Bettman: Reduce Number of Divisions

[hydromel]

Holy Moly:

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=189350&hubname=nhl

In the East:
Division 1 - 7 teams
Montreal
Ottawa
Toronto
Buffalo
Boston
Pittsburgh
Washington (?)

Division 2 - 8 teams
New York Rangers
New York Islanders
NJ
Philadelphia
Tampa
Atlanta
Florida
Carolina

In the West:
Division 1 - 8 teams
Vancouver
Calgary
Edmonton
Anaheim
LA
San Jose
Colorado
Phoenix

Division 2 - 7 teams
Chicago
Columbus
Detroit
Nashville
St. Louis
Dallas
Minnesota

Click to read more...

 

[Drewr15]

I kind of like it. Now if we can just call them Patrick, Norris, Adams and Smythe again I'll love it.

 

[Blind Gardien]

Kinda sets the foundations for the eventual expansion to 32 whenever that becomes feasible too.

 

[hydromel]

I kind of like it. Now if we can just call them Patrick, Norris, Adams and Smythe again I'll love it.

that'd be cool.

i tend to like it as well. it will make it tougher/more competetive to get those top seed spots.

 

[guinness]

That actually makes a bit of sense, now they just need to balance the schedule.

 

[HSHS]

I like it too as a hockey fan. I also agree about the future expansion to 32 teams, which I always thought would happen in ~10 yrs.

However, as a Caps fan, all this does is screw us again with each realignment. First we get moved out of the Patrick division. Lose our rivalries with Pitt, NYR, NYI, PHI, and NJ. We are "forced" to try to find rivalries with Car, Atl, FLA, and Tampa.

Now this proposal would completely shift another set of "rivalries" upon us.

note: obviously the article said it could be one of the SE teams but I am going off the divisions posted.

 

[Steve L*]

That actually makes a bit of sense, now they just need to balance the schedule.

Precisely which probably means it wont happen.

 

[weezman]

Anyone notice how familiar the proposal sounds? *cough* NFL *cough*

Not necessarily team location, but rather 4 divisions. Top 4 and wild cards.

 

[krudmonk]

Anyone notice how familiar the proposal sounds? *cough* NFL *cough*

Not necessarily team location, but rather 4 divisions. Top 4 and wild cards.

Um, the NFL has four divisions per conference. Also, they have six teams in the playoffs with two first round byes. This would be a move away from the NFL, if anything.

 

[jkrdevil]

Well this is a step in the right direction. Althoguh I think they should get rid of conferences and just go with divisional playoffs and then reseed the division playoff champions for the Cup semi-final and Cup Final.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

Here's how it probably shakes out as is:

Eastern Conference
Adams Division: Montreal, Buffalo, Toronto, Boston, Ottawa, Detroit, Pittsburgh
Patrick Division: NY Rangers, NY Islanders, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Washington, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Florida

Western Conference
Norris Division: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Columbus, St. Louis, Minnesota, Nashville
Smythe Division: Anaheim, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Jose, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Colorado

If Pittsburgh moves to either Kansas City or Houston, then they go in the Norris and Columbus moves to the Adams Division. If Pittsburgh moves to say Portland, then they go in the Smythe, Colorado goes to the Norris and Columbus goes to the Adams.

Proposal for schedule
vs. other conference: 30 games, playing 1H/1A vs. all 15 teams
vs. other division: 16 games (if 7-team division) or 14 games (if 8-team division), playing 1H/1A vs. everyone
vs. own division: 36 games (if 7-team division with 3H/3A vs. one team, 2H/3A vs. 3 teams, 3H/2A vs. 3 teams) or 38 (if 8-team division with 3H/2A vs. 3 teams, 2H/3A vs. 3 teams, 2H/2A vs. 2 teams)

The H/A thing gets slowly rotated so that eventually the number of home/road games vs. opposing teams is evened out.

 

[ChemiseBleuHonnete]

what about we get rid of two teams while we're at it

 

[itshomerdoh]

I see it more like this:

Adams: Buffalo, Montreal, Washington, Toronto, Boston, Pittsburgh (possibly Kitchener/Waterloo), Ottawa

Patrick: Atlanta, Rangers, Devils, Islanders, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Florida, Philadephia

Smythe: Anaheim, San Jose, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, LA, Phoenix

Norris: Nashville, Detroit, Dallas, Minnesota, Colorado, Chicago, Columbus, St. Louis

Washington gets jammed into the Adams because they need a 7th team, and the league likely wants to keep the NY teams (+ Philly) together, as well as the SE group. Colorado can go in either the Smythe or Norris, which ever they prefer.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

what about we get rid of two teams while we're at it

Yeah ... when MLB kicks out 2 of the Devil Rays, Royals, Marlins, and Pirates we'll talk.

 

[discostu]

I'd actually like them to do this, but scrap the seeding program, and run divisional playoffs instead. Yeah, it makes things difficult for teams in a tough division, but, that's the breaks. It makes divisional rivalries mean that much more.

 

[WalterSobchak]

I know the Red Wings were "promised" first rights to move from the West to the East but I think thats simply irresponsible.

IB I am a little confused, in your original proposition you have Detroit in the Adams, but state if Pittsburgh moves they will go to the Adams. Also I don't see how a team like Atlanta belongs in the West over Detroit. In your proposal Minny to Atlanta is roughly 1120 miles.


Teams who belong in the East over Detroit (who I think should get priority)
1. Dallas - they are geographically closer to Florida, TB, Atlanta than San Jose, Anaheim, Vancouver. By far.
2. Nashville - again closer to Eastern Southern teams. I know those aren't "traditional" markets.
3. Columbus.

I think no matter what the NHL has got to try and add 2 teams in the North West. Right now Van, Cal and Edm are off in no mans land. If Pittsburgh relocates west, and 2 potential expansion teams open up in the west that will lead to 3 teams moving to the east. Even then I think there is no merit to moving Detroit to the East. People argue tradition dictates it but the NHL is already guilty of too much backwards thinking. It's time to be progressive.

The best cities, geographically, for Pittsburgh (if the move...hopefully they don't) and 2 expansion cities are in the west.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

I see it more like this:

Adams: Buffalo, Montreal, Washington, Toronto, Boston, Pittsburgh (possibly Kitchener/Waterloo), Ottawa

Patrick: Atlanta, Rangers, Devils, Islanders, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Florida, Philadephia

Smythe: Anaheim, San Jose, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, LA, Phoenix

Norris: Nashville, Detroit, Dallas, Minnesota, Colorado, Chicago, Columbus, St. Louis

Washington gets jammed into the Adams because they need a 7th team, and the league likely wants to keep the NY teams (+ Philly) together, as well as the SE group. Colorado can go in either the Smythe or Norris, which ever they prefer.

It makes no sense to pull Washington into a division that would see the other 6 teams grouped together while the Caps are in between New York/Philadelphia and Carolina/Florida/Tampa Bay. Besides, your assignment assumed the Pens will go to Southern Ontario, which I think is a shaky proposition seeing as how there's no legitimate NHL arena present, no plans for such an arena at the moment, and a likely fight by Toronto if such a move was proposed.

Geographically, it makes *much* more sense to shift Atlanta to the Norris and either Detroit or Columbus to the Adams. (Actually, it makes more sense to put Boston in the Patrick, but that will never happen because the league won't split up the Bruins and Canadiens and because allocating the rest of the teams geographically becomes *much* tougher.)

 

[Ted Hoffman]

IB I am a little confused, in your original proposition you have Detroit in the Adams, but state if Pittsburgh moves they will go to the Adams.

I fixed that while you were posting.

Also I don't see how a team like Atlanta belongs in the West over Detroit. In your proposal Minny to Atlanta is roughly 1120 miles.

Edmonton to Phoenix is 1875 miles; Vancouver to Los Angeles is 1285 miles; New York to Miami is 1294 miles; Dallas to Minneapolis is 998 miles. No matter how you group teams, someone is going to have a long haul to another city in their division - so the key is to group them by time zone as closely as possible, and even this can't be done perfectly.

The other option would be to group teams so that every division has someone on the East Coast and the West Coast and everyone has to go back and forth across the continent - but there's at least 10 teams (mostly in the East) who would shoot down this idea.

We've also has the "should the NHL expand?" argument; unless you really want to dilute the talent pool some more, it makes no sense to add another 2 teams just to balance out divisions.

 

[norrisnick]

I know the Red Wings were "promised" first rights to move from the West to the East but I think thats simply irresponsible.

IB I am a little confused, in your original proposition you have Detroit in the Adams, but state if Pittsburgh moves they will go to the Adams. Also I don't see how a team like Atlanta belongs in the West over Detroit. In your proposal Minny to Atlanta is roughly 1120 miles.


Teams who belong in the East over Detroit (who I think should get priority)
1. Dallas - they are geographically closer to Florida, TB, Atlanta than San Jose, Anaheim, Vancouver. By far.
2. Nashville - again closer to Eastern Southern teams. I know those aren't "traditional" markets.
3. Columbus.

I think no matter what the NHL has got to try and add 2 teams in the North West. Right now Van, Cal and Edm are off in no mans land. If Pittsburgh relocates west, and 2 potential expansion teams open up in the west that will lead to 3 teams moving to the east. Even then I think there is no merit to moving Detroit to the East. People argue tradition dictates it but the NHL is already guilty of too much backwards thinking. It's time to be progressive.

The best cities, geographically, for Pittsburgh (if the move...hopefully they don't) and 2 expansion cities are in the west.

Because Atlanta is further West than Detroit (and Columbus for that matter)?

 

[WalterSobchak]

Eastern
1.1
Montreal, Ottawa, Boston, Buffalo, Toronto, New Jersey, Rangers, Islanders
1.2
Florida, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Carolina, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh. Washington

Western
2.1
Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, San Jose, LA, Anaheim, Phoenix
2.2
Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago, Columbus, Minnesota, Colorado, Nashville, Dallas

If Pittsburgh moves to KC, NHL expands to Seattle and Portland (or some combination thereof)

Eastern
1.1
Montreal, Ottawa, Boston, Buffalo, Toronto, New Jersey, Rangers, Islanders
1.2
Florida, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Carolina, Philadelphia, Washington, Columbus, Nashville

Western
2.1
Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, San Jose, LA, Anaheim, Seattle, Portland,
2.2
Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago, Dallas, Minnesota, Colorado, Phoenix, Kansas City

 

[WalterSobchak]

hey, does anyone want to discuss my ideas on a Northern versus Southern Conference idea?

 

[WalterSobchak]

Because Atlanta is further West than Detroit (and Columbus for that matter)?

Sure. My division is based alot more on Geograpy in relation to nearest franchises vs. pure Geography.

 

[itshomerdoh]

Eastern
1.1
Montreal, Ottawa, Boston, Buffalo, Toronto, New Jersey, Rangers, Islanders
1.2
Florida, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Carolina, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh. Washington

Western
2.1
Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, San Jose, LA, Anaheim, Phoenix
2.2
Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago, Columbus, Minnesota, Colorado, Nashville, Dallas

Yeah I just re-did a 2nd version and came up with this alignment exactly.

 

[norrisnick]

Sure. My division is based alot more on Geograpy in relation to nearest franchises vs. pure Geography.

And Atlanta is closer to Nashville, St. Louis, Dallas, etc... than Detroit is. With Detroit being closer to most of the Eastern conference teams barring Carolina and the two Florida teams than Atlanta is.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

Eastern
1.1
Montreal, Ottawa, Boston, Buffalo, Toronto, New Jersey, Rangers, Islanders
1.2
Florida, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Carolina, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh. Washington

Western
2.1
Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, San Jose, LA, Anaheim, Phoenix
2.2
Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago, Columbus, Minnesota, Colorado, Nashville, Dallas

Leave Colorado out with the West Coast teams - otherwise you have a division that spans 3 time zones; Edmonton and Calgary are already in the Mountain Time Zone, leave Colorado with them. Otherwise, ... that's actually pretty good.