Speculation: NHL considering NFL format of 8 divisions

[Fenway]

The Toronto media seems to think the NHL is looking at an 8 division format when expansion comes in 2 years and our old friends in Montreal would be moved to an all-Canadian division along with Ottawa, Toronto and Quebec.

If this is the case who would the Bruins be grouped with?

Click to read more...

 

[Therick67]

The Toronto media seems to think the NHL is looking at an 8 division format when expansion comes in 2 years and our old friends in Montreal would be moved to an all-Canadian division along with Ottawa, Toronto and Quebec.

If this is the case who would the Bruins be grouped with?

Rangers, islanders and Sabres...

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

Rangers, islanders and Sabres...

Possibly Philly as well.

 

[Therick67]

Possibly Philly as well.

I'd think they'd be with the Penguins and Capitals...

 

[cobrak]

I would love Rangers Islanders and Devils.


Here is how I would do it:
Bruins Rangers Islanders, Devils
Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa, Toronto
Tampa Bay, Florida, Carolina, Washington
Philly, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Columbus

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

I'd think they'd be with the Penguins and Capitals...

True, I forgot about Jersey.

 

[LouJersey]

Habs
Nordiques
Leafs
Sens

Rangers
Devils
Islanders
Flyers

Caps
Canes
Bolts
Panthers

Bruins
Sabres
Jackets
Penguins.

Oilers
Flames
Canucks
Jets

Kings
Sharks
Ducks
Avalanche

Hawks
Wings
Blues
Preds

Wild
Stars
Yotes
Vegas

 

[Therick67]

I would love Rangers Islanders and Devils.


Here is how I would do it:
Bruins Rangers Islanders, Devils
Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa, Toronto
Tampa Bay, Florida, Carolina, Washington
Philly, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Columbus

Forgot about the Devils, a possibility for sure..

 

[alg363636]

Canada

Philly, Pitts Washington, Boston

NYI, NJD, NYR, Buffalo

Tampa, Florida, Colombus, Carolina

Are we making one division 5 or is Detroit going back West?

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

Yeah. I know... Eklund... But he came with that idea this morning. Was it him stealing ideas from others or others taking his idea and talking about it?

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklu...ouin-to-StLDallas-Wednesdays-Buzzcast/1/70103

Who would make the playoffs in that concept? 1st of each division than the bests 8 remaining teams?

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

Yeah. I know... Eklund... But he came with that idea this morning. Was it him stealing ideas from others or others taking his idea and talking about it?

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklu...ouin-to-StLDallas-Wednesdays-Buzzcast/1/70103

Next time give a heads up that it is Eklund before we click on it.

 

[talkinaway]

NBC seems to think we'll be placed with PIT, PHI, and DET. Yuck - sticking one of the Easternmost teams with one of the Westernmost teams? Puts Boston away from all natural rivals - NYR, NYI, and of course MTL.

Their Eastern alignment other than BOS seems to sort of make sense:

Division 1: All Canada.
Division 2: All the Southernmost teams
Division 3: NY/NJ
Division 4: Leftovers - PA x2, Detroit, and Boston.

They also move Columbus back west. Good luck with that. No team in the Eastern time zone is going to move to the west without a fight.

Here's a link:

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2015/07/22/post-expansion-could-nhl-realign-with-eight-divisions/

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

Next time give a heads up that it is Eklund before we click on it.

I thought I did.

 

[DitClapper]

Can't say I'd be mad but...I don't think there is anything like a Bruins/Habs rivalry in all of sports. I'd miss it, wouldn't miss the losing though.

 

[Fenway]

That is a workable template.

Play each team in your division 6 times ( 3h and 3a ) and everybody else 1 and 1 with an extra game with 8 teams (rotate the divisions for the extra games?)

Habs
Nordiques
Leafs
Sens

Rangers
Devils
Islanders
Flyers

Caps
Canes
Bolts
Panthers

Bruins
Sabres
Jackets
Penguins.

Oilers
Flames
Canucks
Jets

Kings
Sharks
Ducks
Avalanche

Hawks
Wings
Blues
Preds

Wild
Stars
Yotes
Vegas

 

[Fenway]

Yeah. I know... Eklund... But he came with that idea this morning. Was it him stealing ideas from others or others taking his idea and talking about it?

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklu...ouin-to-StLDallas-Wednesdays-Buzzcast/1/70103

Who would make the playoffs in that concept? 1st of each division than the bests 8 remaining teams?

Globe and Mail was floating it yesterday which is a little more credible than Eklund.

 

[Trap Jesus]

I don't see much of a need to lump teams together geographically in the East, as a lot of them are so close anyways. An all-Canadian division doesn't really benefit anyone IMO.

It would be interesting to see who goes back out West if Quebec gets a team though. The Wings fought so long to get back to the East that I can't imagine it would be them. Someone isn't going to be very happy lol.

 

[Fenway]

Next time give a heads up that it is Eklund before we click on it.

Eklund actually has a nice template - I could live with this

The Canada East Division
Montreal
Quebec
Toronto
Ottawa

The US NorthEast Division
NY Islanders
NY Rangers
NJ Devils
Boston Bruins

The US Atlantic Division
Philadelphia
Washington
Pittsburgh
Columbus

The Canada West Division
Edmonton
Calgary
Winnipeg
Vancouver

The US Lakes Division
Buffalo
Detroit
Chicago
Minnesota

The US South Division
Carolina
Nashville
Florida
Tampa

The US Central Division
Dallas
St. Louis
Phoenix
Colorado

The US Western Division
LA
Anaheim
San Jose
Las Vegas

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklu...ouin-to-StLDallas-Wednesdays-Buzzcast/1/70103

 

[Trap Jesus]

I think this schedule would be interesting if they went to 4-team divisions:

Divisional Games - 3 teams x 6 games = 18 games

Intra-Conference Games - 12 teams x 4 games = 48 games

Inter-Conference Games - 16 teams x 1 game = 16 games*

*8 home, 8 road (each division hosts 2 Inter-Conference divisions and gets hosted by the other 2 Inter-Conference divisions; this would be flipped each year).

Ideally I'd like to have a home and away game vs. every team in the league, but 32 games is A LOT. It would only leave 50 games for Intra-Conference games, which isn't nearly enough.

Ideally I'd like to put more division games in because they become so much more important with such a small division, but I wanted to have an even home/away split with Inter-Conference teams.

 

[Fenway]

I don't see much of a need to lump teams together geographically in the East, as a lot of them are so close anyways. An all-Canadian division doesn't really benefit anyone IMO.

It would be interesting to see who goes back out West if Quebec gets a team though. The Wings fought so long to get back to the East that I can't imagine it would be them. Someone isn't going to be very happy lol.

Oh yes it does

NBC would be just as happy.

 

[Trap Jesus]

Oh yes it does

NBC would be just as happy.

I'm looking at it more from the angle of helping the Southern teams. It's the same reason why Florida and Tampa are currently in the Atlantic with teams way up North.

 

[dafoomie]

Can just as easily have Detroit/Toronto/Ottawa/Buffalo in a division and Boston/Montreal/Quebec/? in another.

There's no rhyme or reason to what Eklund has, as usual. Think timezones when looking out West.

 

[Jdavidev]

If Quebec/2nd Toronto gets a team without losing another like Florida, then one of Detroit or Columbus is moving back to the West.

Personally, I'd prefer the Coyotes just to move to Vegas and Florida to Quebec and no expansion.

If it is Vegas and Quebec added, why go 4? Keep it 8 still. Divisions would mostly stay the same. Vegas added to Pacific. Columbus added to Central. Detroit takes Columbus spot in Met, and Quebec in with Boston in Atlantic.

I highly doubt 4 teams per division, it breaks rivalries and limits marketability. The reason Flo and TB are in with Boston is for Marketability of the opponents from NE (so many expats down there as well).

 

[BruinsBtn]

I'd like the Bruins to be in with the Habs/Nordiques and Toronto can be with Buffalo.

Habs
Nordiques
Bruins
Sens

Rangers
Devils
Islanders
Detroit

Caps
Canes
Bolts
Panthers

Leafs
Sabres
Philly
Penguins

Oilers
Flames
Avalanche
Yotes

Kings
Sharks
Ducks
Canucks

Hawks
Jackets
Blues
Preds

Wild
Stars
Jets
Vegas

 

[Fenway]

The NHL is capable of anything

Just look at the divisions they had 40 years ago

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/nhl19271975.html