The realignment cometh

[Psyblast]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=AiNPzmuKAdpO8g56a6jM.KV7vLYF?slug=nc-cotsonika_dvision_realignment_062511

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=6706113

[Kobalt]

Re: The realignment cometh

Hate the idea of having uneven divisions. In two of the divisions, you have 4/8 chance to make the playoffs but in the other two 4/7?

[OSUFan_88]

Re: The realignment cometh

Hate the idea of having uneven divisions. In two of the divisions, you have 4/8 chance to make the playoffs but in the other two 4/7?

Well, unless your are proposing expansion, I don't see any way that you can avoid it.

You can still have 8 playoff teams, but it's just one conference has less overall teams.

Let's not even dance around the issue: The Jackets and Wings both deserve to be in the East. The travel time is ridiculous for both teams. Perhaps it is unfair to the Western conference, or the Eastern conference, but it is what it is.

[Kobalt]

Re: The realignment cometh

Well, unless your are proposing expansion, I don't see any way that you can avoid it.

Yea I don't see expansion happening soon. If an expansion is coming, I'll be guessing KC for sure and maybe another Canadian team.

You can still have 8 playoff teams, but it's just one conference has less overall teams.

I actually warmed up to an idea of 8 teams in a division and 7 in other as long as each conference have 15teams each, but I doubt that's going to happen. I'm guessing it's going to be 16teams(8 per division) on the Eastern Conference and 14teams on the Western Conference since there is more travel from the teams in Western Conference.

Let's not even dance around the issue: The Jackets and Wings both deserve to be in the East. The travel time is ridiculous for both teams. Perhaps it is unfair to the Western conference, or the Eastern conference, but it is what it is.

I read this on other forums and I actually like this.

Spoiler

Northeast:
Boston, Buffalo, Columbus, Detroit, Montreal, Ottawa, Pittsburgh, Toronto

Atlantic:
Carolina, Florida, New Jersey, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Washington

Central:
Chicago, Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota, Nashville, St. Louis, Winnipeg

Pacific:
Anaheim, Calgary, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Phoenix , San Jose, Vancouver

[SPTO]

Re: The realignment cometh

Kobalt if that ends up being reality the Leafs will never make the playoffs again! (well at least not for another 10 years!)

[Psyblast]

Re: The realignment cometh

Positives:

-Playing Toronto, Boston and Montreal six times a year
-No more BS trips 2500 miles away
-Me and Matrix talking **** six times a year

Negatives:

-Playing Pittsburgh

[SPTO]

Re: The realignment cometh

BTW i've heard that with the realignment there'll be a balanced schedule of sort where every team is guaranteed to play each other home and away at least once.

[BlueNGold]

Re: The realignment cometh

Yea I don't see expansion happening soon. If an expansion is coming, I'll be guessing KC for sure and maybe another Canadian team.


I actually warmed up to an idea of 8 teams in a division and 7 in other as long as each conference have 15teams each, but I doubt that's going to happen. I'm guessing it's going to be 16teams(8 per division) on the Eastern Conference and 14teams on the Western Conference since there is more travel from the teams in Western Conference.


I read this on other forums and I actually like this.

Spoiler

Northeast:
Boston, Buffalo, Columbus, Detroit, Montreal, Ottawa, Pittsburgh, Toronto

Atlantic:
Carolina, Florida, New Jersey, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Washington

Central:
Chicago, Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota, Nashville, St. Louis, Winnipeg

Pacific:
Anaheim, Calgary, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Phoenix , San Jose, Vancouver

This isn't bad but I'd prefer the Jets to be in the same division as the Canucks, Flames, Oilers and maybe Wild, and I'd also prefer Pittsburgh in the same division as Philly and/or Washington.

So basically take Colorado, Dallas and St. Louis and flip them with Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton.

And then for the East take Pittsburgh, Detroit and Columbus and flip them with the Rangers, Islanders and Devils.

[daflyboys]

Re: The realignment cometh

It would make no sense for Winnipeg to be in the Central before Phoenix. Move Winnipeg to the Pacific and, hell, move Phoenix to Minnesota!

[crayzman]

Re: The realignment cometh

The issue I see is look at how weak the Central division would be. Chicago would never miss the playoffs again and none of the other teams in it have any consistency year after year. Most years 5th in the Pacific would kill the 3rd in the Central, if not 2nd.

[Money99]

Re: The realignment cometh

Sounds like the NHL is actually considering uneven conference numbers - 14 in one, 16 in the other.

[slickdtc]

Re: The realignment cometh

The issue I see is look at how weak the Central division would be. Chicago would never miss the playoffs again and none of the other teams in it have any consistency year after year. Most years 5th in the Pacific would kill the 3rd in the Central, if not 2nd.

Who cares? There will still be Conference standings.

Usually I'd be completely against a 14 team Conference and a 16 team Conference, but with the crazy Western travel, I think that's a good even-ing incentive.

[Money99]

Re: The realignment cometh

Who cares? There will still be Conference standings.

Usually I'd be completely against a 14 team Conference and a 16 team Conference, but with the crazy Western travel, I think that's a good even-ing incentive.

I agree. I think it's a fair trade-off.
Also, I don't care if Chicago makes the playoffs every year. The league needs marquee teams in the postseason.

I used to hate MLB's complete setup because NYY and Bos almost always made the playoffs. But as a business, it's far better for the league if one of those teams is in it, compared to a small market team.
I'll always tune into a Redsox or Yankees playoff game whereas I could care less if it's an Angels-Rangers matchup.
I don't mean any offense to fans of those teams, but I've come to accept that I like watching glamor teams in all sports as opposed to teams with no big names or glitz to them.

Last years finals proved that fans in non-hockey areas will tune into watching a big hockey market.
A Coyotes-Panthers final would be TV death compared to a NYR-DET matchup.

[Money99]

Re: The realignment cometh

Speculated realignment ala Puck Daddy:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/NHL-realignment-plan-Improving-or-meddling-with?urn=nhl-wp8068

[Money99]

Re: The realignment cometh

The only thing I don't like about the proposal is how they re-seed after the first round.
Screw that. That's one of the biggest issues for the Western teams.
Look at Vancouver's playoff run. First 2 series were in CST. I'm sure Vancouver would have loved to stay in their own time zone for the first 2 rounds (or MST at the very furthest).
That can play a huge role on fatigue and wear-and-tear as the playoffs progress.

Not only will full divisional play in the first 2 rounds help with travel, but it will also promote more divisional rivalries. There's a reason why fans in the old Norris hated the Leafs, North Stars, Blackhawks and Blues. It's because you usually bumped into everyone over a 3-4 year range.
The way it is now, the Wings have a bigger rivalry with teams outside their own division.

With more inter-division rivalries, the better chances are teams will sell out for those games.

To me, this is a no-brainer.