Blue And Orange
Oilers & Seahawks
Anyone recall in 2011, the NHL tried a radical 4-conference proposal that was suppose to be implemented after the 2011-12 season? With Las Vegas and Quebec City submitting application for expansion, it's fun to speculate what the league would look like in a 32-team league. To achieve symmetry, one of DET or CBJ has to move back to the Western Conference and this might be a tough sell for the NHL. As such, this is why I think the NHL will move to a 4 conference realignment. No more East vs West, now its West, Midwest, Central, and East.
Schedule Matrix:
-34 games vs conference opponents (4 or 5 games against each of your 7 conference opponents, at least 2H and 2A)
-48 games vs other 24 opponents outside your conference (2 games each 1 H and 1 A)
Playoffs:
-Top 3 teams in each conference are guaranteed a playoff spot
-4 wildcard teams (regardless of conference)
-WC that occupies 4th place in conference will remain in that conference
-WC outside conference top 4 will be seeded depending on their point total and the point total of the conference leader (cross-overs)
-1st round: 1 vs 4/WC; 2 vs 3
-2nd round: two remaining teams in each conference battle it out
-3rd round: four conference champions are re-seeded according to point total (1 vs 4, 2 vs 3)
-SCF: two remaining teams
Just thought I'd put it out there. It's always fun to speculate
Schedule Matrix:
-34 games vs conference opponents (4 or 5 games against each of your 7 conference opponents, at least 2H and 2A)
-48 games vs other 24 opponents outside your conference (2 games each 1 H and 1 A)
Playoffs:
-Top 3 teams in each conference are guaranteed a playoff spot
-4 wildcard teams (regardless of conference)
-WC that occupies 4th place in conference will remain in that conference
-WC outside conference top 4 will be seeded depending on their point total and the point total of the conference leader (cross-overs)
-1st round: 1 vs 4/WC; 2 vs 3
-2nd round: two remaining teams in each conference battle it out
-3rd round: four conference champions are re-seeded according to point total (1 vs 4, 2 vs 3)
-SCF: two remaining teams
Just thought I'd put it out there. It's always fun to speculate