NHL Realignment

[Boges]

It is extraordinarily silly that the Winnipeg Jets play in the Southeast division therefore they've changed the Conference/Divisions in hockey for next year.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=418167

The NHL and NHLPA each had input into the plan to realign the league into a more geographically appropriate two-conference, four-division format that features 16 teams in the Eastern Conference and 14 teams in the Western Conference.

The divisions will be temporarily referred to as Division A, Division B, Division C and Division D, with permanent names assigned at a later date.

The Western Conference will house Division A and Division B, while Division C and D will consist of eight teams each and make up the Eastern Conference.

Division A: Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, Phoenix Coyotes, San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks.

Division B: Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets.

Division C: Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Division D: Columbus Blue Jackets, Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs will still consist of 16 teams, eight in each conference, but it will be division-based and a wild-card system has been added.

It would be nice if they go back to naming the divisions after people. The Gretzky, Roy, Orr, and Lemieux Divisions anyone?

I like the Wild cards but I don't like that the East has 16 teams and the West has 14.

Also when Phoenix moves to Quebec, what happens? Who from the East moves back. The paradox is that everyone thinks it'll be nice to have Detroit in the East but geographically Columbus should be in the East before Detroit.

Edited March 14, 2013 by Boges

[Accountability Now]

Also when Phoenix moves to Quebec, what happens? Who from the East moves back. The paradox is that everyone thinks it'll be nice to have Detroit in the East but geographically Columbus should be in the East before Detroit.

As an Oilers fan follower....I am happy to see Detroit move over while we keep Columbus. It will be interesting to see how the skilled Wings will match up with some of the more gritty Eastern Conference teams. It sure should be less travel which is always nice.

Do you really think that Quebec will get a team. I think that Bettman would rather die than have Phoenix move there esepcially since the NHL officially owns them now. At worst...they would move the team to Seattle area (in my opinion)

[Boges]

As an Oilers fan follower....I am happy to see Detroit move over while we keep Columbus. It will be interesting to see how the skilled Wings will match up with some of the more gritty Eastern Conference teams. It sure should be less travel which is always nice.

Do you really think that Quebec will get a team. I think that Bettman would rather die than have Phoenix move there esepcially since the NHL officially owns them now. At worst...they would move the team to Seattle area (in my opinion)

Columbus moves out of the West too. Quebec is doing what Markham, Ontario is doing. They think if they build it they will come. There are enough struggling teams that could move up north in the coming years.

Seattle is a possibility. They have to get an NBA team back first though.

[Accountability Now]

Columbus moves out of the West too. Quebec is doing what Markham, Ontario is doing. They think if they build it they will come. There are enough struggling teams that could move up north in the coming years.

Seattle is a possibility. They have to get an NBA team back first though.

Sorry...I didn't notice Columbus. I guess that balances it out.

Its ridiculously apparent that Markam or any GTA area could handle another NHL team but we'll see if the mighty Leafs will allow it. I even heard Sacramento was looking to build a rink to attract an NHL team. Not sure if I agree with that spot but Seattle might work. They have a lot of WHL teams in that area who are supported very well.

It could have been a different story if Phoenix had build their arena in the downtown or East Valley (where most of the snow birds are). Driving that hour or hour and half is just too much for a Tuesday night game.

[Wilber]

Move Phoenix to Seattle. They would stay in the same division.

Edited March 15, 2013 by Wilber

[Accountability Now]

Move Phoenix to Seattle. They would stay in the same division.

Does Gretzky still have owenership in Phoenix? I wonder if that's why he was touring the Seattle area looking at possibilities?

[Wilber]

Seattle is an obvious choice for a team. Good rivalry with Vancouver and other coast teams (Sounders, Whitecaps). Lots of BC fans head south to watch Sea Hawks and Mariner games. Canuck games have been sold out since 2002 so it would give Vancouverites somewhere within driving distance to see an NHL game.

[Boges]

As the season starts look at the standings online or in your paper.

The Leafs, Habs and Sens are in the Atlantic Division. If that makes any sense. Toronto is in the Atlantic Division in Basketball.

Then there's the Pacific Division and the Central Division out West.

And the former Atlantic Division with Columbus and Carolina tacked on is now called . . . Wait for it. . .

The Metropolitan Division. For short call them The Mets. :-D

Would it have hurt them to go back to Patrick, Adams, Norris and Smyth?

[Accountability Now]

Would it have hurt them to go back to Patrick, Adams, Norris and Smyth?

I have to believe the new names are chosen to appeal to the US crowd. Most Canadians would agree with you

[Boges]

This realignment sucks. The "Metro" division is absolutely horrible. Currently the Leafs and Redwings have the 2 Wildcard spots with 45 points. That would tie them for 2nd in the Metro division.

Then in the West, 52 points don't get you in the playoffs.

[waldo]

This realignment sucks. The "Metro" division is absolutely horrible. Currently the Leafs and Redwings have the 2 Wildcard spots with 45 points. That would tie them for 2nd in the Metro division.

Then in the West, 52 points don't get you in the playoffs.

as of today, no... other than positioning within the respective selections, the exact same 8 teams within each respective conference would be in the playoffs, whether following the old 'top 8' per conference playoff format... or following the new 'top 3' per division and 'top 2 wildcards' per conference.

[Boges]

That's not true. Philly currently has 40 points and holds the 3rd spot in the Metro Division. They'd be 6th in the Northeast.

Right now that's the only example of a team that shouldn't make the playoffs that currently has a spot.

I'm unsure how they seed the wildcard spots. One per division? So would the Leafs get the 4th spot in the Metro division? That would get them a first round opponent of Pittsburgh. :-/

[waldo]

no - as I said, as of today, the same 8 teams (per conference) would be in the playoffs regardless of whether the old or new playoff format was followed. I also said the respective positioning within each conference would be different. Philadelphia currently holds the 8th spot following the old playoff format:

in the new playoff format, wildcards are 2 per conference... and yes, following the new playoff format, as of today, the Leafs would be the last wildcard and would play the first seeded Penguins.