This is the latest NHL "4 conference" realignment proposal that is being discussed.

It's roughly organized by time zone and looks good for TV and good for minimizing travel. Another good feature is that each team would play at least a home/home against every other team (and more against teams in their own conference, obviously), so every team's fanbase gets at least one visit a year from every other team in the league.

It's inevitable that some teams will gripe about their conference being tougher than they want, though.

(02-24-2013 12:44 PM)Wedge Wrote:  This is the latest NHL "4 conference" realignment proposal that is being discussed.

It's roughly organized by time zone and looks good for TV and good for minimizing travel. Another good feature is that each team would play at least a home/home against every other team (and more against teams in their own conference, obviously), so every team's fanbase gets at least one visit a year from every other team in the league.

It's inevitable that some teams will gripe about their conference being tougher than they want, though.

They should switch Buffalo and Boston for Columbus and Carolina.

Why not keep the current divisional setup, but switch some of the teams around, making it purely geographical?

Northeast
Bruins
Canadiens
Maples Leafs
Sabres
Senators

Atlantic
Capitals
Devils
Flyers
Islanders
Rangers

Southeast
Hurricanes
Lightning
Panthers
Predators
Stars

Central
Blackhawks
Blue Jackets
Blues
Penguins
Red Wings

Northwest
Canucks
Flames
Jets
Oilers
Wild

Pacific
Avalanche
Coyotes
Ducks
Kings
Sharks

(02-24-2013 12:44 PM)Wedge Wrote:  It's inevitable that some teams will gripe about their conference being tougher than they want, though.

You can overcome that by awarding playoff berths to the top 4 from each of the four conferences...

As a big Stars fan this would make me happy. I hate that we have to play Phoenix, San Jose, Anaheim, and LA. They're all 2 time zones away from us. Many games start asim winding down and getting ready to sleep.

(02-24-2013 01:20 PM)Chappy Wrote:  

(02-24-2013 12:44 PM)Wedge Wrote:  It's inevitable that some teams will gripe about their conference being tougher than they want, though.

You can overcome that by awarding playoff berths to the top 4 from each of the four conferences...

They are planning on doing that. They might have the first two rounds of the playoffs played within each conference (starting with 1st place vs. 4th and 2nd vs. 3rd in each conference) as they did many years ago when there were only four divisions.

They are also kicking around ideas to address the complaint that it might be more difficult to qualify for the playoffs from an 8-team conference than a 7-team conference. One idea is to have the 4th and 5th place teams in each 8-team conference have a one-game playoff (like the wild-card playoff in baseball) to advance to the "regular" 16-team playoff bracket.

(02-24-2013 12:55 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  They should switch Buffalo and Boston for Columbus and Carolina.

Any plan that would put Boston and Montreal in separate divisions is not going to go too far as thats one of the classic rivalries in the league.

This alignment bolsters the hopes of Kansas City and Seattle in landing expansion teams. Any expansion in the "eastern side" will just simply put Eastern Time Zone teams in one of the "western side conferences"

(02-24-2013 03:32 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  This alignment bolsters the hopes of Kansas City and Seattle in landing expansion teams. Any expansion in the "eastern side" will just simply put Eastern Time Zone teams in one of the "western side conferences"

Doubt Kansas City has any hopes of an NHL expansion team. Seattle is practically assured a team - more likely an existing franchise. Houston is likely more viable than KC, but no owner seems interested there either.

Quebec and a second Toronto team are the most probable new locations in the east, but they almost have to be relocations now.

(02-24-2013 03:52 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(02-24-2013 03:32 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  This alignment bolsters the hopes of Kansas City and Seattle in landing expansion teams. Any expansion in the "eastern side" will just simply put Eastern Time Zone teams in one of the "western side conferences"

Doubt Kansas City has any hopes of an NHL expansion team. Seattle is practically assured a team - more likely an existing franchise. Houston is likely more viable than KC, but no owner seems interested there either.

Quebec and a second Toronto team are the most probable new locations in the east, but they almost have to be relocations now.

Yeah, if this is the new alignment, then it would be very difficult to add expansion teams in Quebec City, southern Ontario, or anywhere else in the eastern time zone. Once these conferences are in place, any of the teams in the already-full "eastern" conferences would refuse to move into the "central" or "pacific" conference.

That also means that the Coyotes (or any other central or pacific teams that relocate) would be much easier to move to another central/western city (Seattle, Portland, KC).

(02-24-2013 03:32 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  This alignment bolsters the hopes of Kansas City and Seattle in landing expansion teams. Any expansion in the "eastern side" will just simply put Eastern Time Zone teams in one of the "western side conferences"

How serious is expansion? I just cant see them doing it.

Without the Whalers, I don't give a rat's ass about the NHL.

Interesting note - the Hartford Whalers (1972-1997) are #5 in NHL merchandise sales, 16 years after they moved to Raleigh.

(02-24-2013 04:44 PM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  Interesting note - the Hartford Whalers (1972-1997) are #5 in NHL merchandise sales, 16 years after they moved to Raleigh.

Nostalgia sells.

I went to an Avs game in Denver a few years ago and saw at least a dozen people wearing Joe Sakic's Quebec Nordiques jersey.

(02-24-2013 04:15 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  

(02-24-2013 03:32 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  This alignment bolsters the hopes of Kansas City and Seattle in landing expansion teams. Any expansion in the "eastern side" will just simply put Eastern Time Zone teams in one of the "western side conferences"

How serious is expansion? I just cant see them doing it.

Look for it to hit the front burner once the Phoenix situation is settled.

(02-24-2013 01:03 PM)OrangeCrush22 Wrote:  Why not keep the current divisional setup, but switch some of the teams around, making it purely geographical?

Central
Blackhawks
Blue Jackets
Blues
Penguins
Red Wings

How bout NO. Separating the Pens from the Flyers, Capitals, and the Devils makes little to no sense.

However I agree that keeping this current format but I'd just shift Columbus or Dallas and move em to the Southeast. Very nice & clean to me.

(02-24-2013 04:56 PM)Chappy Wrote:  

(02-24-2013 04:15 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  

(02-24-2013 03:32 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  This alignment bolsters the hopes of Kansas City and Seattle in landing expansion teams. Any expansion in the "eastern side" will just simply put Eastern Time Zone teams in one of the "western side conferences"

How serious is expansion? I just cant see them doing it.

Look for it to hit the front burner once the Phoenix situation is settled.

There is enough movement/demand to really need two more teams? Pheonix went kaput, Thrashers baknrupted out to Winnipeg ( who lost a team)... I can't see the NHL doing this unless the really want to make 4 8 team divisions.

If I'm the NHL, I'd let the whole NBA/Sacramento/Seattle situation play out - let the NBA bear most of the arena costs.

There are still some very good US markets available, including Kansas City, Houston, and Milwaukee.

(02-24-2013 09:42 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  If I'm the NHL, I'd let the whole NBA/Sacramento/Seattle situation play out - let the NBA bear most of the arena costs.

There are still some very good US markets available, including Kansas City, Houston, and Milwaukee.

The arena costs are already settled, as (future) Sonics' owner Chris Hansen would bear the biggest cost. The NHL would be a tenant, added only after Seattle secures the NBA.

It's likely that at least a couple of NHL teams will have to move, and I really believe expansion to 32 is also on the table -- for the expansion fees, and to get the game into more large northern US markets. Seattle, Milwaukee, Portland, Kansas City all seem to be in that mix; plus the usual suspects in Canada.

(02-24-2013 06:25 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  

(02-24-2013 04:56 PM)Chappy Wrote:  

(02-24-2013 04:15 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  

(02-24-2013 03:32 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  This alignment bolsters the hopes of Kansas City and Seattle in landing expansion teams. Any expansion in the "eastern side" will just simply put Eastern Time Zone teams in one of the "western side conferences"

How serious is expansion? I just cant see them doing it.

Look for it to hit the front burner once the Phoenix situation is settled.

There is enough movement/demand to really need two more teams? Pheonix went kaput, Thrashers baknrupted out to Winnipeg ( who lost a team)... I can't see the NHL doing this unless the really want to make 4 8 team divisions.

No, but nhl owners are greedy bastards who would never turn down franchise fees.

(02-24-2013 05:02 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote:  

(02-24-2013 01:03 PM)OrangeCrush22 Wrote:  Why not keep the current divisional setup, but switch some of the teams around, making it purely geographical?

Central
Blackhawks
Blue Jackets
Blues
Penguins
Red Wings

How bout NO. Separating the Pens from the Flyers, Capitals, and the Devils makes little to no sense.

However I agree that keeping this current format but I'd just shift Columbus or Dallas and move em to the Southeast. Very nice & clean to me.

Yeah, I can tell you with absolute certainty that would NEVER fly in Pittsburgh - which considers itself an Eastern city. Our rivals are Philadelphia, Washington, Rangers, etc. We could not possibly care less about every other team in the division you listed.