NHL realignment

[Brandon]

New proposal.

 

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/8991414/nhl-realignment-proposal-adds-playoff-wild-cards-drops-league-4-divisions-source-says

[James]

Don't like it and I don't know why. I just don't. Nothing wrong with the way it is. In fact it is the most exciting American sport the way it is set up now.

[Thomas]

If it really reduces travel time then I am definitely in favor. No division games outside the Pacific besides Phoenix is good too.

[Tank]

Detroit to the east makes a lot of sense. The east will have 16 teams and the west will have 14. It works.

It's like an updated version of the old Norris, Smythe, Adams, and Patrick divisions.

I'm okay with it.

[ELEVEN]

My Leafs will have to fly to Tampa and Miami a ton. Not sure that was the best option for cutting travel.

[Thomas]

Worst places to go in the winter lol.

[halobob]

I love everything about this realignment for the west, 8 out of 14 teams make the playoffs compared to 8 out of 16 in the east. 

[bucbrett]

The NHL has looked at expansion and may be headed back to Quebec City and adding another team in Markham, ON. They'll probably be placed in the West eventually.

[halobob]

If expanding to the west Seattle is definitely in play.

 

Personally I'd like to see them move phoenix to seattle, contract columbus and either of tampa/florida and have 14 teams a conference.

[bucbrett]

Agreed on the Coyotes to Seattle, I think that will eventually happen when Bettman finally gives that fight in Phoenix up.

[deepdrive]

I like it for two reasons. First, I like the opponents in the Pacific Division. Second, the play every team at least once at home is going to be great.

[gotbeer]

The list looks a lot like the divisions before they broke up the divisions.  

[gotbeer]

In 1988.  

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1988%E2%80%9389_NHL_season

 

Adams Division  

GP W L T GF GA Pts

Montreal Canadiens 80 53 18 9 315 218 115

Boston Bruins 80 37 29 14 289 256 88

Buffalo Sabres 80 38 35 7 291 299 83

Hartford Whalers 80 37 38 5 299 290 79

Quebec Nordiques 80 27 46 7 269 342 61

^[1]

Patrick Division  

GP W L T GF GA Pts

Washington Capitals 80 41 29 10 305 259 92

Pittsburgh Penguins 80 40 33 7 347 349 87

New York Rangers 80 37 35 8 310 307 82

Philadelphia Flyers 80 36 36 8 307 285 80

New Jersey Devils 80 27 41 12 281 325 66

New York Islanders 80 28 47 5 265 325 61

^[1]

[edit]Clarence Campbell Conference

Norris Division  

GP W L T GF GA Pts

Detroit Red Wings 80 34 34 12 313 316 80

St. Louis Blues 80 33 35 12 275 285 78

Minnesota North Stars 80 27 37 16 258 278 70

Chicago Blackhawks 80 27 41 12 297 335 66

Toronto Maple Leafs 80 28 46 6 259 342 62

^[1]

Smythe Division  

GP W L T GF GA Pts

Calgary Flames 80 54 17 9 354 226 117

Los Angeles Kings 80 42 31 7 376 335 91

Edmonton Oilers 80 38 34 8 325 306 84

Vancouver Canucks 80 33 39 8 251 253 74

Winnipeg Jets 80 26 42 12 300 355 64

[Brandon]

I had to read the article a few times because I don't get the playoff set up. They said they aren't doing conferences, just divisions, but don't really articulate the divisions and just base it off records.

 

I also don't get the Atlantic and Central. You have situations like above where Toronto travels to Florida while closer teams could fill that. They have the Atlantic cutting in between the Central instead of just splitting the Atlantic in half with the upper and lower Central.

[nate]

I like this setup.  The biggest problem is that the majority of the teams in the NHL are east of the Mississippi so teams in the west have to travel a ton.

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

Is there a way they can just reallign the whole league to Canada?

[nate]

Right after the realign all of soccer to West Hollywood.

[Kenny]

As long as they keep the California teams in the same division, I'm happy. Hell, give California 2 or 3 more teams and we can have our own division.

[HaloCory22]

New realignment approved.

 

http://ducks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=660168

[HaloCory22]

Cuts down on travel time, but the playoff format is a bit meh. 

[nate]

All looks solid til you see Division C.  Those Florida teams are getting jobbed.  The new playoff format really doesn't matter much.

 

[HaloCory22]

Florida sucks

[Thomas]

Cuts down on travel time, but the playoff format is a bit meh. 

 

You are probably too young to remember the old Smythe division playoffs.  Those were intense. It will really build up the division rivalries which have kind of stagnated lately.

[Thomas]

All looks solid til you see Division C.  Those Florida teams are getting jobbed.  The new playoff format really doesn't matter much.

Supposedly teams would rather play teams in the same time zone than play teams that are closer in different time zones. So I guess they are happy enough playing teams in the eastern time zone.

[halobob]

I LOVE the playoff format.  Ducks have a much better shot at making the playoffs.  3 out of 7 make it in the division and 8 out of 14 in the conference.  Compared to the realignment that was talked about last year which would have had the Ducks in a division where 3 out of 8 make the playoffs and 8 out of 16 from the conference.  The Angels lose their divisional advantage this year but the Ducks get one next year, pretty funny.