Saturday's Wild-Dallas game is a playoff preview

• Off the ice, the craziness of this probable first-round matchup is fueling broader debate about the NHL's quirky playoff format.

Catch up quick: The Wild, Stars and Colorado Avalanche are by far the top three teams in the Western Conference — meaning they'd never face off in the first round of a traditional No. 1-versus-No. 8 playoff bracket.

• But all three teams are in the same division, and the Stanley Cup playoff format is set up to create intra-division matchups. That means two of the top three finishers in the West could be eliminated before the conference final.

What they're saying: Wild GM Bill Guerin said in a recent podcast interview that while no playoff opponent is an easy out, he'd like the format to change.

• "One of the top three teams should not be going home [in the first round]," he told TSN.

The other side: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman isn't backing away. The current format gives the league "probably the best playoff first round in any sport. We get more games and longer series as a result," Bettman told The Athletic.

What we're watching: Puck drop is at 3pm.