Proposed Realignment (president, cups, NHL, Devils)

[mos1992]

I don't know which criteria they use to divide the league I assume "demographics" however How can Florida and Tampa play in the central division with Northern teams like Boston and Canadian teams. I think they should swap Florida and Tampa with Columbus and NJ/NYI/NYR

[Stubblejumper]

Looks like the NHLPA has given their approval

[nashvols]

Originally Posted by dude1984

The only team that is getting screwed right now is Winnipeg. Move WPG to the Northwest, Minnesota to the Central, and Nashville to the Southeast.

Dallas is getting screwed just as bad by the time zone difference. That's the main thing realignment addresses. 16 teams in the East gets all of the Eastern Time Zone teams in the same conference. The West will go from 4 time zones to 3, but will make sure that each division has no more than 2.


It's not perfect, but it's better than the current format.

And as a Nashville fan, I don't want to be in the Southeast. Much farther travel than the current Central.

[Stubblejumper]

Board of Governors gave their approval. I guess we'd all better get used to the new plan, 'cause that's what we're getting next season.

[JJG]

I liked it the first time I saw it.... but now I have 2nd thoughts.

Detroit should be in the West, to even things out. Both conferences have 15.

[Joke Insurance]

Any idea on how the playoffs will look?

[Stubblejumper]

Originally Posted by Joke Insurance

Any idea on how the playoffs will look?

The top 3 teams in each division get a playoff spot as well as the next two best teams, regardless or division.

In the first round, the #1 seeds will play the wild card teams and the #2 and #3 seeds in each division will play each other.


Were we to realign the league right now, we'd end up with these first round matchups:

Chicago/San Jose
Anahiem/St. Louis
Los Angeles/Vancouver
Minnesota/Winnipeg

Pittsburgh/Toronto
Montreal/Detroit
Boston/Ottawa
Carolina/New York Rangers

What struck me as surprising was that, despite reorganizing the league into it's new divisions, the same 16 teams made the playoffs.

[boner]

I like the RWs in the east with traditi0nal rivalries against the org 6 and Canadian powerhouses

[Oildog]

Good to get the teams better aligned geographically.

[Hawks Hockey]

Tekkie, I disagree. No two teams have played more regular season games against one another than the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings! This is one of the most storied rivalries in the history of the NHL. Furthermore, the fact that Detroit is moving conferences, means that they will not play them much at all anymore. I feel this is a bad move for hockey.

Their relative strengths change from year to year. From 1999-2009 the Red Wings were one of the more dominant teams in hockey, and the 'Hawks weren't. Now the tables have turned, and the Red Wings are fading. However, each time they play, it is a very "grind-it-out-style" victory, and anything can happen any given game between these two historic clubs.