Division Realignment

[Left handed]

Why go so heavy on divisional play if your playoff matchups are going to be top 8?

I think the central and pacific time zone teams hate having to play one another in the opening rounds. Just more added travel.

Just leave it at 4 divisions of 8 and let them play within the division for rounds 1&2.

Because divisions are primarily designed to create and maintain rivalries throughout the season. Typically (with some exceptions) these rivalries are based on geographic location. When you look across the various sports leagues, division rivalries rarely play as much of a part in the playoffs. Conference rivalries, sure.

The NBA has divisions and division rivalries throughout the season, but their playoffs pick the best 8 teams out of either conference.

The NFL has divisions and division rivalries throughout the season, but their playoffs pick the division winners plus two wildcards.

The MLB has divisions and division rivalries throughout the season, but their playoffs pick the division winners plus two wildcards.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Because divisions are primarily designed to create and maintain rivalries throughout the season. Typically (with some exceptions) these rivalries are based on geographic location. When you look across the various sports leagues, division rivalries rarely play as much of a part in the playoffs. Conference rivalries, sure.

The NBA has divisions and division rivalries throughout the season, but their playoffs pick the best 8 teams out of either conference.

The NFL has divisions and division rivalries throughout the season, but their playoffs pick the division winners plus two wildcards.

The MLB has divisions and division rivalries throughout the season, but their playoffs pick the division winners plus two wildcards.

and what exactly are WC 1 AND 2 IN BOTH Conferences if you didn't finish top 3 IN YOUR DIVISION, there's your traditional 7 and 8 seeds, they just renamed them

 

[Left handed]

and what exactly are WC 1 AND 2 IN BOTH Conferences if you didn't finish top 3 IN YOUR DIVISION, there's your traditional 7 and 8 seeds, they just renamed them

The way that the playoffs used to be structured, 1 played 8, 2 played 7, 3 played 6, and 4 played 5. The higher seed (the better record) always had home advantage, and the bracket would be re-seeded based on highest and lowest seeds as the playoffs progressed.

The structure was simple, and it was ripe with upsets similar to in March Madness. I can't remember the year, but I think the 8th seeded Kings went all the way to the Cup finals. It was the talk of the town.

 

[Plante]

Not a big fan of forcing the Canadian teams to play each other in the first rounds all the time

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

The way that the playoffs used to be structured, 1 played 8, 2 played 7, 3 played 6, and 4 played 5. The higher seed (the better record) always had home advantage, and the bracket would be re-seeded based on highest and lowest seeds as the playoffs progressed.

The structure was simple, and it was ripe with upsets similar to in March Madness. I can't remember the year, but I think the 8th seeded Kings went all the way to the Cup finals. It was the talk of the town.

not always a true statement.... some schedules are now tailored to other events in a given arena ie STK/COL is a 2-3-2 even though Stockton is the higher seed

 

[cowboy82nd]

Imo since divisions are mostly for travel and time zones they should go to the following system

Western conference: 2 divisions as they are now with 2 wildcards (also the same)

Eastern conference: No divisions. No wildcards. 1-8 playoff seeding

Why is it different for the Eastern and Western conferences???

 

[Ivan eht Demidov]

This will end up worse than the current format. Just go back to 1-8, why do people wanna make it so complicated.

1-8 doesn't represent the schedule format (higher number of games vs divisional opponents), so each seed being properly "earned" is questionable, due to the schedule difference between teams from different divisions. Also, travel and time zones in the West make 1-8 undesirable, this awful playoff scheduling with Central teams playing at 8:30pm local time notwithstanding...

Why not use division realignment for scheduling purposes only, and go back to the top-8 playoff bracket per conference?

Again, the seeds won't be properly earned if the playoff format doesn't match the schedule format. If you're the 5th seed, but have a division of significantly better teams than the #6 seed, did you really earn the #5 seed? That's the problem with 1-8, and any mismatch of playoff format with schedule format.

To support both rivalries AND fairness, wholesale changes are needed, and the solution won't necessarily be "simple", but if the result is good, we should be able to live with that.

Why is it different for the Eastern and Western conferences???

Believe it or not, you can do that with one format!

David Barter | Time Zone Grouping Format

Interaction Designer | Researcher | Writer | Problem Solver

www.davidbarter.net

 

[Left handed]

Again, the seeds won't be properly earned if the playoff format doesn't match the schedule format. If you're the 5th seed, but have a division of significantly better teams than the #6 seed, did you really earn the #5 seed? That's the problem with 1-8, and any mismatch of playoff format with schedule format.

We lived with '1-8' for years and everyone was fine with it. No other major sports league employs the complicated system you're suggesting.

 

[Mr Positive]

Why is it different for the Eastern and Western conferences???

Because the eastern conference only has one time zone and the travel isnt helped by the divisions at all. Those are the major reasons divisions exist.

As for the rivalries, you would still have them without the arbitrary separation of a division. I would grant that it forces them to play each other in the playoffs more, but is that worth having situations where one divison gets packed like the Atlantic, and then a high seed can draw one of the toughest opponents in the league?

 

[fryfunk]

Not a big fan of forcing the Canadian teams to play each other in the first rounds all the time

Don't worry if the habs don't want to show up they don't have to, in fact even if they want to . . . .
All jokes aside, it's way way better for casual fans.

It's a depth sport, where knowing the names of players is actually critical for enjoying the game.

This 1-8 seeding etc is a joke.

This league is never gonna get big as long as they water down the value of having divisions.

 

[fryfunk]

The league should go with 4 divisions no conferences.

The East West divide no longer makes any sense.

Give the networks what they want.

Buffalo-Can in the north

Add Phoenix-Dallas-Denver to the Pacific.

Create a Midwestern division including Detroit-Minneapolis-Chicago.

It's a depth sport. All these crazy seeding schemes etc make it harder for casual fans to follow the game.

 

[Plante]

Don't worry if the habs don't want to show up they don't have to, in fact even if they want to . . . .
All jokes aside, it's way way better for casual fans.

It's a depth sport, where knowing the names of players is actually critical for enjoying the game.

This 1-8 seeding etc is a joke.

This league is never gonna get big as long as they water down the value of having divisions.

more chances at the cup is better for fans

 

[fryfunk]

more chances at the cup is better for fans

Is it actually?

I didn't like having to choose between habs/jets last year.

But to me it resulted in a more meaningful tournament.

And it isn't just on the Canadian side.

Tampa-Carolina-Nashville-Panthers was absolutely amazing. I

Pittsburg-Boston-Islanders-Washington was amazing.

Vegas-St Louis-Colorado-St Louis was amazing.

It was almost as if it was the way it was meant to be.

The first 2 rounds despite all of the crap were far better than this years.

Now imagine having a regular non covid season, followed by those matchups.

When you keep the 1st 2 rounds within the division, getting a divisional title actually means something. Especially if those divisions actually mean something to local fans.

It isn't just some hokey Canadian sentiment.

Casual fans in Pennsylvania don't want a Pittsburg Ottawa series.

 

[Plante]

jets series was boring af, but ya sure w/e

 

[CokenoPepsi]

They had a great set up a few years ago but was turned down by the PA

 

[TaLoN]

Midwest: CGY, EDM, WPG, MIN

HELL NO!

Minnesota has to be with St Louis and Colorado

HAS to be with Chicago. They are literally the closest team, right down the interstate.

 

[kk]

They had a great set up a few years ago but was turned down by the PA

Eh? What was that exactly?

 

[PROGFAN66]

One suggestion please put the Red Wings and Blackhawks in the same division. What are the leadership in the NHL thinking?

 

[notDatsyuk]

I think much more important would be a slight change to the playoff format.

No change to the first two rounds, but in the third round cross over. Top team remaining in the East plays the second team in the West, and vice versa.

Much more likely to result in the two best teams meeting in the final.

 

[Golden_Jet]

The way that the playoffs used to be structured, 1 played 8, 2 played 7, 3 played 6, and 4 played 5. The higher seed (the better record) always had home advantage, and the bracket would be re-seeded based on highest and lowest seeds as the playoffs progressed.

The structure was simple, and it was ripe with upsets similar to in March Madness. I can't remember the year, but I think the 8th seeded Kings went all the way to the Cup finals. It was the talk of the town.

You mentioned March Madness, that’s one of the reasons for the current format, bracket based to the finals.

 

[KingPuckChoo]

i'd do one division, 32 teams

 

[Henkka]

How does a division featuring Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Detroit, and Columbus get the name Metropolitan?

Yeah, it should be Rust Belt -Division.

Yes, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are in different divisions

etropolitan
- Buffalo Sabres
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Detroit Red Wings

Atlantic
- New Jersey Devils
- New York Islanders
- New York Rangers
- Philadelphia Flyers

North East
- Boston Bruins
- Montreal Canadiens
- Ottawa Senators
- Toronto Maple Leafs

Easy fix is Boston --> with New York teams. They are rivals.

Detroit to North East with Toronto etc.

Philadelphia with Pittsburgh in Rust Belt Division.

 

[Cardiac Jerks]

In before one division has a 105pt 3rd place team that fails to make the playoffs

The proposed southeast division in the OP is deadly right now. Tampa would have been third with 110 points and Washington last at 100.

 

[KingsFan7824]

We lived with '1-8' for years and everyone was fine with it. No other major sports league employs the complicated system you're suggesting.

Everyone was not fine with it. First and foremost, the Red Wings.

The league should go with 4 divisions no conferences.

The East West divide no longer makes any sense.

Give the networks what they want.

Buffalo-Can in the north

Add Phoenix-Dallas-Denver to the Pacific.

Create a Midwestern division including Detroit-Minneapolis-Chicago.

It's a depth sport. All these crazy seeding schemes etc make it harder for casual fans to follow the game.

Stop putting Dallas with teams in California. Dallas is geographically closer to DC than LA, with one fewer time zone between them.

One suggestion please put the Red Wings and Blackhawks in the same division. What are the leadership in the NHL thinking?

You have to blame the Wings on that one. Or Winnipeg for taking the Thrashers. But yeah, the Wings wanted out of the West and into the East no matter what.

 

[Cotton]

I think the NHL should completely re-do the way the divisions are aligned. Mostly because it makes no sense how the two Florida teams are in a division with all north teams, geographically it doesn’t make sense. So I am proposing an 8 division set up, composed a 4 teams each. The playoffs would be the 4 division winners and 4 wildcards from any division, and then it would be seeded like how the NHL playoffs used to be. 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, 4 vs 5. The top 4 would be the division winners placed according to their points, the remaining 4 would be those 4 wildcards also placed according to points. Here is the proposed divisions:

Western Conference

North West
- Calgary Flames
- Edmonton Oilers
- Seattle Kraken
- Vancouver Canucks

Pacific
- Anaheim Ducks
- Los Angeles King
- San Jose Sharks
- Vegas Golden Knights

South Central
- Arizona Coyotes
- Colorado Avalanche
- Dallas Stars
- Nashville Predators

North Central
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Minnesota Wild
- St. Louis Blues
- Winnipeg Jets

Eastern Conference

South East
- Carolina Hurricanes
- Florida Panthers
- Washington Capitals
- Tampa Bay Lightning

Metropolitan
- Buffalo Sabres
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Detroit Red Wings

Atlantic
- New Jersey Devils
- New York Islanders
- New York Rangers
- Philadelphia Flyers

North East
- Boston Bruins
- Montreal Canadiens
- Ottawa Senators
- Toronto Maple Leafs

Yes, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are in different divisions, but if you look at a map, this does make sense, as Pitt is pretty far inland as opposed to Philly being right by the ocean. We do lose the Pittsburgh-Washington division rivalry, but I’m not sure who else could fit in that South East slot unless you change up things majorly.

Love it? Hate it? Think I’m an idiot? Let me know? Lol

I don’t think you appreciate how spaced out some of these teams are. For example the two closes teams to Toronto, by a lot, are Buffalo and Detroit, not Ottawa and Montreal.

NYC is 3x further away from Buffalo than to Toronto. And Boston is almost as far away from Montreal as Buffalo is to NYC.