Speculation: NHL considering NFL format of 8 divisions

[BMC]

I really don't like this idea. Inter-divisional rivalries would be gone and it would take time to build new ones. I understand the present set up isn't the greatest but I think a tweaking might work better than a wholesale replacement.

I mean, the Bruins only playing the Hated Habs 2-3 times a season? Gah. And who cares about playing the Blue Jackets 6-8 times a season?

 

[Morris Wanchuk]

Might as well sell my season tickets with those vomit enducing suggestions

 

[KnightofBoston]

The NHL would be very foolish to break up rivalries like that

 

[tigervixxxen]

Kings
Sharks
Ducks
Avalanche

Hawks
Wings
Blues
Preds

Wild
Stars
Yotes
Vegas

Are you aware that Colorado is east of Las Vegas?

Oops, my apologies. Thought this was a main board thread.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Too much change for the sake of change.

Please don't bury us with the leftovers like Detroit and Buffalo, Florida, Columbus, etc.

 

[13Hockey]

I like it better than having a 17-15 conference split once they add Quebec and Vegas

so the playoffs would be either top 2 from each division make it or...Divison winners seeded top 4 than 4 wild cards from any Divison ?

 

[VanIsle]

They won't break up the Bruins/Montreal/Toronto, if anything Quebec rejoins the Adams division of the early 80's.

 

[talkinaway]

Personally, I think 17-15 is as good as we'll get, especially given the history of the situation. Creating conferences and divisions isn't a path independent process; it matters how you get there. With Columbus and Detroit being the two teams most geographically fit to travel, and with them both having just breathed a collective sigh of relief after being relocated, there's not much that can be done. Going west, the next three teams look like Pittsburgh, Toronto, and Tampa Bay - none of those are happening.

Imbalance can work, and be fair. Let's assume Seattle and Portland - or any other team out west - isn't going to happen, but that QUE is happening. If you could get GTA2, the Whalers, and one other team in the East (Atlanta with competent management?), you'd have 20-15. Playoffs could be 8 teams from the East, 6 teams from the West, which is proportional. The Conference leaders get a first round bye. Other teams are seeded - no more "divisional rivalries". Bottom team in the East gets transferred to the West for the playoffs to play against their top non-bye seed.

Boston/Montreal SCF, anyone?

I'm not saying expansion has to happen, or is even a good idea - 35 teams is a bit of a pipe dream now, when no other league has more than 32. All that said, the current divisional setup has its advantages - namely, convenient TV scheduling, and the creation of rivalries. I like the idea of winning the Cup by going through MTL.

 

[BruinInPhilly]

The NHL would be very foolish to break up rivalries like that

I agree. I wonder if they could designate one out of division rival for each team, that get extra games scheduled, though to keep the old Rivals and maybe build some new ones for ones that don't have natural rivals.

 

[rfournier103]

I do NOT see the NHL breaking up Boston-Montreal. They're dumb enough to do it, but they won't. I am convinced that the Quebec Nordiques will be skating on opening night in October 2016, and they will be in the same division as Montreal. That rivalry will never have the history that Boston-Montreal has, but it will be as intense. They will ALSO be in the same division as Boston and Montreal.

Count on it.

 

[Bread and Circuses]

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

I know this is not going to happen but IF IT DID I WOULD FREAK THE **** OUT!

DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW MANY BRUINS GAMES I'D GET TO GO TO?!?!?!

DO YOU?!?!?!

OMG THEY WOULD ALWAYS BE ON MY TV TOO.

 

[aef1400]

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

I like this format. Imo, maybe switch Colorado and Vegas, and Boston and Philly.

As someone else mentioned..
Play 3 home and 3 away in division =18 games
Play 2 home and 2 away in conference = 48 games
Play 8 home and 8 away out of conference (rotate each year) =16 games

Winner of each division makes playoffs, and have a wild card for the next 4 best teams. After that I would probably just rank the playoff teams 1-8 based on points (regardless of division winners), and have 1 v 8, 2 v 7 etc.

Personally I think I would like some form of the format above. I know certain rivalries may get broken up but new rivalries would form. And rivalries like Boston-Habs, you would play them 4 times instead of 6 which isn't really that big a deal.

 

[don]

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

Yep.

 

[trenton1]

I hate any idea that separates Boston and Montreal.

 

[WhalerTurnedBruin55]

They won't break up the Bruins/Montreal/Toronto, if anything Quebec rejoins the Adams division of the early 80's.

Toronto was considered a Western team for about 20 years, so I'm not sure the Toronto/Boston rivalry is as remotely strong as the Montreal / Toronto or even the Boston / Buffalo rivalry. At least looking at the last 50 years.

 

[Jdavidev]

Now that I have a chance to think about it, maybe it's not so bad after all.

Divide into 8 4 team divisions based on geography/timezones and best fitted keeping some major rivalries intact (BOS-MNT, PIT-PHI, NYR-NJ, etc). Obviously every rivalry can't be retained.

6 games versus division foes (6x3=18)
2 games versus all others (28x2=56) The NHL really wants this so it won' go away.
The remaining 8 games split as a home-and-home against 4 regional rivals. Not rotating divisions, doesn't even have to all be from the same division. Obviously, there would be sacrifices, and after a few years, a rival can change/rotate. (4x2=8)
(18+56+8=82)

But this allows BOS to stay with MNT, QBC and OTW in a division, but also play TOR, BUF, PHI and TB 4 times a year. Subsequently, DET can stay in the "East" or move back "West" and it would make barely a difference since they play all teams at least twice, then 3 closest teams 6 times, and 4 regional 4 times. They could be in a division with TOR, BUF and PIT and still have regional rivals against CHI, CLB, COL and TB. Allow each team to vote on their top 8 preferred rivals and let a an algorithm make it fair.

And enough of the "it's not fair if DET is in the WEST. They wouldn't play "half their games" into another timezone, only 25 if they were in the WEST, as compared to 15 if they are in the EAST. And teams like COL are playing almost all of their road games in another time zone expect for EDM and CAL games and of course their home games.

 

[sarge88]

I hate any idea that separates Boston and Montreal.

And/or puts us with Jersey, NYI or Pittsburgh.

 

[JOKER 192]

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.

Sure it does, it favors the Habs who would play 24 games with subpar opponents.

 

[talkinaway]

The all-Canadian division would also greatly benefit Rogers and NBC, who probably aren't fans of international games. Having two local markets interested in your game is a lot better than having just one local market interested.

That's probably one of the big frustrations with the BOS/MTL rivalry. NBC doesn't make any money off of MTL fans, and Rogers doesn't make any money off of BOS fans. The fact that the rivalry predates television itself doesn't really help it a whole lot - NBC would love it if we felt the same way about the Rangers, Isles or Devils. (Okay, there's probably a decent bit of Ranger-rage - but it's like comparing a gust of wind to a hurricane.)

In fact, as far as I know, even in the NBA and MLB, there aren't any significant international rivalries - granted, that would be limited to the Toronto team. But from what I gather, Blue Jays and Raptors tickets are pretty "meh" in terms of secondary market sales. And even in the rest of the NHL, there aren't too many other rivalries that cross borders - perhaps Sabres/Leafs is probably historically the strongest, with perhaps some leftover bitterness in the Bruins/Cancuks rivalry from 2011.

 

[Bruins Uncensored]

How the divisions should be aligned

Boston
Montreal
Ottawa
Quebec

NYI
NYR
NJ
Was

Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Buffalo
Toronto

Nashville
Carolina
Florida
Tampa

Detroit
Chicago
St Louis
Columbus

Dallas
Colorado
Phoenix
Las Vegas

Winnipeg
Calgary
Edmonton
Minnesota

Vancouver
San Jose
Los Angeles
Anaheim

I don't buy all Canadian divisions, and this alignment retains great rivalries, and reignites some great rivalries from the past, and they also make sense geographically.

I would even go so far as to say that every division winner makes the playoffs and then the top 8 non division winners by point total regardless of conference as wildcards.

Seed division winners at top 8 seeds and 8 wildcards 9 through 16.

I would love to eliminate the east tree and west tree and have it set up so any two teams could meet in the finals again, but that is a pipe-dream.

 

[08SeaBass08]

How the divisions should be aligned

Boston
Montreal
Ottawa
Quebec

NYI
NYR
NJ
Was

Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Buffalo
Toronto

Nashville
Carolina
Florida
Tampa

Detroit
Chicago
St Louis
Columbus

Dallas
Colorado
Phoenix
Las Vegas

Winnipeg
Calgary
Edmonton
Minnesota

Vancouver
San Jose
Los Angeles
Anaheim

I don't buy all Canadian divisions, and this alignment retains great rivalries, and reignites some great rivalries from the past, and they also make sense geographically.

I would even go so far as to say that every division winner makes the playoffs and then the top 8 non division winners by point total regardless of conference as wildcards.

Seed division winners at top 8 seeds and 8 wildcards 9 through 16.

I would love to eliminate the east tree and west tree and have it set up so any two teams could meet in the finals again, but that is a pipe-dream.

Agreed on all points, and would add how easy it would be to switch Minnesota and Arizona, if /when the 'yotes move to Seattle.