My favorite playoffs in sports begin tonight — the NHL.

The NHL regular season is too long, and there probably are too many teams in the league. Once the playoffs start, though, the NHL jumps to the top of the heap as far as producing exciting and intense games and series.

Baseball is too slow; football is a one-and-done type of atmosphere; the NBA playoffs are too drawn out … the first round takes nearly three weeks to finish.

So find Versus on your TV dial … it is there somewhere … pick a team (some day the Blue Jackets might make the playoffs) and enjoy.

A side light: NHL Network has produced some funny commercials promoting the league and the channel. Here is the latest one.

There was some talk of the brewing labor trouble and owners' sharing problem at the NFL Meetings last month.

Peter King of SI.com paints a not so pretty picture.

Marty Burns of SI.com grades the offseasons for teams in the NBA's Central Division. The Cavaliers got a C.