Realignment is HERE (BOG APPROVED, Post #87)

[Hipster Doofus]

Think it was a Grantland article. It wasnt much, just confirmed that Hartford still wants a team and and the league still is favorable to a return because of the market size and no compeition.

 

[Isles Junkie]

https://twitter.com/DarrenDreger/status/309793338641498113

Darren DregerVerified account
‏@DarrenDreger
We can stop speculating on realignment. NHLPA approves through 2014-2015. Could change after that.

 

[PWJunior]

I'm reading that realignment is being voted on for it to happen next season.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=659069&navid=DL|NHL|home

The National Hockey League will move forward with its proposed realignment plan after receiving consent from the National Hockey League Players' Association on Thursday.

The next step for the NHL is to bring the proposed plan to its Board of Governors for a vote. If approved, the League's new realignment plan will go into effect starting with the 2013-14 season.

 

[A Pointed Stick]

Western Conference

Pacific Division: Anaheim, Calgary, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Jose and Vancouver.

Mid-West Division: Chicago, Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota, Nashville, St. Louis and Winnipeg.

Eastern Conference

Central Division: Boston, Buffalo, Detroit, Florida, Montreal, Ottawa, Tampa Bay, Toronto.

Atlantic Division: Carolina, Columbus, New Jersey, N.Y. Islanders, N.Y. Rangers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington.

The top three teams in each division would make the playoffs, along with the four wild-card teams - the best two non-division winners in each conference.

This is pretty dumb with Tampa and Boston in the same division, and the east gets completely screwed in general as each eastern division has 8 teams yet only the top three go to the playoffs. The east owners need to say no to this as it is crap.

 

[Isles Junkie]

Thanks for moving this for me. i couldn't remember what the thread was called/couldn't find it

I realize it's only temporary with a team likely moving to seattle. but i don't like how there's 16 teams in the east and 14 in the west. it's harder for east teams to make the playoffs. not fair

 

[PWJunior]

Thanks for moving this for me. i couldn't remember what the thread was called/couldn't find it

I realize it's only temporary with a team likely moving to seattle. but i don't like how there's 16 teams in the east and 14 in the west. it's harder for east teams to make the playoffs. not fair

It's definitely not fair having an imbalance like that, but I think we'll be seeing a couple of new expansion teams to make up for that in the very near future.

 

[doublechili]

I wonder what the ramifications are of the East being "full" on expansion to Quebec City?

 

[kasper11]

That "Central" division is a mess. You have the northern-most (Ottawa/Toronto), southern-most (Tampa Bay & Florida), eastern-most (Boston) and Western-most (Detroit) teams in the Conference all in one division.

How did they come up with this?

 

[Bunk Moreland]

That "Central" division is a mess. You have the northern-most (Ottawa/Toronto), southern-most (Tampa Bay & Florida), eastern-most (Boston) and Western-most (Detroit) teams in the Conference all in one division.

How did they come up with this?

All about the $$$$$$... You got the snow birds down in Florida apparently there's a lot of Canadian fans down there which will boost the gate numbers.. Detroit can now have its away games start at a decent hour which will help ratings and spur new rivalries with them. It keeps the Penguins with Philly which is becoming the new "it" rivalry for the NHL.

 

[TheWhiteWhale30]

This is pretty dumb with Tampa and Boston in the same division, and the east gets completely screwed in general as each eastern division has 8 teams yet only the top three go to the playoffs. The east owners need to say no to this as it is crap.

Totally agree. Rangers, New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington, Carolina, Islanders, Columbus... Really ? We're screwed. 5 of these teams won't make it to the playoffs...we are certainly one of them. This better be tweaked. If 4 teams from each division make it then 2 wild cards I'd be much more okay with this.

 

[Twine Seeking Missle]

Totally agree. Rangers, New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington, Carolina, Islanders, Columbus... Really ? We're screwed. 5 of these teams won't make it to the playoffs...we are certainly one of them. This better be tweaked. If 4 teams from each division make it then 2 wild cards I'd be much more okay with this.

It's 3 from each division plus 2 wildcards last I checked. So it will most likely be 5 from the "Atlantic" and 3 from the "Central" pretty much every year. Sort of like how the Southeast winner from years past would be the only team in that division to make the playoffs. Simply put, the Isles division is a TON tougher than the other division. Sure, the other division has Boston and Detroit but after that it's a toss up.

 

[The Underboss]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=660138&navid=nhl:topheads


Realignment fully APPROVED!!

 

[Strummergas]

Meh, I'm not a fan of these new divisions, but I guess I'll eventually get used to it.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Meh, I'm not a fan of these new divisions, but I guess I'll eventually get used to it.

Me neither but nothing we can do about it.

 

[Poliz24]

So it's going to be even tougher making the playoffs now, thank goodness we have an owner that spends.... oh wait nope.. we don't. We better draft 3 more JTs.

 

[Islanders1932]

I love it. I'm a huge fan of the new format and I think people are over reacting saying it will be harder to make the playoffs. I think this will amp up some rivalries and it should be sweet!

 

[stranger34]

hate it

 

[Strummergas]

I love it. I'm a huge fan of the new format and I think people are over reacting saying it will be harder to make the playoffs. I think this will amp up some rivalries and it should be sweet!

I don't know if it will be harder, I just don't like the alignment.

 

[Cacciaguida]

You're right. Quebec wouldnt be great for the NHL. It would be great for Quebec City, but wouldnt do all too much for the league especially if it's a relocation of a bigger potential growth market. It would automatically be the smallest market in the league and the area is already hockey saturated, there's little growth potential there. There's more to success than just having people in the seats every night. Not to mention, if (more like when) the economy shifts back to an early 90's paradigm between the US and Canada, the same issues that killed the Nordiques and Jets the first time will likely crop up again.

While I agree Seattle is probably ideal for the NHL at this point (under-served market, hockey history, west coast, natural rival in waiting), I think Milwaukee is an utterly AWFUL idea. No prospects of an arena whatsoever, they may not even be able to keep the Bucks. They barely draw for the Admirals there. I just don't see it as an area clamoring for an NHL franchise.

NHL would get much more bang for their buck if they could find potential owners in Houston or in Portland. Houston is the 4th biggest city in the country now, and you'd have a natural rivalry with the Stars. Teams in Seattle and Portland could set up a cool Northwest "bloc" with Vancouver similar to what they have in the MLS.

Portland and Houston are not getting teams any time soon. No ownership and no demand.

You go where there is demand. There's demand for NHL hockey in Seattle, Hamilton and Quebec.

Milwaukee would be a good market if it had an arena and owner. Hockey would easily thrive there. But it will have to shape up before getting consideration. Just like Hartford.

 

[Twine Seeking Missle]

Portland and Houston are not getting teams any time soon. No ownership and no demand.

You go where there is demand. There's demand for NHL hockey in Seattle, Hamilton and Quebec.

Milwaukee would be a good market if it had an arena and owner. Hockey would easily thrive there. But it will have to shape up before getting consideration. Just like Hartford.

I think Portland would support a team. But Seattle could cover that market if the Yotes end up there. Not to say a Portland-Seattle-Vancouver triangle wouldn't be great because it would.

But to my main point. I agree with you here. Enough about Houston already. Do we really need another team in Texas? It's bad enough there are two teams in Florida. Houston is one of the biggest cities in the country with a potentially huge TV market? So what. Correct me if I am wrong but Phoenix is a pretty large market itself and look at that disaster. I believe Houston would be Phoenix 2.0 and that's the last thing this league needs.

 

[19 in a row]

So 5 games against two divisional opponents, 4 against the others, 3 games vs teams other division in conference and 2 vs all teams in other conference. Not bad at all. I like the divisional format, and assume there will be 32 teams at some point. I am not going to worry about which teams are in which division as over time teams fade and improve, I think that it is good that the rivalries are kept together as much as possible.

 

[Quicklime]

My one complaint is the 16/14 split - though with the greater density of teams in the Eastern Conference, I kinda get it.

How soon until we hear of Seattle and another western city getting teams? I'd assume they plan on it soon enough, as the lopsided conferences are a tad strange.

 

[MDIsles]

I got Pens, Rag$, and Philly/Wash/NJD as locks for the foreseeable future in the playoffs. Unless our Isles get better in a hurry, they won't be in the playoffs for a LONGGGG While, IMO... I liked top four in each division like is was back in the old days but I also liked ties too...

 

[Twine Seeking Missle]

My one complaint is the 16/14 split - though with the greater density of teams in the Eastern Conference, I kinda get it.

How soon until we hear of Seattle and another western city getting teams? I'd assume they plan on it soon enough, as the lopsided conferences are a tad strange.

The 16/14 split is pretty much the only thing I don't like. And it could get even more convoluted with the possible expansion.

Phoenix to Seattle seems more likely than not. And that's fine since they would be moving within the division. It becomes a problem for Quebec and or Markham. Both those teams would have to play in the Eastern Conference. So then what? You can't have an 18/14 split.

Maybe what this does is put an end to those expansion rumors all together and is a way to tell us it's not happening because if they really are planning on expansion, what the hell do you do with the divisions THEN? Geographically it makes zero sense and good luck getting teams that are happy with this new format to move divisions AGAIN within 5 years.

EDIT:

Just looked at the map again. If expansion were to happen the ONLY logical thing to do would be to move Colorado to the "A" division and move Detroit and Columbus back to the west. Not a chance Detroit let's that happen. They have been itching to get into the Eastern Conference for decades now. I mean I am not sure exactly how much of a vote is needed and maybe they would be forced back but I find it hard to believe the NHL would want to piss off one of the leagues most respected owners in Mike Ilitch.

 

[13th Floor]

I got Pens, Rag$, and Philly/Wash/NJD as locks for the foreseeable future in the playoffs. Unless our Isles get better in a hurry, they won't be in the playoffs for a LONGGGG While, IMO... I liked top four in each division like is was back in the old days but I also liked ties too...

You have a team that is second to last in the league right now and one point out of dead last in the NHL as a 'lock' for the playoffs every year moving forward?