I think relegation would be fantastic. It would be difficult since it's not really structured like European football, but I like the idea. Most Americans wouldn't go for it because most Americans don't do anything the smartest way, so there's that.
Adding a relegation model would also, I would wager, open up more opportunities in the NHL for places like, oh, I dunno, Quebec City.
And I don't know why people around here would be upset if the Coyotes were relegated. Plenty of folks have waxed rhapsodic about the Phoenix Roadrunners (and a few have even offered positive remembrances of the Arizona Sundogs and Phoenix Mustangs). That the Roadrunners were in something like six different leagues in their existence didn't seem to matter.
Relegation would theoretically mean that you would be able to establish more permanence for your franchises. The best teams would be in the NHL, but if your team sucked you'd still
keep it the next season and just play in a lower league, hoping to be promoted back.
That's a
far healthier model than the one that leaves cities like Seattle and San Diego and others dangling in the wind when their franchises jump ship.