NHL realignment

[FolignosJock]

Overall I like it, but I would've rather seen someone other than the 2 Florida teams moving into our division. Selfishly, I wanted Carolina moved into ours so I could catch more games and possibly playoff games in Raleigh but I'm also scratching my head that the NHL didn't take the opportunity to swap Boston and someone like Pittsburgh to strike up the whole NY/Boston rivalry as DeLuca mentioned.

 

 

I could see that and I do wish that they would have switched out carolina and one of the florida teams to even out travel and so that the rivalry would grow.

[SwampD]

Now, If they would only go back to home whites...

[Weave]

Now, If they would only go back to home whites...

 

I like the cut of your jib.

[Sabre Dance]

I don't like this doing away w/ the East vs. West Conference in the Stanley Cup. We're going to see repetitive first/second round play and that bothers me. I was looking forward to realignment, but this is ridiculous I alway felt there'd be an Eastern and Western Conference in present day hockey. I don't like the idea of that being broken up.

 

I agree - the distribution of wealth in the league decided this format. I hate it already.

 

 

Me too. There was a real reason to feel a rivalry with Boston, and Montreal, even Hartford and Quebec, back in the day.

 

Well, we still see all of the same teams we have been for the last number of years in our division, plus a few extra trip to Florida for the boys. We see less of Philly, Pittsburgh, the three NY-area teams, Washington and Carolina. We do get home-and-homes with every other team in the league, which is OK. But, of the three NHL cities that are closest to us geographically (Toronto, Pittsburgh and Detroit), we only get the Leafs more than once at home. Meh. :yawn:

 

This has been my point all along. The years I recall most fondly for the fan experience were the years when each division game meant something real. Each time we played Boston, Montreal, Quebec, and Hartford playoff seeding was on the line. The games were that much more intense. Add in hard feelings from previous playoff indiscretions and it was an emotional mix that made for great entertainment.

 

I say, "well done NHL, you;ve brought team rivalries back".

 

Hmm, like the Detroit-Toronto rivalry, Carolina-Buffalo, Boston-Rangers and Montreal-Rangers?

 

At least they didn't stick Columbus or Nashville in our conference. (In fact, in the interest of having balanced conferences, they could eliminate these two franchises; it'd probably take a season or two for anyone to notice they're gone).

 

Slightly off-topic: Why the hell does Gary Bettman care if there is an NHL team in Phoenix when Quebec is dying for a team (and Phoenix itself doesn't care, either)? Oh, yeah - money.

[LGR4GM]

hmmm would prefer that come playoff time #1 vs #4 and #2 vs #3 would come from different eastern conferences , instead of keeping it within conference.

 

this format does give more flexibility if phoenix would relocate, and maybe gives room for expansion to 32 teams.

 

eastern teams will have to play 4 games more then western teams though. 88 vs 84

 

eastern teams play vs western teams 2 x times so those 32 games + 14 games vs other eastern conference. 46 games + 42 games within its conference.

western teams play vs eastern teams 2x times so those 28 games + 16 games vs other western conference. 44 games + 40 games within its conference.

Actually you are mistaken. The two conferences will 8 teams will play the same number of games as the two conferences with 7 teams. It is the TSN story how this works but basically it involves playing division opponents either 5 or 6 times depending on a rotating schedule.

[nobody]

One thing this realignment might do is give us another year of Rick Jeanneret. I would think he will like the idea of being able to call a game against every other team in the league before he retires.

[shrader]

So when is the two team expansion coming? I think it's blatantly obvious that this is coming somewhere down the line.

[papazoid]

the two teams that get screwed the most in all of this from a travel standpoint are florida and tampa. the east could have been divided into the northeast and southeast.

 

Southeast: fla, tb, car, nsh, wash, pit, phi

 

Northeast: buf, bos, tor, mon, ott, nyr, nyi, nj

 

Central: det, chi, dal, min, stl, win, cbj

 

West: van, sj,la,edm,ana,cgy, phx, col

[korab rules]

So when is the two team expansion coming? I think it's blatantly obvious that this is coming somewhere down the line.

Or contraction? I don't know if they will expand. The league is finally pulling out of the weaker southern markets and returning to Winnipeg and soon Quebec. What other markets are strong enough to support a team? I can see a second team in Toronto, but where else - Hamilton? I think the Sabres and Toronto AND the new Toronto team would fight that tooth and nail.

 

There is also an issue with talent - there just isn't enough good talent to go around as it is - expansion will only further weaken things and disrupt parity. The truly great players will be even more sought after, giving a competitive advantage to those teams who are bad enough to draft them or rich enough to buy them in free agency.

[Doohicksie]

Slightly off-topic: Why the hell does Gary Bettman care if there is an NHL team in Phoenix when Quebec is dying for a team (and Phoenix itself doesn't care, either)? Oh, yeah - money.

 

It *is* a business, you know.

[Robviously]

Or contraction? I don't know if they will expand. The league is finally pulling out of the weaker southern markets and returning to Winnipeg and soon Quebec. What other markets are strong enough to support a team? I can see a second team in Toronto, but where else - Hamilton? I think the Sabres and Toronto AND the new Toronto team would fight that tooth and nail.

 

There is also an issue with talent - there just isn't enough good talent to go around as it is - expansion will only further weaken things and disrupt parity. The truly great players will be even more sought after, giving a competitive advantage to those teams who are bad enough to draft them or rich enough to buy them in free agency.

This could be its own thread. Everything you just said makes sense, but two teams is 46 players, only 40 of whom dress for games at a time. Would adding or subtracting 46 players from the league really make that much of a difference? I don't think having a star like Sidney Crosby becomes any more or less important or effective if we add or subtract 46 players.

 

Maybe adding two more teams to get to 32 isn't *that* big a deal. And I do think there are options -- Seattle (natural rivalry with Vancouver), Portland, Houston (4th biggest city in the US), Toronto, Quebec, San Francisco, etc.

 

Just putting this out there. I'm not convinced either way but I've grown skeptical of the accepted "talent dilution" theory.

[Cereal]

This has been my point all along. The years I recall most fondly for the fan experience were the years when each division game meant something real. Each time we played Boston, Montreal, Quebec, and Hartford playoff seeding was on the line. The games were that much more intense. Add in hard feelings from previous playoff indiscretions and it was an emotional mix that made for great entertainment.

 

I say, "well done NHL, you;ve brought team rivalries back".

Even though I'm a bit too young to recall this format from the 80s/etc., I think this is cool. I'll take your word (and others who've chimed in here) that this will make for much greater rivalries within our Conference.

 

It is awesome to know that every team will play in every other team's building once per year. The only problem with this is that we only get one home and away against the old Atlantic + WAS and CAR. Pretty disappointing there.

 

 

Actually you are mistaken. The two conferences will 8 teams will play the same number of games as the two conferences with 7 teams. It is the TSN story how this works but basically it involves playing division opponents either 5 or 6 times depending on a rotating schedule.

Cool, thanks for pointing out, I missed this initially.

 

The seven-team conferences: (6 teams x 6 conference games) + (23 teams x 2 interconference games) = 82.

The eight-team conferences: ((4 teams x 5) + (3 teams x 6) (rotate the 3 and 4 year to year) conference games) + (22 teams x 2 interconference games) = 82.

[carpandean]

There is also an issue with talent - there just isn't enough good talent to go around as it is - expansion will only further weaken things and disrupt parity. The truly great players will be even more sought after, giving a competitive advantage to those teams who are bad enough to draft them or rich enough to buy them in free agency.

This could be its own thread. Everything you just said makes sense, but two teams is 46 players, only 40 of whom dress for games at a time. Would adding or subtracting 46 players from the league really make that much of a difference? I don't think having a star like Sidney Crosby becomes any more or less important or effective if we add or subtract 46 players.

Additional teams would mean at least one of the following: (1) more "kids" getting regular spots sooner, and/or (2) many of the vets who are willing and still pretty able, but just not quite making the cut, will get slightly longer careers. It seems like more frequently than ever there is a list of (2)'s at the end of free agency that make you think "wow, I'm surprised nobody signed so-and-so." The player then retires or heads to Europe/Russia.

[Huckleberry]

If they do expand, they'll probably do it out west with two cities. Phoenix can still move to Quebueq , and maybe detroit or columbus will get pushed to the east as well :flirt:

[shrader]

Additional teams would mean at least one of the following: (1) more "kids" getting regular spots sooner, and/or (2) many of the vets who are willing and still pretty able, but just not quite making the cut, will get slightly longer careers. It seems like more frequently than ever there is a list of (2)'s at the end of free agency that make you think "wow, I'm surprised nobody signed so-and-so." The player then retires or heads to Europe/Russia.

 

Both sides love it. The owners get their massive paycheck for the expansion fee. The PA gets more jobs. It's win/win... in the short term anyway.

[ROCBuffalo]

We are most definately in the toughest conference. This is the worst idea ever. DOn't like it.

[PromoTheRobot]

I think it's a pretty elegant solution to a problem that did not have an easy answer.

 

PTR

[korab rules]

I think it's a pretty elegant solution to a problem that did not have an easy answer.

 

PTR

 

Sure it did. Flip flop Winnipeg and Columbus and leave it alone. But NO - Bettman had to put his stamp on it and try to make some of the bitching owners happy.

[Samson's Flow]

I think it's a pretty elegant solution to a problem that did not have an easy answer.

 

PTR

Yeah I agree. It could have been a lot worse than this. Definitely evens out the travel a lot for east coast teams vs. west coast teams.

 

Now if only they bring back the conference names like Adams, Norris, etc.

[Tyrannustyrannus]

the two teams that get screwed the most in all of this from a travel standpoint are florida and tampa. the east could have been divided into the northeast and southeast.

 

Southeast: fla, tb, car, nsh, wash, pit, phi

 

Northeast: buf, bos, tor, mon, ott, nyr, nyi, nj

 

Central: det, chi, dal, min, stl, win, cbj

 

West: van, sj,la,edm,ana,cgy, phx, col

 

They may be getting screwed by travel, but they should be happy they will only see the Capitals twice a year.

[Tyrannustyrannus]

We are most definately in the toughest conference. This is the worst idea ever. DOn't like it.

 

It could have been way worse. We only see the Pengins, Flyers, Capitals, and Devils twice a year. I'm happy with being in a division with Toronto, Montreal, Florida, Tampa, and Ottawa because we usually beat them.

[Derrico]

We are most definately in the toughest conference. This is the worst idea ever. DOn't like it.

 

I can't tell if your sarcasm meter is on or not. If we assume the Coyotes stay where they are then it could be argued we are in the easiest conference. We only have 7 teams where there are two with 8, which is a huge (unfair) advantage IMO. The only other 7 team conference has Philly, Pitt and Washington which have been 3 of the top 4 teams in the East Conference over the past few years. New Jersey is still a pretty decent team when healthy and I like what the Isles are doing down there (even if it will take a couple of years before they pull an Edmonton). Carolina is the throw in.

 

As for us, Toronto and Florida have been a joke for number of years now. Tampa Bay, Montreal and Ottawa have all been hit or miss. Only the Big Bad Bruins really scare me in our conference.

[Samson's Flow]

It could have been way worse. We only see the Pengins, Flyers, Capitals, and Devils twice a year. I'm happy with being in a division with Toronto, Montreal, Florida, Tampa, and Ottawa because we usually beat them.

Looking at the way the new conferences shook out, I think the NHL brass was very careful not to make one super conference of all the east powers based on geographic proximity. Based on location only, there could have been a Detroit, Pittsburgh, Philly, Boston, Toronto, Montreal, Buffalo conference (just quick off the top of my head).

[korab rules]

I can't tell if your sarcasm meter is on or not. If we assume the Coyotes stay where they are then it could be argued we are in the easiest conference. We only have 7 teams where there are two with 8, which is a huge (unfair) advantage IMO. The only other 7 team conference has Philly, Pitt and Washington which have been 3 of the top 4 teams in the East Conference over the past few years. New Jersey is still a pretty decent team when healthy and I like what the Isles are doing down there (even if it will take a couple of years before they pull an Edmonton). Carolina is the throw in.

 

As for us, Toronto and Florida have been a joke for number of years now. Tampa Bay, Montreal and Ottawa have all been hit or miss. Only the Big Bad Bruins really scare me in our conference.

Umm, Toronto has been near the top of the standings and above us almost all year, Tampa was in the the Eastern Conference Championship last year and nearly won, and Florida is substantially improved. There is no easy division.

[LabattBlue]

If this has been discussed I apologize, but why are they being called them 4 "conferences", instead of 4 "divisions"? The only way this makes any sense is if they have already decided that after the first two rounds of the playoffs, the winners will be reseeded and 1 plays 4, 2 plays 3, and the two teams that meet for the cup will no longer be "conference" champions...errr...they will be "conference" champions but not at the same level "conference" champions used to be.

 

 

IDIOTS...just call them divisions no matter what the playoff format is!