(Hypothetical) Realignment of the West.. What would you like to see happen?

[DL44]

The hypothetical premise :
- Expansion is occurring in Seattle and Las Vegas

The question for you:

- With the Canucks in mind, how would you like to see the 16 western teams divided?

The other assumptions :

- current 4 division system and playoff format remain the same
- the 2 new teams will be added to the West, the East remains completely untouched.

What would you prefer:

Scenario 1 : Clean and Simple
Vegas to the Cen
Seattle to the Pacific

Scenario 2: Bounce Arizona
Seattle and Vegas to the Pac
Arizona to the Cen

Scenario 3: Bounce Alberta
Seattle, Vegas and Colorado to the Pac
Alberta to the Cen


I would lean for Scenario 3.. bouncing Alberta.. Breaking the divisional relationship between us and Alberta will do nothing for our rivalries... i think it will always be strong.. Kinda favoring it for the timezone effect it will have tho as a canuck fan...
Or would you consider breaking off from Alberta a dealbreaker of an idea...


For reference of the geographic pros and cons, here's a map...

Click to read more...

 

[Timmer44]

Expand to Vegas and Southern Ontario. Move Phoenix to Seattle and Florida to Quebec.

Bam, done.

 

[The Stig]

Geographically, 2 makes the most sense.

 

[GetFocht]

A division of Vancouver, LA, San Jose, Anahiem, Seattle, Las Vegas should make the West a much more desirable place to play. Travel times would be significantly reduced

 

[me2]

Option 2

 

[Zombotron]

Four-team divisions. And Portland.

 

[me2]

4 team sub-divisions works
Ie

NW: van Seattle cal edm
SW: Sj LA ana Vegas

SC: Phx Av Dallas Nash
NC: Wpeg Stl Chi Min

But you could mix and match
NW+NC or NW+SW

 

[vancityluongo]

Just move Phoenix to the Central

 

[Win One Before I Die]

Any division that gets the Canucks away from the California teams.

 

[DL44]

Geographically... I don't see how an 8 division league will work. There are major flaws with every structure i've seen.

I think the NHL knows this and why they moved to the 4 division system from the 6 with the future in mind...

 

[ihaveyuidonttouchme]

Any division that gets the Canucks away from the California teams.

and central

 

[denkiteki]

From a business prospective, it makes no sense to bounce Alberta due to the natural rivalry of the 3 teams. Its pretty similar to saying moving one of the 3 Cali teams to another division. Even the distance is pretty similar so even from a travel stand point, it makes more sense for 'nucks to keep Alberta teams.

It doesn't make as much sense in terms of making the playoff since Edmonton will sooner or later likely become a powerhouse team (due to all their failure recently + young players). Of course that's assuming they figure out how to play in their own end. The flames also have drafted pretty well the last 2 years so again its a matter of time. Both teams can spend to the cap so that doesn't help the 'nucks much either.

As far as which team to remove, that'll mean PHX. They can't spend to the cap but they have good management and are generally competitive. Expansion teams generally struggle for a few years so as a 'nuck fan, it makes sense to try to claim both of them. On top of that, if a road trip consist of LV + Cali 3 team, that would make a decent mini-vacation/road trip for fans. Seattle tickets would likely also make it easier to see games (and realistically probably cheaper lol).

 

[Jumptheshark]

From a business prospective, it makes no sense to bounce Alberta due to the natural rivalry of the 3 teams. Its pretty similar to saying moving one of the 3 Cali teams to another division. Even the distance is pretty similar so even from a travel stand point, it makes more sense for 'nucks to keep Alberta teams.

It doesn't make as much sense in terms of making the playoff since Edmonton will sooner or later likely become a powerhouse team (due to all their failure recently + young players). Of course that's assuming they figure out how to play in their own end. The flames also have drafted pretty well the last 2 years so again its a matter of time. Both teams can spend to the cap so that doesn't help the 'nucks much either.

As far as which team to remove, that'll mean PHX. They can't spend to the cap but they have good management and are generally competitive. Expansion teams generally struggle for a few years so as a 'nuck fan, it makes sense to try to claim both of them. On top of that, if a road trip consist of LV + Cali 3 team, that would make a decent mini-vacation/road trip for fans. Seattle tickets would likely also make it easier to see games (and realistically probably cheaper lol).

pretty much this--

also from a business perspective--as much as we do not want to admit it--MANY US TEAMS are not fans of being in divisions with Canadian teams. Also, whether canuck fans like it or not--for the past 30+ years both the Oilers and Flames have been your main rival, demon or whatever you want to call it--

 

[Virtanen2Horvat]

I would love to have a rivalry with Seattle

 

[Domecile]

My hypothetical realignment scenario has 8 divisions of 4 teams in 2 conferences.

I have Florida relocating to Seattle, New York Islanders relocating to Toronto and then 2 extra teams being added to Quebec and Las Vegas.

(I know Islanders just sold their team and are expected to stay in Brooklyn but this is just what I would prefer if it could ever happen)

The divisions are as followed (with visual at the end)


Western Conference.

Northwest Division

Seattle (From Florida) (Return of LOU!)
Vancouver
Calgary
Edmonton


Pacific Division

Las Vegas (From Expansion)
San Jose
Anaheim
Los Angeles

Southern Division

Arizona
Dallas
Colorado
St.Louis

Central Division

Winnipeg
Minnesota
Chicago
Detroit (Has to come back to West but reunited rivalry with Chicago)

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

Quebec (From Expansion)
Boston
Montreal
New York (No longer in same division as NJ but instead another NY and BOS rivalry is formed; ex: Patriots x Jets, Yankees x Red Sox)

North East Division

Toronto #2 (From New York) (Tavares does go back to Ontario! Just not the Leafs)
Toronto #1
Ottawa
Buffalo


Metro Division

Washington
Pittsburgh
Philadelphia
New Jersey

South East Division

Columbus
Carolina
Nashville (From West to East)
Tampa Bay

I'd want to ideally have the playoffs consisting of the top 2 teams from each of the four divisions playing each other in the first rounds but an overall conference standings w/ wildcards based on regular season points is also acceptable IMO.

The Visual:

 

[Jumptheshark]

btw

The big thing with Seattle is it is about 5 years away unless the bidders sort their houses out

 

[JuniorNelson]

The sensible approach would be to undertake a balanced travel schedule. It would mean each division would have an East Coast component. Too logical, though.

 

[DCantheDDad]

I think bouncing Arizona makes the most sense to me. It maintains the games against Cal and Edm, and TBH, I find Arizona a rather mundane team to play against.

 

[ddawg1950]

I wouldn't mind seeing the NHL put a couple of teams in Alberta.

 

[denkiteki]

I wouldn't mind seeing the NHL put a couple of teams in Alberta.

You'll see another team in BC before another in Alberta. There is much more demand for Hockey in the lower mainland than Alberta right now (at least based on revenue) and of course there is the lack of another major city in Alberta (tho problem with BC is most major city are close enough to Vancouver that any team added would be easily within driving distance).

That said, if and when Toronto gets a 2nd team, you could probably make a case for Surrey or something if 'nucks continue to sell out (not likely considering the sellout streak will likely end this season).

 

[vancityluongo]

You'll see another team in BC before another in Alberta. There is much more demand for Hockey in the lower mainland than Alberta right now (at least based on revenue) and of course there is the lack of another major city in Alberta (tho problem with BC is most major city are close enough to Vancouver that any team added would be easily within driving distance).

That said, if and when Toronto gets a 2nd team, you could probably make a case for Surrey or something if 'nucks continue to sell out (not likely considering the sellout streak will likely end this season).

*woosh*

 

[slappipappi]

You'll see another team in BC before another in Alberta. There is much more demand for Hockey in the lower mainland than Alberta right now (at least based on revenue) and of course there is the lack of another major city in Alberta (tho problem with BC is most major city are close enough to Vancouver that any team added would be easily within driving distance).

I think he was referring to the fact that the teams in Calgary and Edmonton are not NHL quality.

I'm having trouble believing that he thought that Medicine Hat and Lethbridge could support teams.

 

[Archangel]

I think he was referring to the fact that the teams in Calgary and Edmonton are not NHL quality.

I'm having trouble believing that he thought that Medicine Hat and Lethbridge could support teams.

You do know that the oilers have made more money then vancouver the last five years. The fact the oulers have sold out every game with high prices and that many canuck fans turned their tickets in aftet one bad year tells me you have not been paying attention. You do not judge suport during the good years. You look at support during the down times. We will 3/4 full arena in vancouver..but full arenas in alberta

 

[DL44]

You do know that the oilers have made more money then vancouver the last five years. The fact the oulers have sold out every game with high prices and that many canuck fans turned their tickets in aftet one bad year tells me you have not been paying attention. You do not judge suport during the good years. You look at support during the down times. We will 3/4 full arena in vancouver..but full arenas in alberta

And you do know that he wasn't even expressing any sort of opinion that justified you quoting him and going on your attendance rant right. Tells everyone you weren't paying any attention.

 

[ddawg1950]

*woosh*

I think he was referring to the fact that the teams in Calgary and Edmonton are not NHL quality.

I'm having trouble believing that he thought that Medicine Hat and Lethbridge could support teams.

Yeah, I thought I'd made a pretty obvious, and not particularly original, joke.

You know...like The Oilers and Flames aren't particularly...

Oh, never mind.