Division Realignment

[Rich Nixon]

I like 4-team divisions. I also like blended conferences, like how the AFC/NFC or AL/NL have nothing to do with geography.

So like, give me 4 divisions per conference, 2 of them from each side of the continent. For travel, just play in longer "tours" and sometimes play the same opponent twice in a row, as they did in last year's weird Covid season.

 

[KingsFan7824]

I like 4-team divisions. I also like blended conferences, like how the AFC/NFC or AL/NL have nothing to do with geography.

So like, give me 4 divisions per conference, 2 of them from each side of the continent. For travel, just play in longer "tours" and sometimes play the same opponent twice in a row, as they did in last year's weird Covid season.

But the reason the NFL and MLB align that way, is because those have two leagues that spanned the country that merged together. The NHL and NBA, not quite the same. They each absorbed a couple teams from leagues that went out of business.

And good luck trying to get teams in the ETZ to agree to that. They could barely deal with Winnipeg tarnishing the geographic purity of the eastern conference for a couple years. They won't willingly increase their travel burden.

 

[Seras]

This is better than what we currently have

 

[Adam Warlock]

This should be a no brainer with 32 teams now.

 

[Left handed]

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

I never heard about any complaints.

I don't know what the Red Wings would have to do with this since they were finishing in the top half of those standings during the years when this format was in place. Are you alleging that they were upset to place teams 5-8 in the first round? I'm confused.

 

[Pizza!Pizza!]

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

makes 100x more sense than the current alignment

 

[Fulmination]

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.

In your same response you say move Dallas to the pacific, but then argue it’s hard for casual fans. You just created half of Dallas games a local start time of 9:30pm. How does that make it easier for casual fans?

 

[KingsFan7824]

I never heard about any complaints.

I don't know what the Red Wings would have to do with this since they were finishing in the top half of those standings during the years when this format was in place. Are you alleging that they were upset to place teams 5-8 in the first round? I'm confused.

The current alignment is based almost solely on Detroit's wish, really a demand, to move east. Det hated being in a conference with 4 time zones(or at least having to be only one of two eastern teams in a conference with 4 time zones). The second they were able to force their way out, they did it. They used all their political capital to get it done.

In your same response you say move Dallas to the pacific, but then argue it’s hard for casual fans. You just created half of Dallas games a local start time of 9:30pm. How does that make it easier for casual fans?

Anything west of the eastern time zone is an afterthought. That's how Dallas ended up in the old 5 team Pacific division in the first place.

 

[coolboarder]

Has anyone ever considered the schedule matrix consists of 8 games within the division vs 3 teams in 4-teasms division, no conference for 24 games, 4 home and 4 away vs each team? It will save all teams all over with travel burden. and just have remaining 28 teams with 2 games, 1 home and 1 away so that all teams will visit a city once without travelling inequity. I would sign up for that and it will allow the geographic rivalry to grow rather than die down because of fewer games 3 or 4 games with the way they are right now. I'm telling you to get rid of conference format. I am not a fan of that conference format.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

I want them to move two teams in the Atlantic and move Tampa and Florida in the Metro.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

How would that work for the playoffs? The top 2 teams in each division make the playoffs and the bottom 2 do not? No wildcard. I’d be in favor of that.

Each division winner gets a guaranteed top 4 seed and each 2nd place winner gets seeded 5-8 by points

I’d like it in 4 team division setup if only the division winner is guaranteed a playoff spot. 1-4 go to division winners, 5-8 are based solely on points in the conference. It makes the division titles actually worth something.

 

[Fulmination]

The current alignment is based almost solely on Detroit's wish, really a demand, to move east. Det hated being in a conference with 4 time zones(or at least having to be only one of two eastern teams in a conference with 4 time zones). The second they were able to force their way out, they did it. They used all their political capital to get it done.



Anything west of the eastern time zone is an afterthought. That's how Dallas ended up in the old 5 team Pacific division in the first place.

The west is an after thought sometimes, but I think it’s only east coast fans that think that, and the league does not. They did just add Vegas, Seattle and trying hard to keep Arizona. New money and growing the game seems to be in the west, not just pleasing the east. But Dallas was originally in the central Campbell division. They did move out west and at first opportunity moved back because of the time zone issues. They won’t repeat they mistake again.

 

[KingsFan7824]

The west is an after thought sometimes, but I think it’s only east coast fans that think that, and the league does not. They did just add Vegas, Seattle and trying hard to keep Arizona. New money and growing the game seems to be in the west, not just pleasing the east. But Dallas was originally in the central Campbell division. They did move out west and at first opportunity moved back because of the time zone issues. They won’t repeat they mistake again.

The fans didn't put Dallas in the Pacific division. But, there had to be 6 divisions of 5 teams, and Van couldn't be separated from Edm/Cgy, so there was nothing else to be done.

Which then goes back to the question of, why do the East and West have to be set up the same way, when they face very different geographic realities? Why can't the East and West have different alignments, and playoff formats if need be? Why does one size have to fit all, when it clearly doesn't?

 

[fryfunk]

In your same response you say move Dallas to the pacific, but then argue it’s hard for casual fans. You just created half of Dallas games a local start time of 9:30pm. How does that make it easier for casual fans?

You split divisions in half.

You have 62 games pre decided.

so we're talking about 20 games.

Currently they play 7.7 of those games against the pacific time zone teams

3.7 against the mountain timezone teams

That leaves 8.6 to be played in the central.

If you change it around

they'd have 12 games in the pacific instead of 7.7

They'd play 4 against mountain

And 4 against the central.

They'll have to play 2 extra games out west and 2 extra at home, but they'll spend less time going north to Canada/Minnesota.
sucks, I ain't gonna lie.

But the rogers contract is no small deal.

More Canadian Canadian playoff matchups would go a long way for helping the league recover from covid.

 

[fryfunk]

The fans didn't put Dallas in the Pacific division. But, there had to be 6 divisions of 5 teams, and Van couldn't be separated from Edm/Cgy, so there was nothing else to be done.

Which then goes back to the question of, why do the East and West have to be set up the same way, when they face very different geographic realities? Why can't the East and West have different alignments, and playoff formats if need be? Why does one size have to fit all, when it clearly doesn't?

Very much in agreement with this sentiment.

Especially when 62/82 games are predecided.

I'd just get rid of divisions entirely.

Just call it a league and divide it up into timezones.

Pacific with 6 teams, Mountain with 4(Phoenix games are scheduled against mountain time when it makes sense), Central with 6 and East with 16.

Pacific teams play each other 5 times Mountain 3 times with 1 game left over being played against a rival(seattle-vancouver etc)

Central teams play each other 5 times Mountain 3 times with 1 game left over being played against a rival(Nashville-Dallas)



Mountain plays each pacific/central team 3 times.

And they play eachother 4.66 times.

Top seed in pacific and centrals get to choose their opponents.


EDIT:


Alternatively you could strip 8 games away from the east.


Pacific teams play each other 6 times Mountain 3.33 times Central twice

Central teams play each other 6 times Mountain 3.33 times Pacific twice.

Mountain plays each pacific/central team 3.33 times.

The east would play the west 24 times.

They'd play each other 3.5 times each, with 5.5 games going towards rivals.


But I get it, I'm in Banana land suggesting the league could improve things for everyone.

For a pacific team they'd only be in the central/pacific 18 times a year, the other 64 are either at home, pacific or in mountrain.


It'd be way better for TV, and I'm sure the owners/players would be happy.

But instead the league has to cator to obsessives with OCD who can't handle the scheduling matrix to not be in perfect balance.

Why make travel fair for players? Why make free agency more even?

 

[stealth1]

The only thing I would change is getting rid of the wildcards altogether. Top 4 in each division are in like it was in the 80s. 1 plays 4 and 2 plays 3 and continue the playoffs like now.

 

[Chet Manley]

It doesn't make sense to rearrange things while the Coyotes don't have a home. Yes I'm fun at parties.