2013 NHL realignment

[Robviously]

Can you imagine the carpetbaggery that would happen if Columbus were in the east? You'd have invading fans from at least 3-4 cities within a day's drive.

Sounds familiar. The FNA is basically just a destination for other teams' fans at this point too.

[IKnowPhysics]

The Blue Jackets should be in Cleveland or Cincinnati. Why Columbus? Makes no sense, both Cle and Cin had arenas, also have other pro sports teams.

 

Television.

 

Columbus is the 15th most populous city in the US (as of 2010) and has no other professional sports. Cleveland and Cincinatti, while they have larger metro stat area populations by a little bit, also have other major professional teams to eat corporate sponsorship dollars (Browns/Indians/Cavaliers, Bengals/Reds).

[Doohicksie]

Finally, I don't care if the competition in the division is good. It forces the team to get better to compete. It gives them LESS of a leg to stand on so we get better results... or we end up like the Orioles.. but whatever.

 

The whole college football BCS thing is warped, but local school TCU recently moved to the Big 12 Conference to put it up against better competition in an effort to have a shot at a national championship. Texas A&M left the Big 12 to go to the SEC with the same goal. Bottom line is if a team really wants to get better, the best way to do it is to bite off more than they can chew, get their butts handed to them, and learn how to overcome.

 

Television.

 

Columbus is the 15th most populous city in the US (as of 2010) and has no other professional sports.

 

Unless you count Ohio State.... :angel:

[apuszczalowski]

Watch Seattle. I bet they get a team next. Could be Phoenix, could be Edmonton. Can't believe the Pacific NW has been NHL-free so long.

 

PTR

I would bet that Seattle would get a team first, before any other spot (except maybe KC). They are closest to getting a new arena built thats going to be for Basketball and Hockey (Deal is pending league approval for the NBA Kings to move there) and the IIRC, the potential new owner of the NBA Kings wants a NHL team for the arena too. KC has the facility already built (like Winnipeg did), but I don't know if theres an Owner there looking for a team right now. Quebec and Markham are still in the early stages of getting an arena built, so its more likely they would lose out to a place that will have one built sooner (or already in place). I think edmonton moving was just a scam to get the city talking again about the new arena and get more funding. The NHL has already said if Jamieson can't close the deal on the Coyotes, they will start looking at owners that want to relocate.

[PromoTheRobot]

The Blue Jackets should be in Cleveland or Cincinnati. Why Columbus? Makes no sense, both Cle and Cin had arenas, also have other pro sports teams. I just don't get the whole Columbus thing. Whatever, they are there and belong in the green group.

Columbus fans deserve credit for supporting the BJs as well as they have. That team has been terrible forever. We complain about the Bills and Sabres but the BJs are worse. Don't judge a fan base if their team has never left the cellar.

 

PTR

[SwampD]

Columbus fans deserve credit for supporting the BJs as well as they have. That team has been terrible forever. We complain about the Bills and Sabres but the BJs are worse. Don't judge a fan base if their team has never left the cellar.

 

PTR

Realignment aside, how the hell does the NHL allow a team called the BJs to have a mascot that looks like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGpwBw1dOlk

[Bmwolf21]

Ever been to their arena? It is awesome with and everything around it. It is downtown surrounded by plenty of other things to do. Unfortunately they have everything but a good team. If this franchise ever catches fire, this will be one of the premeire spots to take a road trip to watch a game.

This. I love going to games in Columbus. It is a great arena, and there is lots to do downtown.

Television.

 

Columbus is the 15th most populous city in the US (as of 2010) and has no other professional sports. Cleveland and Cincinatti, while they have larger metro stat area populations by a little bit, also have other major professional teams to eat corporate sponsorship dollars (Browns/Indians/Cavaliers, Bengals/Reds).

Cleveland is Browns first, then everyone else. The Lake Erie Monsters play at Quicken Loans Arena and draw quite well for an AHL team, and I think that is where Cleveland should be in terms of pro hockey (staying in the minors). There is a lot of youth hockey here to help support a minor league team.

 

I have heard that youth hockey is not as widespread around Columbus, though, but I have nothing that back that up.

Columbus fans deserve credit for supporting the BJs as well as they have. That team has been terrible forever. We complain about the Bills and Sabres but the BJs are worse. Don't judge a fan base if their team has never left the cellar.

 

PTR

This too. They just made a couple huge moves over the last year - they traded Nash, have been collecting 1st-round picks, hired John Davidson to run the hockey operations, and finally fired their incompetent GM.

[IKnowPhysics]

Realignment aside, how the hell does the NHL allow a team called the BJs to have a mascot that looks like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGpwBw1dOlk

 

Hilarious. I know they went all AC/DC and made their logo into the cannon, but I hadn't figured on them actually changing their mascot from the retarded yellow jacket to a giant dick and balls.

[bills_fan_in_raleigh]

i love the proposal that puts canes with caps, flyers and rangers

[Braedon]

Hilarious. I know they went all AC/DC and made their logo into the cannon, but I hadn't figured on them actually changing their mascot from the retarded yellow jacket to a giant dick and balls.

 

They did this over 2 years ago, the bug stayed. They just added a giant phallic symbol for nights when they wore their colonial 3rd jerseys or when they played the Flames.

[All Along The Watchtower]

 

Why the Slug?

[IKnowPhysics]

Didn't make the background map, just drew the divisions. Not sure why Winnipeg is in the right place but the Buffalo, LA, and Tampa logos are old.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Didn't make the background map, just drew the divisions. Not sure why Winnipeg is in the right place but the Buffalo, LA, and Tampa logos are old.

 

The Peg is right, but Montreal looks a bit too close to Maine, IMO.

[Doohicksie]

They did this over 2 years ago, the bug stayed. They just added a giant phallic symbol for nights when they wore their colonial 3rd jerseys or when they played the Flames.

 

I think those third jerseys are the best in the NHL. I love they way they captured an old school feel, considering the team isn't nearly that old. Not quote colonial, though; the stylings come from the Civil War era.

 

The Peg is right, but Montreal looks a bit too close to Maine, IMO.

 

Yeah, Montreal's about an hour north of Plattsburgh.

[IKnowPhysics]

I think those third jerseys are the best in the NHL. I love they way they captured an old school feel, considering the team isn't nearly that old. Not quote colonial, though; the stylings come from the Civil War era.

 

They picked up on the retro-is-fashionable jersey trend and decided to run with the AC/DC thing that they'd been going with for a few years.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EUmtgwvDtI

 

I don't think it's superbly novel, but it seems like ok mainstream marketing for a questionably-nontraditional midwestern market. The cannon's identifiable, even if they yoinked it right off the album cover they play during the games on repeat.

[djp14150]

 

I disagree with your better

 

 

 

An alternate option is to go with a north/south shift

 

West stays the same

 

North: Winnipeg, Minnesota, Chicago, Detroit, Columbus, Buffalo, toronto

South: St Louis, dallas, Nashville, Florida, Tampa Bay, Carolina, washington

East: Rangers, Isles, Devils, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Montreal, Ottawa, Boston

 

alternate:

 

North: Winnipeg, Minnesota, Detroit, Columbus, Pittsburgh,Buffalo, toronto

South: Chicago, St Louis, dallas, Nashville, Florida, Tampa Bay, Carolina, Washington

East: Rangers, Isles, Devils, Philadelphia,, Montreal, Ottawa, Boston

 

 

 

The reason for Florida/Tampa Bay with the Northeast teams is because there is a significant number of snowbirds from Canada who have second homes for the winter in florida. You will have more fans traveling down from the north east for games.

 

An issue with TB/FLA with their schedule is that outside of playing each other they will do many more multiple game road trips.

 

The Blue Jackets should be in Cleveland or Cincinnati. Why Columbus? Makes no sense, both Cle and Cin had arenas, also have other pro sports teams. I just don't get the whole Columbus thing. Whatever, they are there and belong in the green group.

 

it went to Columbus because it was a more central location. Its 2 hrs from PIT, 2 hrs from CIN, 2 hrs from CLE, and 2 hrs from INDY.

 

Cleveland was in the NHL previously. Columbus is large enough to support its own pro team without other competition with pro teams.

 

the fan base is there.

 

What has hurt them is that they should be paired with Pittsburgh. It would create a great rivalry.

[djp14150]

ON THE PLAYOFFS......

 

What could happen to balance it out is to plan for the eventual expanion to 32 teams thus 4 conferences with 2 4-team divisions.

 

The playoffs could be set up where the top 6 earn the playoffs. The first 2 get byes and 3 vs 6, and 4 vs 5.. then the winners play against 1 and 2.

 

From there they could determine a conference chamipion that goes on to a final 4....or the final 2 in a conference advance to an 8 team tourney where they only way conference teams face off would be for the stanley cup.

 

With 8 teams and 2 divisions....division wins get bye and you have a 2 vs 3 cross division matchup with winners playing the division winners.

 

For the playoffs the play in would be a best of 3 and then the round aginst the bye teams would be best of 7 ....or...the first 2 rounds are best of 5 series then the final 3 rounds are best of 7.

 

The playoffs once you get out of conference play should be either 2-3-2 set up or a 2-4-1 set up to limit travel. The best of 5 could be a 2-3 set up.

[ROC Sabres]

ON THE PLAYOFFS......

 

What could happen to balance it out is to plan for the eventual expanion to 32 teams thus 4 conferences with 2 4-team divisions.

 

The playoffs could be set up where the top 6 earn the playoffs. The first 2 get byes and 3 vs 6, and 4 vs 5.. then the winners play against 1 and 2.

 

From there they could determine a conference chamipion that goes on to a final 4....or the final 2 in a conference advance to an 8 team tourney where they only way conference teams face off would be for the stanley cup.

 

With 8 teams and 2 divisions....division wins get bye and you have a 2 vs 3 cross division matchup with winners playing the division winners.

 

For the playoffs the play in would be a best of 3 and then the round aginst the bye teams would be best of 7 ....or...the first 2 rounds are best of 5 series then the final 3 rounds are best of 7.

 

The playoffs once you get out of conference play should be either 2-3-2 set up or a 2-4-1 set up to limit travel. The best of 5 could be a 2-3 set up.

So, if the Beers beat Detroit and Denver beats Atlanta in the American Southwestern Division East Northern, then Milwaukee goes to the Denslow Cup, unless Baltimore can upset Buffalo and Charlotte ties Toronto, then Oakland would play LA and Pittsburgh in a blind choice round robin. And if no clear winner emerges from all of this, a two-man sack race will be held on consecutive Sundays until a champion can be crowned.

[Peanit]

We could go back to Campbell/Prince of Wales and Norris/Smythe and Adams/Patrick.

I like this post from the espn page:

 

 

awsears25

 

 

 

Biggest issue with that is the division names. Either go back to the old Norris, Patrick, Smythe, and Adams divisions or name them after other NHL legends. Of course, if Bettman has his way it would be the Crosby, Sydney, 87, and Lemieux divisions.

[sabres4life19]

So, if the Beers beat Detroit and Denver beats Atlanta in the American Southwestern Division East Northern, then Milwaukee goes to the Denslow Cup, unless Baltimore can upset Buffalo and Charlotte ties Toronto, then Oakland would play LA and Pittsburgh in a blind choice round robin. And if no clear winner emerges from all of this, a two-man sack race will be held on consecutive Sundays until a champion can be crowned.

 

:clapping:

[bunomatic]

ON THE PLAYOFFS......

 

What could happen to balance it out is to plan for the eventual expanion to 32 teams thus 4 conferences with 2 4-team divisions.

 

The playoffs could be set up where the top 6 earn the playoffs. The first 2 get byes and 3 vs 6, and 4 vs 5.. then the winners play against 1 and 2.

 

From there they could determine a conference chamipion that goes on to a final 4....or the final 2 in a conference advance to an 8 team tourney where they only way conference teams face off would be for the stanley cup.

 

With 8 teams and 2 divisions....division wins get bye and you have a 2 vs 3 cross division matchup with winners playing the division winners.

 

For the playoffs the play in would be a best of 3 and then the round aginst the bye teams would be best of 7 ....or...the first 2 rounds are best of 5 series then the final 3 rounds are best of 7.

 

The playoffs once you get out of conference play should be either 2-3-2 set up or a 2-4-1 set up to limit travel. The best of 5 could be a 2-3 set up.

 

Owners don't like byes. There's no money in it.

[IKnowPhysics]

I disagree with your better

 

An alternate option is to go with a north/south shift

 

I see what you're up to, and I like it. It makes sense geographically.

 

The problem for the NHL with that realignment is that it's not about geography (though this does factor into travel costs and travel fatigue, looking at Florida + Tampa in our proposed division, we can see how much the NHL cares; teams care just a little more about this). It's not even really about keeping parity within a division.

 

It's about money. It's about television. It's about rivalries that fill stadiums.

 

First and foremost, the league would like to get every team in a division to be in the same time zone. They want sponsorship and television revenue, and that comes from ratings. People don't watch on TV as much when all of your road games are 1-3 hours later than your home start times. This is why Detroit and Columbus are screaming to come to the East.

 

With that in mind,

You could see exactly I mapped "Better" above, but:

Colorado moves to the Central

Detroit and Columbus move to the Northeast. Buf, Mon, Tor, Bos, Ott, Det, CBJ, Pit.

Philly moves to NY/FLA division. Splits Pit/Phi, but restablishes Phi-NJ-NY.

 

That messes with Detroit and PA rivalries. Not sure this is better for any reason than to bring Det, CBJ eastward.

[apuszczalowski]

My only problem with the "proposed" is that you have the furthest north teams in the east have to travel down to the furthest south teams in the east, while the one group in the middle has to travel very little. The divisions should be grouped by their location geographically. The Sens and Habs woul have to travel many times a year all the way down to TB and Florida (and vice versa) while the Rangers furthest traveling would be to Carolina?

 

I can see the issue with the west too, its tough for alot of those teams to have to travel long distances accross time zones frequently during the year when theres closer teams that they would barely see.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing the NHL take all the teams in the league, put them into the bingo/lottery machine they use for the Draft lottery and pick the divisions that way, completly random. No longer have an East/West division and since its too hard to work things geographically, just go random

[Taro T]

My only problem with the "proposed" is that you have the furthest north teams in the east have to travel down to the furthest south teams in the east, while the one group in the middle has to travel very little. The divisions should be grouped by their location geographically. The Sens and Habs woul have to travel many times a year all the way down to TB and Florida (and vice versa) while the Rangers furthest traveling would be to Carolina?

 

I can see the issue with the west too, its tough for alot of those teams to have to travel long distances accross time zones frequently during the year when theres closer teams that they would barely see.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing the NHL take all the teams in the league, put them into the bingo/lottery machine they use for the Draft lottery and pick the divisions that way, completly random. No longer have an East/West division and since its too hard to work things geographically, just go random

Problem with the lottery conference/division alignment (which they more or less went with when the Caps and Scouts came into the league) is they'd be significantly increasing their overall (travel) costs and would probably be reducing revenues as well as there is no particular reason for a fan in Baaah-ston to care about seeing the Yotes or Blues in Bean-town 3 or 4 times / year and a lot of televised games are now shown outside of primetime when the 6-8 games between a PST and an EST based team are played.

[Doohicksie]

How about this: Leave the West alone for now and for the east:

 

Buffalo

Toronto

Ottawa

Montreal

Boston

Carolina

Washington

 

and

 

NYR

NYI

NJ

Pittsburgh

Philadelphia

Tampa Bay

Florida

 

That way, each of the eastern groupings are somewhat stretched out. The northernmost teams have to go down to DC and Carolina, and the NYC/Pa teams have to go down to Florida.