NHL realignment

[FolignosJock]

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!

 

That is how it will work.... The four best teams in each conference makes the playoffs. 1 plays 4 2 plays 3 and then the conference champions play each other for a spot in the SCF. This means we can face any team but the other six in our division in the SCF> They didnt elaborate on howe the seeding would be dictacted after each team came out of their conference. I read somewhere that this point would be hashed out at the next meeting but most think that it will be based on record and then whatever tiebreakers they decide on.

[spndnchz]

Seems to me that the end of the year playoff run is going to suffer. Only 3 maybe teams fighting for a spot instead of 5-6.

[FolignosJock]

Seems to me that the end of the year playoff run is going to suffer. Only 3 maybe teams fighting for a spot instead of 5-6.

 

For some reason I dont think it will, there will probably be 2 good consistent teams but playing so much inside of our conference I bet there is going to be even more movement in those final games between teams in the same conference due to the 4 point swings.

[mphs mike]

I agree that the year end playoff run may suffer, although I still remember the first year end playoff run against the Red Wings in 1973.

 

While the regular season end may suffer, you could have teams jockeying for 3/4 place. I also love the idea of the first two rounds played within the conference. Rivalries are born out of repeteadley playing each other with something on the line!

[Derrico]

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.

 

I said over the past few years when referring to Toronto and Florida. Not saying it's an easy division, saying it's easier than the other conference of 7 teams IMO.

[X. Benedict]

Seems to me that the end of the year playoff run is going to suffer. Only 3 maybe teams fighting for a spot instead of 5-6.

That and I think that playing Philly, the New York teams and Pittsburgh only twice a year stinks.

[korab rules]

That and I think that playing Philly, the New York teams and Pittsburgh only twice a year stinks.

 

Yup. After a couple years, those first two playoff rounds are going to be blood baths - teams will detest each other!

[dEnnis the Menace]

That and I think that playing Philly, the New York teams and Pittsburgh only twice a year stinks.

 

I agree on that. at least my goal of seeing every team in Buffalo at the F'N center, and seeing the Sabres at every other arena just got easier...sort of.

[Weave]

I can see teams building their rosters to fend off one given team in their division now. For example, Boston is the class of our division right now. I expect that roster decisions will be based at least in part on how we plan to match up with Boston.

 

In the 80's the divisions kind of had personalities of their own. I could see that happening again too.

[Eleven]

I can see teams building their rosters to fend off one given team in their division now. For example, Boston is the class of our division right now. I expect that roster decisions will be based at least in part on how we plan to match up with Boston.

 

In the 80's the divisions kind of had personalities of their own. I could see that happening again too.

 

I wonder if the Norris Division will go back to being useless.

[Cereal]

I would like to see the Sabres management's thoughts on this. No article or anything on sabres.com so far.

 

Who are the four teams that voted it down?

[darksabre]

 

 

I wonder if the Norris Division will go back to being useless.

 

:lol:

[LGR4GM]

the nhl should shrink instead of expand (28 teams) because there is a serious issue with talent as is. If they do expand good for them but Quebec or Toronto or Kansas city will have another bunch of teams that do not have enough talent to compete.

 

IMHO phoenix dissolves and 1 more team (panthers? islanders? someone else?) and then you have 4 conferences of 7 teams. More talent and maybe just maybe a little less thuggery with the subtraction of 52 players from the league.

[Taro T]

I wonder if the Norris Division will go back to being useless.

One of the best SI article headlines ever was something to the effect of 'Oh how they bore us in the (s)norris.'

 

And back then you had in that division the Detroit Dead Things, the Chicago Black Holes, the Minnesota No Stars, the St. Louis Lose, the Toronto Make Us Laughs, and the Losipeg Jests. You had exactly 1 team with a winning record that year and 2 teams that couldn't even break that magical 60 point plateau. :doh:

 

I actually like the way they're proposing to realign the divisions (conferences, whatever) this year. Though with the wholesale rearrangement, I'd still like to see the 2nd round going outside division (conference, whatever). If the Sabres and the Habs are the 2 best teams in hockey, why should they automatically have to meet up in the 2nd round at the latest? Why not work out a system where they COULD meet each other in the finals if they can get that far?

[FolignosJock]

I would like to see the Sabres management's thoughts on this. No article or anything on sabres.com so far.

 

Who are the four teams that voted it down?

 

I know the rangers are one. My guess would be the two florida teams also voted no.

[Cereal]

If the Sabres and the Habs are the 2 best teams in hockey, why should they automatically have to meet up in the 2nd round at the latest? Why not work out a system where they COULD meet each other in the finals if they can get that far?

 

Under the current system, if the Sabres and Habs were the best two teams in hockey, they'd be seeded 1 and 4 in the EC, and if the 2nd and 3rd seeds held, they'd play in the second round anyway. :)

[FolignosJock]

Under the current system, if the Sabres and Habs were the best two teams in hockey, they'd be seeded 1 and 4 in the EC, and if the 2nd and 3rd seeds held, they'd play in the second round anyway. :)

 

:worthy: :clapping: thats funny

[Taro T]

Under the current system, if the Sabres and Habs were the best two teams in hockey, they'd be seeded 1 and 4 in the EC, and if the 2nd and 3rd seeds held, they'd play in the second round anyway. :)

Where did I state that my critique was only for the newly proposed system?

[FolignosJock]

Where did I state that my critique was only for the newly proposed system?

 

 

OH snap! Touche

[Who Else?]

The problem with the proposed playoff format is that although there will be better conference rivalries, you will not get to see other teams as much. Yeah great we won't have to sit and watch the Islands put it to them, but we won't get to see teams like PHilly, Pitt and New york as much. Unless you make it through to the third round of the playoffs we may see those teams only two or three times because of the home and homes with the western teams muddying up the schedule.

 

Didn't the NHL just reduce the amount of division games from 8 to 6 two or three years back anyway. Did the reason for that just disappear?

 

Anyway if you are going to play the first two rounds in Conference doesn't that make most of the regular season even less important?

[FolignosJock]

The problem with the proposed playoff format is that although there will be better conference rivalries, you will not get to see other teams as much. Yeah great we won't have to sit and watch the Islands put it to them, but we won't get to see teams like PHilly, Pitt and New york as much. Unless you make it through to the third round of the playoffs we may see those teams only two or three times because of the home and homes with the western teams muddying up the schedule.

 

Didn't the NHL just reduce the amount of division games from 8 to 6 two or three years back anyway. Did the reason for that just disappear?

 

Anyway if you are going to play the first two rounds in Conference doesn't that make most of the regular season even less important?

How so?

[Who Else?]

You Are now Guaranteed a 4 in 7 Chance of making the playoffs.

Now you can be second in your division and still not make the playoffs.

[FolignosJock]

You Are now Guaranteed a 4 in 7 Chance of making the playoffs.

Now you can be second in your division and still not make the playoffs.

 

right now its 8/15

so either a 53.333333% chance of the playoffs or what will be a 57.14 chance, and that is in our conference (for now) The change is negligible. and in the other conferences it will be a 50% chance league wide average of makin the playofss is guess what 53.33%. I dont think that we will notice at all.

[Cereal]

Where did I state that my critique was only for the newly proposed system?

Oh, I guess you didn't. :P Weeelllll, the only current system that tries to do this is the college football BCS. If every team in the NHL played the same schedule, you could go just by points tallied in the regular season. But that's not how it goes; we all know it's not possible for each team to get the same schedule (time zones, travel). Hypothetically, a team accruing 102 points in say, the SE Division could be on par with a team the accrues 94 points in the Atlantic Division, because of an easier schedule.

 

The NBA and NHL would potentially have the two top teams, if in the same division, play in the Conference Semis.

The NFL and MLB would have the top two teams, if in the same division, definitely playing in the Conference (League) Championships.

 

Not trying to pick on you, I just find this stuff interesting.

[Who Else?]

^{You can do the math whichever way you like, but in a division of five teams there is only one guananteed team in so the odds can be as low as 20 %, not the fixed 4 in 7 amount.}