Confirmed with Link: NHL and NHLPA approve re-alignment

[Unsportsmanlike]

Where do you live? Me and my BF just moved to Toronto and we're hardcore Wings fans without a bar home

I feel like all Toronto people would just chirp if I wore any Wings attire and I have been told they can be crazy. If you can recommend a Red Wings friendly bar I'd appreciate it!

I'm a life long Wings fan living in Toronto too and can definitely say it's tough to find a Wings bar. However, there is a hilarious dive bar on the Danforth that is a Wings bar. You can see all the Wings gear in the window. I forget what it's called but if I am not mistaken it is in between Broadview and Chester station on the south side of the Danforth. I'm in the West so I don't make it over there too often but it's at least fun to see.

 

[Big Poppa Puck]

Does anyone else realize that in order to solve the problem of having a Canadian team in the Southeast division the NHL put their two most southeastern teams in a division with 3 Canadian teams and 3 teams who border Canada?

 

[crashman]

Does anyone else realize that in order to solve the problem of having a Canadian team in the Southeast division the NHL put their two most southeastern teams in a division with 3 Canadian teams and 3 teams who boarder Canada?

From strictly a Red Wings perspective, I'm sure the players will enjoy the trips to sunny Florida since they're losing the West coast trips. Not to mention all the Wings fans down there in Florida.

 

[CloneHakanPlease*]

Does anyone else realize that in order to solve the problem of having a Canadian team in the Southeast division the NHL put their two most southeastern teams in a division with 3 Canadian teams and 3 teams who border Canada?

Still amazed they didn't just move NSH down to the southeast, WPG to western conference and one of the North West teams to the central.


Not complaining, but really shows the NHl realizes some of the smaller southern teams need help drawing from northern populations. I'm sure the owner's were dreading a division of Florida, Nash, Tampa, Carolina, and Wash.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

the NHL didnt want to split up its traditional big matchups and they know the Florida teams generate probably close to 50% of their revenue from Cdn snowbirds who wish to see more Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa games

its a win-win for the NHL and the two Florida based teams

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

The Florida teams aren't quite winners because it does mean about 6-7 hours of extra time in planes added per week or so, but in general those teams gained absolutely nothing from being in a division with Carolina and Washington and would have gained nothing from adding Nashville and Dallas except those a bit shorter flights.

The average NHL fan in Florida has more of a connecton to the Northeast than the rest of the South.

 

[paradeofwolves]

I used to live in Windsor and I have a lot of family in Ann Arbor/SE Michigan so it means a lot that you guys are back with Toronto to me! Looking forward to playing you guys more often.

Hopefully in the playoffs next season.

 

[Big Poppa Puck]

From strictly a Red Wings perspective, I'm sure the players will enjoy the trips to sunny Florida since they're losing the West coast trips. Not to mention all the Wings fans down there in Florida.

Still amazed they didn't just move NSH down to the southeast, WPG to western conference and one of the North West teams to the central.


Not complaining, but really shows the NHl realizes some of the smaller southern teams need help drawing from northern populations. I'm sure the owner's were dreading a division of Florida, Nash, Tampa, Carolina, and Wash.

I'm more upset about the unbalanced conferences and divisional playoffs than I am about the geographical mess. Florida, because of their revenue problems, is probably isn't too upset, but if I'm a Tampa fan I'm pissed.

I don't like the unbalanced conferences one bit, but I dealt with it for so long in baseball (And my team was in the 6 team division too.) I'd probably get over it eventually.

But I absolutely detest the divisional playoffs thing. The current playoffs are perfect as is. Making them divisional, even with the Wild Card, has potential to screw some team who may be playing a team with more points than they otherwise should have. Also it is forcing rivalries for the sake of rivalry. Playing your division 4 or 5 times a year is enough to develop a rivalry and if you and another team in your division are both good, then there's a good chance you'll meet in the playoffs anyway.

Hopefully they at least re-seed after the 1st round and don't make the divisions the equivalent to NCAA Tourney regions.


Another thing. I'm too young to care about the Leafs and Habs. The Leafs have been irrelevant on the ice for 10+ years. I care more about the Hawks, Blues and hell even Ducks and Sharks than those two, but I guess I can learn to love them as rivals. No matter what though, I will never hate another team more than I hate the Flyers.

 

[juiceman]

No kidding, I expected the NHLPA to shoot it down for some petty reason, so I'm kinda giddy that it's been approved. So glad to see far fewer WC road trips and God-forsaken 10:00pm puck drops, and no more late night PO games unless we're in the Finals.

It'll be interesting to see Holland adapt to the EC, especially taking the Bruins as the team to beat in that division. We used to have the skill and lethal PP to be our answer to the rougher teams, but that's not the case any longer. I'm hoping he brings in a little top 6 grit.

Actually there will be no more late night playoff games for the Wings. If they did go to the Finals, all games start at 8pm ET, even for games on the west coast.

 

[Brick Top]

Actually there will be no more late night playoff games for the Wings. If they did go to the Finals, all games start at 8pm ET, even for games on the west coast.

Yeah, forgot that the Finals are going to be in prime time EST. Just used to dreading those WC playoff away games, knowing I'd be a zombie at work the following day with the games usually ending around 1 am.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

But I absolutely detest the divisional playoffs thing. The current playoffs are perfect as is. Making them divisional, even with the Wild Card, has potential to screw some team who may be playing a team with more points than they otherwise should have. Also it is forcing rivalries for the sake of rivalry. Playing your division 4 or 5 times a year is enough to develop a rivalry and if you and another team in your division are both good, then there's a good chance you'll meet in the playoffs anyway.

Hopefully they at least re-seed after the 1st round and don't make the divisions the equivalent to NCAA Tourney regions.


Another thing. I'm too young to care about the Leafs and Habs. The Leafs have been irrelevant on the ice for 10+ years. I care more about the Hawks, Blues and hell even Ducks and Sharks than those two, but I guess I can learn to love them as rivals. No matter what though, I will never hate another team more than I hate the Flyers.

Between 1982 and 1993 the league had divisional playoffs and trust me it definitely helped build up some rivalries. It has some drawbacks, sure, but I think the lack of divisional playoffs post-1993 was part of why the divisions they created thereafter didn't quite stick and teams struggled to create new rivalries in them.

Also, you must not just be young but also have no sense of history if the Leafs and Habs don't mean anything to you. But I will tell you a good reason to care, those teams, the Bruins and the Rangers/Flyers/Pens are basically the teams at the very center of the hockey universe. With us in the East, NBC might not even need to know there is such a thing as a Western Conference anymore. The Wings brand will get a good boost, which it may well need given that we are unlikely to be a Cup contender in the near future.

 

[crashman]

Another thing. I'm too young to care about the Leafs and Habs. The Leafs have been irrelevant on the ice for 10+ years. I care more about the Hawks, Blues and hell even Ducks and Sharks than those two, but I guess I can learn to love them as rivals. No matter what though, I will never hate another team more than I hate the Flyers.

Don't worry about that, it won't take long to learn to hate Habs, Leafs, Boston and Ottawa fans. The 3 Canadian teams fans are so passionate that they instantly become SUPER annoying. My guess is that we hate these teams by January of next season.

And Boston fans...oh you'll see.

 

[RockemSockemProberts]

I'm watching the Pens - Leafs game right now, and actually find myself hoping Pittsburgh wins. If the BoG approve realignment, the old rivalries are going to be a lot of fun.

 

[Winger98]

Another thing. I'm too young to care about the Leafs and Habs. The Leafs have been irrelevant on the ice for 10+ years. I care more about the Hawks, Blues and hell even Ducks and Sharks than those two, but I guess I can learn to love them as rivals. No matter what though, I will never hate another team more than I hate the Flyers.

I'm not big on the O6 stuff, either. I'm more interested in good teams, and so I'll be happy to play the good teams in the east more...but we're losing a lot of games against good teams in the west.

I like that the team will have to travel less and we won't have games starting at 10:30pm. Those things can only be positives for us. Other than that, the whole relocation thing just isn't a big deal to me.

edit: also, I think it's stupid that Columbus isn't in our division. Closest team to us geographically, a trip the team could make in a day by bus and they're in a different division? Okay, whatever.

 

[Pi]

Orr and Maclaren will be tough to handle I got to admit.

They only fight enforcers, guys who throw dirty hits, and go after young players etc.

The Leafs might have gotten tough under Carlyle but they are probably one of the cleanest teams in the league along with Detroit.

 

[SoupNazi]

Approved by Board of Governors.

 

[disturbedraven]

Welcome back to the East for sure. Congrats on finally not having those late 10:30 games to put up with on a routine basis! I'm looking forward to our teams being back in the same division once again. 4 of the original six, gonna make for some great rivalries and stories. Cheers

 

[Kronwalled55]

I cringe whenever I look at Division "B." Definition of "boring" hockey games

 

[coolasprICE]

I look forward to playing the Wings and the addition of an original 6 in our division.

I havent read through this thread but is this news received with excitement?

 

[Brick Top]

I cringe whenever I look at Division "B." Definition of "boring" hockey games

I am also downright giddy that this got the final approval- peace out, 10:30 puck drops!

And I know it would be really challenging to pull off on skates, but someone doing the Carlton dance after scoring a goal would be absolutely epic.

 

[Cursed Lemon]

So is the league basically waiting for the Panthers to fail, so they can be moved to Quebec?

 

[Seb]

Welcome to the Eastern conference!

 

[JBauerly97]

I look forward to playing the Wings and the addition of an original 6 in our division.

I havent read through this thread but is this news received with excitement?

I'm excited!

 

[BergyMeister]

Welcome back to the East for sure. Congrats on finally not having those late 10:30 games to put up with on a routine basis! I'm looking forward to our teams being back in the same division once again. 4 of the original six, gonna make for some great rivalries and stories. Cheers

Something B's and Hab's fan can agree on.

I've already posted it but will say again, "Welcome to the East and the division!"

 

[joe89]

So is the league basically waiting for the Panthers to fail, so they can be moved to Quebec?

The Canadian teams and Wings have a lot of fans in Florida, that's why the two of them makes a little more sense.