Name your 8

[Stoner]

If the NHL stuck with four, eight-team divisions with an eye toward creating rivalries (they won't; nothing I propose ever happens), what teams would you like to see join the Sabres?

I'll go with Boston, Montreal, NYI, Carolina, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Tampa.

I really don't care about the Leafs. Other than proximity, something involving Punch Imlach and his beaver hat, and a bunch of idiot Leaf fans filling up KBC, there's no there there.

The Sens can go eat a beaver tail.

And get your hats ready: Leave it to Beaver.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I think I'd swap Columbus for Carolina, but I like the idea of playing the dastardly duo many times a season.

Still waiting to avenge Brad Friggin' Park and Bernie Friggin' Parent.

[dudacek]

Leafs Habs Senators Flyers and Bruins. Because hate.

Kraken and Canucks. Because road trips.

[Stoner]

4 minutes ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

I think I'd swap Columbus for Carolina, but I like the idea of playing the dastardly duo many times a season.

Still waiting to avenge Brad Friggin' Park and Bernie Friggin' Parent.

May a horny scorpion take up residence in your sister's hoop skirt.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

9 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

May a horny scorpion take up residence in your sister's hoop skirt.

Yes, please.

And make my hat will out of tin foil.  Jester hat style.  Thanks.

 

[#freejame]

Leafs, Bruins, Sens, Habs, Flyers, Islanders, Hurricanes 

 

[Stoner]

Unless the Sens bring Lyndon Slewidge out of retirement, that's a hard no.

[Ross Rhea]

I'd go 

 

Buf, Tor, Ott, Mtl, Bos, Pit, CBJ, Det

[That Aud Smell]

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

I really don't care about the Leafs. Other than proximity, something involving Punch Imlach and his beaver hat, and a bunch of idiot Leaf fans filling up KBC, there's no there there.

The 1999 Eastern Conference Finals would like a word with you.

 

[mphs mike]

Sabres, Bruins, Habs, Leafs, Flyers, Pens, Red Wings, Blue Jackets

I like regional and this is both regional and includes the most important rivals

 

[pastajoe]

They’re going back to last year’s divisions next year, with Seattle replacing Arizona, who is moving to the Central. The most relevant factor is travel and time zones for tv. I would switch Columbus and Pittsburgh into our division for Tampa and Florida, but the league wants to maintain the Pitt-Philly rivalry.

[steveoath]

Sabres, Leafs, Bruins, Flyers, NYR, canes, sens, habs.

[DarthEbriate]

1 hour ago, Let's Go B-Lo said:

I don't like Calgary and Edmonton being split and I don't like Carolina in with the Sabres.  The distances out west and the number of teams on the Eastern Seaboard make this difficult.  I like 8 4 team divisions better. Split into 2 conferences.  You'd have the 4 division winners and then 4 wild cards in the playoffs.

For realignment, I really like @Let's Go B-Lo's approach of 4 division winners x 4 wild cards. It makes division battles extremely important (see the NFL) which generates rivalries if they play each other a sufficient number of times. And you still have a wild card to get the other contenders in. Wild cards also prevent a crap division (see NFL NFC East this year) from sending two sub-.500 (not including loser points, of course!) to the playoffs.

The alternative would be the top 2 from each division making the playoffs -- and then they face each other to advance. (You hate your division rival and they're really, really good? Well, you've gotta get past them in the opening round every year. And hate leads to Suffering!)

Either way, smaller divisions increase the rivalries... aka... give in to the hate.

[mphs mike]

1 hour ago, Let's Go B-Lo said:

So Ottawa goes where? To hell obviously, but really, where do they play?  With the NY teams and Jersey?

Valid point - I'd be willing to exchange Ottawa for Columbus. In setting my favorite Sabres division I didn't give any consideration to the remaining 24

[Taro T]

2 hours ago, mphs mike said:

Sabres, Bruins, Habs, Leafs, Flyers, Pens, Red Wings, Blue Jackets

I like regional and this is both regional and includes the most important rivals

 

Flip the Otters for the BJ's & you nailed it.

Quite the Hateful 8.

[Curt]

Toronto, Ottawa, Pittsburgh, Montreal, Boston, Columbus, Detroit, Sabres

Edited December 22, 2020 by Curt

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, Curt said:

Toronto, Ottawa, Pittsburgh, Montreal, Boston, Boston, Detroit, Sabres

You hate the B's so much, they'd be there twice? 

[LGR4GM]

Boston, Philly, Ottawa, Toronto, Detroit, NYI, Pitt

[pi2000]

great lakes division

Buffalo, Toronto, Detroit, Chicago, Columbus, Pitt, Ottawa, Montreal

[woods-racer]

9 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

great lakes division

Buffalo, Toronto, Detroit, Chicago, Columbus, Pitt, Ottawa, Montreal

In order to be in the Great Lakes division they have to know what lake effect means. That takes Pitt and Columbus out.

[SABRES 0311]

1. Sabres

2. Definitely the Leafs, Bruins and Senators

3. Pens and Caps (Crosby/Ovechkin)

4. Flyers and Rangers

[DarthEbriate]

TL;DR = Why, whatever do you mean it's holiday week and I have too much free time?

With the mention of 4-team divisions above I decided to just do a buddy-up system with pre-existing rivalries from the NFL. I give you: the NFL/NHL division alignment. (NFL Equivalent in parentheses)

In the American Hockey Conference

AHC East: Sabres (Bills), Bruins (Patriots), Panthers (Dolphins), Islanders (Jets). This one was a 1:1 match. All too easy.

AHC North: Penguins (Steelers), Leafs (Browns), Devils (Ravens), Senators (Bengals). I considered a Saints/Devils balance, but really, the Devils and Ravens have been defense-first for 30 years and are very close geographically. Plus, the Leafs get to be their historical NFL Equivalent: the Browns (or Bengals) -- doesn't matter. They don't matter.

AHC South: Predators (Titans), Blue Jackets (Colts), Oilers (Texans), Canucks (Jaguars). The Edmonton Oilers replace the replacement of the Houston Oilers. Makes sense. The Canucks and the Jaguars -- opposite corners -- some good seasons but never the best... sure. That was one of the weakest matches.

AHC West: Blues (Chiefs), Golden Knights (Raiders), Avalanche (Broncos), Ducks (Chargers). Another easy division with almost perfect matches. Chargers and Ducks match up because the Rams/Kings have been better more recently.

In the National Hockey Conference

NHC East: Capitals (Team); Stars (Cowboys); Rangers (Giants); Flyers (Eagles). Another 1:1 alignment. And a fun hockey division.

NHC North: Here's where I caveat this as a Packers fan. This division has three teams that are pre-existing (NFL/NHL city crossover), so the final team needs to match the spirit of the Packers.... insufferable holier-than-thou fanbase, media darlings... Toronto? No. Also, they need the hardware of the most-decorated franchise in League history. Habs. This way, Toronto can be matched to the Browns or Bengals.    Canadiens (Packers), Blackhawks (Bears), Wild (Vikings), Red Wings (Lions).

NHC South: Flames (Saints), Lightning (Buccaneers), Jets (Falcons), Hurricanes (Panthers). The matches plus the former-Atlanta franchises.

NHC West: Kraken (Seahawks), Coyotes (Cardinals), Kings (Rams), Sharks (49ers). Another 1:1 alignment, especially with the 49ers now playing in Santa Clara instead of Candlestick.

[Curt]

3 hours ago, Taro T said:

You hate the B's so much, they'd be there twice? 

Whoops!  Meant Columbus.

[I-90 W]

Your BUFFALO SABRES

Boston

Toronto 

Montreal 

Pittsburgh  

Phillly

NYR

NYI

Edited December 22, 2020 by I-90 W

[spndnchz]

Nothing south of Capitals. 2 west coast, just a reason I stayed up late. Pitt. Jets. Oilers. And that team ror got capitain on.