The realignment cometh

[Yrogergj24]

Re: The realignment cometh

Here is my idea

Spoiler

Prince of Wales Conference

Jack Adams Division

Boston
Buffalo
Detroit
Montreal
Ottawa
Pittsburgh
Toronto

Lester Patrick Division

Carolina
Florida
New Jersey
NY Islanders
NY Rangers
Philadelphia
Tampa Bay
Washington

Clarence S. Campbell Conference

James Norris Division

Chicago
Columbus
Dallas
Minnesota
Nashville
St. Louis
Winnipeg

Conn Smythe Division

Anaheim
Calgary
Colorado
Edmonton
Los Angeles
Phoenix
San Jose
Vancouver

[Money99]

Re: The realignment cometh

That sucks for Detroit, but someone is going to have to travel out there.

If you move Detroit, then you have to move Columbus b/c their the only EST team left in the west. Moving 2 teams makes no sense when you can just stick Nashville right in the Southeast with similar teams like Tampa/Carolina.

Swap Minnesota to the central and Winnepeg to the NW, and the new central looks like Detroit, Chicago, St.Lou, Columbus, and Minnesota. Tell me that doesn't just seem natural (kind of looks like the AL Central in baseball).

I hate watching the Preds go out to Vancouver and San Jose too (Tennessee and British Columbia in the same conference?), but this makes more sense than moving teams between conferences wholesale and ending up with 16 in the east and 14 in the west.

I agree. It stinks because all three of those teams are in a weird pocket near, or in, the EST.

That's why I wouldn't be shocked at all if we saw uneven numbers in the conferences; 16 in the East, 14 in the West.
One NHL exec has brought it up and apparently it's an option the NHL will look at.
I highly doubt it happens though.
I still think the NHL goes with 15/15 and every team plays inside their division 6x and twice against all the other teams.
It's 82-games for almost every team out there. And for teams like CBJ and DET they'll be playing approx 65 games on the east coast, and only 8 times in the pacific.

[Perfect Zero]

Re: The realignment cometh

OK, I'll admit that I'm not much of an NHL fan, but I do follow the Stars every once in a while. I would follow the team much more if they played in a division where they didn't have to go to the Pacific every other day, and I understand what Blue Jackets and Red Wings fans are talking about. The problem is that the teams are so focused on the east coast, and having conferences really messes with the whole time zone issue. Therefore, I would propose something radical (which may upset some, but this is one of the few ways that I think you can be fair to all teams). It's a big list, so I've included spoiler tags.

Spoiler

Plains Division
Vancouver Canucks
Edmonton Oilers
Calgary Flames
Winnipeg Jets
Minnesota Wild

Pacific Division
Los Angeles Kings
Anaheim Ducks
San Jose Sharks
Phoenix Coyotes
Colorado Avalanche

Southern Division
Dallas Stars
Tampa Bay Lightning
Florida Panthers
Nashville Predators
Carolina Hurricanes

Central Division
St. Louis Blues
Chicago Blackhawks
Detroit Red Wings
Columbus Blue Jackets
Toronto Maple Leafs

Atlantic Division
Washington Capitals
Pittsburgh Penguins
Philadelphia Flyers
Buffalo Sabers
New Jersey Devils

Eastern Division
New York Islanders
New York Rangers
Boston Bruins
Montreal Canadians
Ottawa Senators

Basically, I say adios to conferences, which is easy since the NHL has fully incorporated its teams. The division winners are guaranteed a 1-6 playoff seeding, with the other ten teams qualifying as overall wild card teams. There is no re-seeding in this model (I don't know why the NHL does this anyways). For scheduling, there would be 84 games, a team getting to play its divisional rivals 6 times, getting to play two division 3 times, and the other divisions 2 times (the divisions would rotate). Crazy? Perhaps, but I feel it would be the best way to go about things.

[Money99]

Re: The realignment cometh

This would result in teams that are in a 7 team division playing 82 games and teams in 8 team divisions playing 86.

Obviously the 8-team division clubs would have to sacrifice 4 games.
So you'd rotate those 2 teams every year. Not a big deal.

Perfect Zero, I like your idea. I don't think the NHL wants to go with 6 divisions, but I do like the idea of saying goodbye to conferences.

Having individual divisions is probably the most fair.

I'll say this about the seeding process though, I think the NHL is missing out on an absolute media goldmine by not going with a playoff draft.
The #1 seed would choose it's opponent, then #2, then #3 and so on.
You could make it an hour long special on TSN, VS/NBC. It would generate instant buzz and create rivalries.
Who would want to be picked as the 'easiest' first round opponent? Bad blood ensues immediately.
After each round, the highest seed, again, gets to choose it's next opponent.

I know that's way out there, but I'll forever bang the drum that pro sports is about entertainment and this would be highly entertaining. And I don't think it would be at the cost of the integrity* of the league whatsoever.

*Which is a joke in itself considering this is a league that has featured some pretty outlandish behavior, characters and questionable owners.

[slickdtc]

Re: The realignment cometh

That's never going to happen just because it's so out there. But I think it's a really cool idea. The whole idea of a team picking its opponent is nuts.

[Kobalt]

Re: The realignment cometh

http://twitter.com/#!/TSNBobMcKenzie/status/123923800873111552

More and more NHL governors convinced DET will be moving to SE Div in Eastern Conference when realignment done in early December.

Probably switching spots with Winnipeg?

[rdnk]

Re: The realignment cometh

Probably switching spots with Winnipeg?

I'd say Minnesota would move to the central and Winnipeg to the Northwest with the rest of the Canadian teams if Detroit was to move to the SE.

I think the best answer would be to have unbalanced divisions like baseball. Move Detroit, Columbus and Nashville east, move Winnipeg west. You'd have a 16 team conference and a 14 team conference.

[DrJones]

Re: The realignment cometh

I think the best answer would be to have unbalanced divisions like baseball. Move Detroit, Columbus and Nashville east, move Winnipeg west. You'd have a 16 team conference and a 14 team conference.

The Eastern owners will never sign off on anything that lowers their chances for playoff $$$.

[Psyblast]

Re: The realignment cometh

The Southeast? Of course the NHL would botch something so simple.

[DrJones]

Re: The realignment cometh

The Southeast? Of course the NHL would botch something so simple.

It's not the "NHL" so much as individual owners. Any team currently in the Northeast or Atlantic that moved to the Southeast would have to deal with increased travel and less box office due to the loss of geographic/traditional rivalries. Why would any of them do that for Detroit's sake?

[slickdtc]

Re: The realignment cometh

The Southeast? Of course the NHL would botch something so simple.

It's not, though.

If they're moving JUST Detroit. Otherwise, you'd have to break up BOS/MTL/BUF/TOR/OTT or PHI/NYR/PIT/NYI/NJ. All of those teams have a decent rivalry with all of the rest within their division.

DET in the Southeast doesn't make sense geographically, but it's nearly impossible to satisfy every team's rivalry and needs and wants.

I think by moving DET to the East, they're doing them a great favor, but not completely by putting them in the Southeast (though, historically, the division hasn't been that strong). Plus, it brings the draw of the Red Wings to the struggling southern markets.

I see what you did there, NHL.

[DrJones]

Re: The realignment cometh

It's not, though.

If they're moving JUST Detroit. Otherwise, you'd have to break up BOS/MTL/BUF/TOR/OTT or PHI/NYR/PIT/NYI/NJ. All of those teams have a decent rivalry with all of the rest within their division.

DET in the Southeast doesn't make sense geographically, but it's nearly impossible to satisfy every team's rivalry and needs and wants.

I think by moving DET to the East, they're doing them a great favor, but not completely by putting them in the Southeast (though, historically, the division hasn't been that strong). Plus, it brings the draw of the Red Wings to the struggling southern markets.

I see what you did there, NHL.

Also logical to think that the NHL won't commit to radical realignment until the ultimate destination of the Coyotes (not to mention the issues facing the Isles, Panthers, and perhaps Jackets) is settled.

[BunnyHardaway]

Re: The realignment cometh

Also logical to think that the NHL won't commit to radical realignment until the ultimate destination of the Coyotes (not to mention the issues facing the Isles, Panthers, and perhaps Jackets) is settled.

The Panthers aren't going anywhere...they have one of the sweetest lease deals in the NHL. They not only get revenue from the 41 home dates, but get revenue from concerts and shows held at BankAtlantic Center as well.

[OSUFan_88]

Re: The realignment cometh

So despite the fact that Columbus is, of course, further south and technically further east...Detroit will go to the East.

I hate the NHL.

[DrJones]

Re: The realignment cometh

The Panthers aren't going anywhere...they have one of the sweetest lease deals in the NHL. They not only get revenue from the 41 home dates, but get revenue from concerts and shows held at BankAtlantic Center as well.

I was (wishful) thinking more along the lines of contraction where the Panthers are concerned.