NHL 2012-2013 Realignment

[lovelatinas]

With Winnipeg Jets back in the NHL, they will be moving to the Western Conference next season. While the Detriot Red Wings will probably move to the Eastern Conference.

I think the Jets will be in the Central Division with Chicago, Nashville, St. Louis, Columbus.

While Red Wings maybe in the South East Division with Carolina, Washington, Tampa Bay, Florida.

OR

The Red Wings could be in the North East Division with the Leafs, Habs, Sens, Sabres with Boston moving to the South East Division.

Either way the Leafs-Red Wing revalry will get revived.

 

[Ironhead]

That is not a bad scenario LoveLats. Maintains the Leafs-Canadiens non-rivalry.



My opinion, if the NHL wants to go with the best case geographically, and with Detroit coming to the East.

The Leafs lose Montreal, but the Bruin-Canadien rivalry remains.


Toronto, Ottawa, Buffalo, Detroit and Pittsburgh

Montreal, Boston, NYR, NYI and New Jersey

Philadelphia, Washington, Carolina, Tampa and Florida

 

[dj1470]

OK when I am Emperor of North America I will contract the NHL to 24 teams and realign them this way:

Wales Conference

North

Toronto
Montreal
Ottawa
Buffalo
Boston
Pittsburgh

South

New Jersey
NYR
NYI
Philadelphia
Carolina
Washington

Campbell Conference

East

Chicago
Detroit
Minnesota
Winnipeg
St. Louis
Columbus

West

Los Angeles
Anaheim
San Jose
Vancouver
Edmonton
Calgary

Regular season

Play 6 home/away against 5 divisional opponents - 30 games
Play 4 home/away against 6 other division conference opponents - 24 games
Play 2 home/away against 12 non-conference opponents - 24 games
Season = 78 games

Playoffs

1st rd, top 4 in each division, 4v1 and 3v2, best 3 of 5
2nd rd, winners of division playoffs, best 4 of 7
3rd rd, conference championship, best 4 of 7
4th rd, Stanley Cup conference winners, best 4 of 7

Season would be over by May 24 weekend latest

 

[Ironhead]

Again I like the idea, 24 teams, not sure about keeping all three NY trams though.

 

[maurice93]

1st rd, top 4 in each division, 4v1 and 3v2, best 3 of 5
2nd rd, winners of division playoffs, best 4 of 7
3rd rd, conference championship, best 4 of 7
4th rd, Stanley Cup conference winners, best 4 of 7

Season would be over by May 24 weekend latest

16 of 24 teams making the playoffs. So basically you want to totally devalue getting to the NHL playoffs like it was pre 1992 expansion. Fourth place teams in the worst division will get in. Do you not remember the Norris Division days when those Leafs and Red Wings teams with 60 points would get in the playoffs?

Changing the first round to 5 games is also flawed Why increase the opportunity for those shitty teams to get past the first round.

And going back to divisional playoffs increases the opportunity for weaker semi-finals. So your idea is likely going to weaken the first, second and third round.... I guess you enjoyed the divisional format in the playoffs more then I did. I prefer the variety and fairness of the conference format more.

I have no problem going to 24 -- it would increase the level of hockey being played. But it will not necessarily be the teams you choose. Contraction is very difficult. First off the 24 existing teams would have to pay the 1 Billion+ it will take to buy out those teams -- and if you make it voluntary you may not like the cities that choose to get eliminated.

While it would never happen, if it was a 24 team league, 8 teams in the playoffs would be ideal in my view. Especially in a cap world where some of those spots are not guaranteed by the biggest spenders.

 

[maurice93]

With Detroit moving to the East, I don't think you can go wrong with the Split. HNIC may have enough influence and they will probably want to keep OTT-TOR-MON in the same division

Your going to miss out on some good rivalries no matter how you split it. Throwing out the "Original" division -- Detroit, Toronto, Montreal, Boston, NYR.

The issue will be what team will want to be in the SouthEast division. I doubt anybody will want to go there. Philly may be the most logical, but they have alot of pull in the league.

Perhaps they would get a similar deal that apparently exists with Detroit. From what I have heard, Detroit gets it schedule done first to keep travel to a minimum as much as possible (obviously a concern when they are this far east), and to minimize back to backs. The rest of the league schedule is then built around that.

 

[GlavaMan]

I think the NHL is looking at moving Nashville to the South division of the East, where Atlanta was.

 

[Ironhead]

NHL 2012-2013 Realignment

Has been put on hold.
This is what I have heard. The realignment has been put on hold until, at least, the following season(2013-14) because the NHLPA has some concerns.

 

[Ironhead]

Here are a couple of links to this development.


Someone posted it on Wiki already.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Hockey_League#Proposed_conference_realignment



Here is where I first read it. (beware when you click this link the first thing you may see is The Count{Bettman}. I felt I had to warn you.)

http://www.tsn.ca/