Would you be in Favor of this Division Realignment with Seattle Added?

[Trap Jesus]

Some of the division names and choices are a bit liberal, but they're generally pretty confined geographically.

Western Conference

Central

Chicago
Nashville
St. Louis
Winnipeg

Northwest

Calgary
Edmonton
Seattle
Vancouver

Pacific

Arizona
Colorado
Dallas
Minnesota

Southwest

Anaheim
Los Angeles
San Jose
Vegas

Eastern Conference

Atlantic

Buffalo
New Jersey
New York Islanders
New York Rangers

Metropolitan

Columbus
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Washington

Northeast

Boston
Ottawa
Montreal
Toronto

Southeast

Carolina
Detroit
Florida
Tampa Bay

Playoff Format

- Top team in each division gets a playoff spot 1-4 in each Conference, seeded by points.

- 4 wildcards take the remaining 4 spots in each conference, again seeded by points. There is no cap to which division they can come from (ie. a division could very well have all 4 teams make the playoffs).

Schedule

Divisional Games - 3 teams x 6 games = 18 games

Intra-Conference Games - 12 teams x 4 games = 48 games

Inter-Conference Games - 16 teams x 1 game = 16 games*

*8 home, 8 road (each division hosts 2 Inter-Conference divisions and gets hosted by the other 2 Inter-Conference divisions; this would be flipped each year). Example: The Atlantic teams (Buffalo, New Jersey, Islanders and Rangers) are home to the Central and Northwest teams (Chicago, Nashville, St. Louis, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Seattle, Vancouver) and go on the road to the Pacific and Southwest teams (Arizona, Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota, Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Jose, Vegas). This all flips the season after, then back again the season after that.

Main flaw is of course that you don't get to host every team in the league every year. Ideally I'd like to have a home and away game vs. every team in the league, but 32 games is A LOT. It would only leave 50 games for Intra-Conference games, which isn't nearly enough.

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[Colin226]

Damn, I actually really like this. Sort of a NFL-based system but with more playoff teams.

 

[Scholarships]

I think it is definitely an interesting idea. I'm not sure I'm a fan of the Southwest/Pacific divisions, but that's me being pedantic.

 

[Fire Hockey]

This is definitely an interesting idea for a possible realignment. I'm very interested in the smaller divisions as it can create better rivalries again with the extra divisional games. I don't have many problems with the 4 division format but the lack of games within a division is something that I would like to see change. I think the arranging of the divisions may need some editing but I think this would be cool to see.

 

[oconnor9sean]

Delete

 

[Trap Jesus]

This is definitely an interesting idea for a possible realignment. I'm very interested in the smaller divisions as it can create better rivalries again with the extra divisional games. I don't have many problems with the 4 division format but the lack of games within a division is something that I would like to see change. I think the arranging of the divisions may need some editing but I think this would be cool to see.

Yeah, I don't think you want to end up playing the same team too much, but with only 3 teams to play, it takes up a minuscule # of the total games. If you go up to 8 games v. every team in your division, and keep the 16 inter-conference games in place, you'd be left with an uneven 42 games for the rest of the 12 teams in your own conference. Doable, but uneven. I tried to make it as uniform as possible.

 

[Trap Jesus]

I think it is definitely an interesting idea. I'm not sure I'm a fan of the Southwest/Pacific divisions, but that's me being pedantic.

I feel like the Southwest and Northwest are very obvious. Central to a lesser extent. The ridiculously named Pacific division definitely has more of a "leftovers" vibe, although I like how some of those teams pair together.

 

[SillyRabbit]

The current format is pure trash and has actually decreased my interest in many playoff series. Literally anything is better than what we have now.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Move capitals to southeast, Boston to Atlantic, Detroit to metro, Buffalo to Northeast.

 

[Sabresruletheschool]

I like the idea, but as a Buffalo fan I don't like it as much. It basicly booted us from our division and away from our rivalries. And it pretty much makes our division a NY division lol. I'd almost want to switch Toronto and the Rangers.

 

[TrillMike]

I want no part of Dallas (which is in the central time zone), going back to a division 2 hours behind. I can handle the ocassional 9:30 puck drop, but not a majority of their away games.

Edit. Just saw the last part of the OP.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

-Detroit
-Southeast

Yeah sorry I don't want Dahlin in my 4-team division

 

[Edgar Carrow]

I like everything but the names of the divisions.

 

[Mickey Marner]

I like the setup, I don't care for some of the division names.

 

[barkovcanfinnish]

Switch around a few teams in the eastern conference, and I think it could work.

Detroit with teams from the southeast doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[OppositeLocK]

Great idea. Love it. Good job op.

 

[A4T1L6]

I dont care just bring the All Star game draft back.

 

[Machinehead]

Couldn't give two shits what they do with the divisions as far as scheduling; just make the playoffs 1-8.

 

[YEM]

flyers have to be w/ jersey/isles/rangers

 

[SotasicA]

With 8 divisons, why do Wild Cards when you have a perfect bracket setup already? Doing so just increases travel.

Do a division championship round, then re-seed each champion and play two rounds to conference championship.

 

[DEVILS130]

With 8 divisons, why do Wild Cards when you have a perfect bracket setup already? Doing so just increases travel.

Do a division championship round, then re-seed each champion and play two rounds to conference championship.

I like both this idea and the OP's. The problem with the current system is it's not either (A) Full Divisional OR (B) 1-8. It's half-assed right now with the 2 vs 3 matchup and then the wildcard flipping

 

[wasunder]

I like it much better than our current format. It almost seems like Minnesota has it the worst, they seem to be a larger distance away from most of their division.

 

[Spotty 2 Hotty]

How is it that the Pacific is comprised of 4 teams nowhere near the Pacific Ocean nor are they in the Pacific Time Zone? lol

If this were to be the breakdown, the NHL just needs to move the Coyotes to Houston so we can keep game times reasonable for Colorado, Minnesota, and Dallas.

 

[M2Beezy]

Just do 4 divisions ffs

Vancity
Seattle
Edmonton
Calgary
Vegas
LA
Anahiem
San Jose

Arizona
Dallas
Nashville
Chicago
Minny
Colorado
Jets
Stl

Keep the East as it is

 

[Martinez]

I like it a lot