Confirmed with Link: 2013-14 Realignment approved

[Out East]

You can also look at the west as being at a disadvantage for have less non playoff teams to steal points from. If you plan to win the cup it's completely irrelevant.

 

[Darth Joker]

Human nature is entertaining. At least Happy admitted the real problem (I hate change).

In life, there are times that you can tell that the old way of doing things is broken, and needs to be fixed. People welcome change then.

But what's broken with the format we've had for ages now?

It's much fairer than this newer format. It makes more geographical sense than this newer format.

Can you tell me what would be wrong with simply switching Columbus with Winnipeg, and leaving everything else as is?

Like many others have pointed out, this is totally dumb. Frankly, it's bush-league stuff. It's a total gong show.

It wouldn't matter what arrangement was made it would be %^^&*(^ about by all kinds of people.

No, I think if you had just switched Winnipeg with Columbus it would have been received with way less protest.

You can't make a clean East West set up because there isn't one.

We already had a clean East West set up. So of course you can make one.

The playoff imbalance is annoying but likely intentional because they probably want to grow the game in the west which is what needs to happen.

Two problems with this argument:

1. Dragging a big, Original Six market like Detroit out of the west hardly strikes me as the best way to "grow the game in the west".

2. And there aren't teams in the East that need help as well? If I'm a Panthers or Lightning fan, I feel like my teams are just totally screwed now. They get to compete in a division with four original six teams, and Buffalo and Ottawa.

Relax and enjoy it. ^&*^(%^&* about it won't change anything but your blood pressure.

When the League does truly dumb stuff, it's good for hockey fans to point it out. Sports fans should always hold their favorite sports leagues accountable.

 

[fsdev905]

To make the conferences even, the two new expansion teams would have to be in the west. Seattle and Kansas City?

If they move Phoenix to Quebec, that would make 17 in the east and 13 in the east (without expansion).

 

[HarlemsFinest]

this is supposed to be able to be up for review in 2015. so they'll look at the quebec and seattle and markham and kansas city and pheonix and columbus wtv else stuff then.

 

[Out East]

In life, there are times that you can tell that the old way of doing things is broken, and needs to be fixed. People welcome change then.

But what's broken with the format we've had for ages now?

What's broken? Rewarding a division winner in a system that has nothing to do with divisions really? A system where a team with not enough points to get in the top 8 can finish 3rd? If you call that not broken...

It's much fairer than this newer format. It makes more geographical sense than this newer format.

Explain how Detroit in the west makes any geographical sense?

Can you tell me what would be wrong with simply switching Columbus with Winnipeg, and leaving everything else as is?

The reality is the league is not set up for East/West. You can drive, yes drive from Detroit to Toronto or Buffalo faster than you can fly to Vancouver, SJ, LA, ANA, Dallas, etc...

Like many others have pointed out, this is totally dumb. Frankly, it's bush-league stuff. It's a total gong show.

This is your opinion. Pretty arrogant to think you're better informed and a better decision maker than the NHL, the NHLPA, and the board of governors who have millions and millions of dollars invested...


No, I think if you had just switched Winnipeg with Columbus it would have been received with way less protest.

We already had a clean East West set up. So of course you can make one.


This is only true if you aren't a Detroit fan... Even Chicago and St. Louis are far closer to the east than the west.. see above or look at a map...



Two problems with this argument:

1. Dragging a big, Original Six market like Detroit out of the west hardly strikes me as the best way to "grow the game in the west".

Would you like to be a fan in San Jose and your team has a huge game against Detroit for playoff positioning or worse a playoff game and the game starts at 4:30 in the afternoon when you are still at work or stuck in traffic?

2. And there aren't teams in the East that need help as well? If I'm a Panthers or Lightning fan, I feel like my teams are just totally screwed now. They get to compete in a division with four original six teams, and Buffalo and Ottawa.

Yes totally screwed. The Florida owners HATE it when the big teams come to town and sell out their arenas... As far as competitiveness they have to beat some of those teams now to make the playoffs and as it stands this year there is no format that would put either of them in the playoffs.

Face it, you are not looking at the big picture because if you were you would know there are no clean cut solutions for a league that is geographically imbalanced.

If it were me, I'd look at a whole new paradigm that didn't think East/West at all.


When the League does truly dumb stuff, it's good for hockey fans to point it out. Sports fans should always hold their favorite sports leagues accountable.

Yes because after all, we are so much smarter than everyone involved...

 

[HamiltonOHL]

With the changes, Who does Minnesota, winnipeg and detroits top 3 rivals change too or do they stay the same?

 

[De Montreal]

It is just until Québec get a new team. Should be within 3 years. Then we'll be back to 15-15, with TB/FLA going to the Atlantic division too probably. Not sure which one from that division we'd get. Maybe Washington.

 

[Kue]

Prediction: One Florida team (Panthers or Lightning) gets sold/moved to Quebec. Other Florida team swaps divisions with Columbus.

 

[dmanfish90]

What should happen:

Both Florida teams, Phoenix, Nashville, and any NHL market losing considerable amount of money get either sold to Quebec, Toronto, Seattle, or fold from the NHL and we go to 28 team league again after Gary Bettman's dismissal as Comissioner or his sudden passing from a heart attack given to him by owners who have finally woken up and realized the sun belt vision for hockey IS NO LONGER VIABLE.

Cheers Gary

 

[onemorecup*]

Having detroit in our division is great right now because they aren't the powerhouse that they used to be. However, Holland is one of the best GM's in the game, I wouldn't expect Detroit to be weak for too long. So this could hurt us as much as help

agreed , we are no lock at all to get in , Detroit and Boston are getting in , Tbay will be better , and we will be battling Ottawa and the Leafs , its no gimme

 

[HatTricK09]

Not really a fan of how East have more teams than West

Detroit seems weak but for some reason I don't think they'll ever such.
They have a great GM and a great coach. They almost took out the powerhouse Blackhawks this playoff... They'll always find a way to win.

And goodbye Jets, it was fun playing them

 

[optimus2861]

I think you've got two playoff locks next year in Boston & Ottawa, and a highly-likely in Detroit (don't ever underestimate the Red Wings; see this year's playoffs). Toronto is likely to regress; their insane shooting percentage from this year won't hold up over 82 games next year. I think we've got as good or better a shot at that 4th playoff spot as anyone else in our division. TB is probably the biggest risk of a team that can rise back up to challenge for a spot, especially if Drouin turns out to be a jackpot.

The danger is if the 5th team in the other division ends up stronger than us. You've got PIT, NYR, WAS who should be locks, PHI who will probably rebound, and NYI who may be on the rise.

 

[beowulf]

This should be fun. At least we are getting Detroit now that they are finally going downhill

Not sure if they are downhill just yet.

Should be an interesting alignment.

 

[Ezpz]

Not sure if they are downhill just yet.

Should be an interesting alignment.

They have D and Z but Kronwall showed he's not a #1 dman this season. He and Franzen aren't getting any younger either. After those four their scoring depth is bare, even if you assume Nyquist is going to be great next year. It looks like Filpulla will be testing free agency. Barring some super July 1st I think Detroit will regress. They barely made the playoffs this year. Jimmy Howard is going to get eaten alive in the much higher skill Eastern conference.

 

[SirClintonPortis]

Out of the newbie virgin teams joining the division, the Panthers will probably have the easiest transition in terms of playing a truculent game and earning the vaunted "hated sonnava*****" card.

 

[Le Tricolore]

So... how does it work exactly? Top 4 teams in the division make it? And then 1vs4, 2vs3, winners play each other, and then division winner vs division winner?

If the 5th place team in one division is way better than the 4th in the other, are there crossovers?

 

[dmanfish90]

So... how does it work exactly? Top 4 teams in the division make it? And then 1vs4, 2vs3, winners play each other, and then division winner vs division winner?

If the 5th place team in one division is way better than the 4th in the other, are there crossovers?

I think this explains it well.

I dont like this however,

The teams finishing second and third in each division will play in the first round of the playoffs.

It does add for some divisionally rivalry, but only in 1 matchup per division. Better off having the 2nd place finishing team with the most points (excluding Division winners) should play the 3rd place finishing team with the least points, regardless of division. You could have a divisional matchup, or you could not. My point is, why does 2-3 matchup get a divisional match and not 1-4 (i'm guessing cuz Wild Card system).

 

[Le Tricolore]

ahh, thanks. better than it could have been, but I still don't like it.

Give division winners the first two seeds and then the rest of the top 6 are in. It'll likely end up being that way anyway, but still..

 

[Nedved]

It goes top 3 in each division and then the next 2 in the conference. So Division A and B can each send 1 wild card team.

Still a blunder by the NHL. They can't seem to get it right.

I would prefer a TOP 16 make the playoffs, this way it doesn't matter what division you play in. (Top 3 from each division and 4 wild cards for the entire league)

top 2 in each division, to settle home ice, and the rest is based on ranking. would be awesome to see, and you could end up with the habs playing the nucks in round 1, and then the next year playing the devils. would be crazy.

our division is tough, and the other east conference will be even tougher.

 

[hogtownhabsfan*]

Wish they went NorthEast/SouthEast and NorthWest/SouthWest.

 

[jhoops89]

WHY are Florida and Tampa Bay in C???????????????

 

[MasterDecoy]

WHY are Florida and Tampa Bay in C???????????????

because!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[optimus2861]

WHY are Florida and Tampa Bay in C???????????????

Politics. The Atlantic division teams didn't want them, and they have a lot of pull at league HQ.

 

[MarkovtoSubban]

There should be three Original 6 in each conference so we get better finals match-ups:

NorthEast
Quebec fr Florida
Montreal
Ottawa
Boston
Hartford-expansion
Buffalo
Columbus
Montreal Maroons- expansion

Atlantic
NY Rangers
NY Islanders
NJ Devils
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Washington
Tampa Bay
Carolina

Central
Toronto
Detroit
Chicago
Minnesota
Nashville
St.Louis
Dallas
Winnipeg

West
Colorado
Calgary
Edmonton
Vancouver
Seattle fr Phoenix
Los Angeles
San Jose
Anaheim

 

[ZARTONK]

Now that the season is over, shouldn't the boards in HF be rearranged according to the realignment?