games but finished second in their conference, just because it's a "mid major?" If the idea is to have the "best 64 (or 65 or whatever it is now) teams in the tournament, then why bother with conferences at all? Just use a PWR like hockey and pick the top 65 teams. A team who finishes second in their conference, even if it's the worst in the country (i.e., like an America East or Patriot League) STILL deserves to go to the tournament over an eighth place team that probably lost EVERY game it played against the top four teams in its league.
It's never going to change, though, so there's no point in lamenting. It is what it is.
