Used to love the format, but with Detroit and Columbus heading to the East, it got complicated for me to express.
Before that, I believed that it needed some modifications, which I believe that the Quebec Nordiques and the Hartford Whalers should had return, just like the Winnipeg Jets did after replacing the Atlanta Thrashers after the 2010-11 season, with some game-scheduling boost. Here was the following:
1. – Eastern Conference:
1.1. – Patrick Division:
1.1.1. – Atlantic Section:
New Jersey
N.Y. Islanders
N.Y. Rangers
Philadelphia
1.1.2. – Southeast Section:
Carolina
Florida
Tampa Bay
Washington
1.2. – Adams Division:
1.2.1. – Northeast Section:
Boston
Buffalo
Hartford (return)
Pittsburgh
1.2.2. – Mideast Section:
Montreal
Ottawa
Quebec (return)
Toronto
2 – Western Conference:
2.1. – Norris Division:
2.1.1. – Central Section:
Chicago
Columbus
Detroit
St. Louis
2.1.2. – Midwest Section:
Dallas
Minnesota
Nashville
Winnipeg
2.2. – Smythe Division:
2.2.1. – Northwest Section:
Calgary
Colorado
Edmonton
Vancouver
2.2.2. – Pacific Section:
Anaheim
Los Angeles
Phoenix
San Jose
Schedule Format V-1.0 (84 total games):
Conference play; Division play; Intra-Section play: Each team will play four times – two home, two away – for a total of 12 Intra-Division Intra-Section games (3 * 4 = 12).
Conference play; Division play; Out-of-Section play: Each team will play all four teams four times – two home, two away – for a total of 16 Intra-Division Out-of-Section games (4 * 4 = 16).
Conference play; Out-of-Division play: Each team will play all eight teams three times for a total of 24 Out-of-Division games (8 * 3 =24).
Out-of-Conference play: Each team will play all 16 teams twice – one home, one away – for a total of 32 Out-of-Conference games (16 * 2 =32).
Schedule Format V-2.0 (82 total games):
Conference play; Division play; Intra-Section play: Each team will play six times – three home, three away – for a total of 18 Intra-Division Intra-Section games (3 * 6 = 18).
Conference play; Division play; Out-of-Section play: Each team will play all four teams four times – two home, two away – for a total of 16 Intra-Division Out-of-Section games (4 * 4 = 16).
Conference play; Out-of-Division play: Each team will play all eight teams twice – one home, one away – for a total of 16 Out-of-Division games (8 * 2 = 16).
Out-of-Conference play: Each team will play all 16 teams twice – one home, one away – for a total of 32 Out-of-Conference games (16 * 2 = 32).
But now here's the same format, but with Detroit and Columbus in the East:
1. – Eastern Conference:
1.1. – Patrick Division:
1.1.1. – Atlantic Section:
New Jersey
N.Y. Islanders
N.Y. Rangers
Philadelphia
1.1.2. – Southeast Section:
Carolina
Florida
Tampa Bay
Washington
1.2. – Adams Division:
1.2.1. – Northeast Section:
Boston
Buffalo
Montreal
Ottawa
1.2.2. – Mideast Section:
Columbus
Detroit
Pittsburgh
Toronto
2 – Western Conference:
2.1. – Norris Division:
2.1.1. – Central Section:
Chicago
expansion?
expansion?
St. Louis
2.1.2. – Midwest Section:
Dallas
Minnesota
Nashville
Winnipeg
2.2. – Smythe Division:
2.2.1. – Northwest Section:
Calgary
Colorado
Edmonton
Vancouver
2.2.2. – Pacific Section:
Anaheim
Los Angeles
Phoenix
San Jose
Hopefully there will be two new expansions for the Western Conference in the future. Only time will tell.
