NHL Realignment Announced - not good for the Canes -- UPDATED

[Jagee44]

Uneven divisions is such BS.

 

[tarheelhockey]

There's no way we compete consistently in this division unless we spend to the cap. We aren't competing consistently in our ****** division now for ****s sake. Ultimately I think this alignment is sure to put the death knell in a few small market teams. No one is going to watch when their team is perennially battling it out just to not finish in the cellar of the division amongst the budget clubs in the NHL. Of course big market teams will have down years, allowing small market teams a better chance, but that's only if we're not bad/mediocre ourselves. NHL should add relegation just to give small market teams something to follow/care about since more often than not playoffs will be mostly a pipe dream.

So what about the years when we do have good teams?

 

[vwg*]

So what about the years when we do have good teams?

What about them, except that they'll be even rarer in this new alignment unless we start spending to the cap? Our decent start this season must be making people think it'll be the same way in a new division, but Hurricanes history recent history shows us otherwise. Our pattern of making the playoffs will become worse unless we become more financially competitive year in and year out. I won't hold my breath for that though.

 

[vwg*]

Karmanos will probably be lining his pockets with extra ticket revenue due to our new rivals fanbases packing our building so at least that can make up for lost playoff revenue.

 

[cptjeff]

What about them, except that they'll be even rarer in this new alignment unless we start spending to the cap? Our decent start this season must be making people think it'll be the same way in a new division, but Hurricanes history recent history shows us otherwise. Our pattern of making the playoffs will become worse unless we become more financially competitive year in and year out. I won't hold my breath for that though.

We do play against those teams now, you know, and don't always suffer because we don't spend to the cap. Though with the lower cap and the increased revenue from playing the league's big draws rather than another night with Winnipeg or Florida playing once again, we'll be in a position to charge more money for tickets, sell more tickets, and spend more money.

 

[tarheelhockey]

What about them,

What do you mean, what about them?

You said that we would "have a chance" in seasons when the big-market teams have to rebuild, as long as we're not also bad at the same time. Well, what about when we're good AND the big-market teams are good? Those are not mutually exclusive.

 

[My Special Purpose]

As is typical of the NHL, the fix is worse than the problem.

 

[DaveG]

What do you mean, what about them?

You said that we would "have a chance" in seasons when the big-market teams have to rebuild, as long as we're not also bad at the same time. Well, what about when we're good AND the big-market teams are good? Those are not mutually exclusive.

Exactly. The number of truly bad seasons that the Devils and Flyers have had over the past 20 years can be counted on one hand.
The Rangers can and will try to buy their way out of any problem seasons. It's been mixed results for them in the past but that's the kind of team we're up against now, one we realistically have to out-think, out-draft, and out-develop because there's no way in hell we can out-spend.
Who knows what the Pens and Isles will be long term with their new arena situations. Both have typically been low spenders in the past couple decades but the new ownership allowed the Pens to spend and their new arena will allow them to spend even more. Won't be shocked if that happens with the Isles as well.
Caps, Jackets, and Canes aren't big spenders, though the Caps at least CAN be. Leave it to the NHL to screw up what should have been a very very simple fix.

 

[caniac247]

You can kiss the playoffs good bye. Better hope they make it this year, cause it'll be the last time.

There is no way this team will beat out the likes of Pens, Flyers, Devils for a top 3 spot. I mean, the Flyers in their worse years, we can't beat them. Then the wildcard thing is stupid. The other East division is so much easier that I could see both wildcards coming from that division.

Another reason to hate this. Is having to deal with Pens, Rangers, and Flyers fan invade the building and be ***** more than twice a year.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

Sorry to interrupt the doom and gloom, but in the new setting we would currently be tied for 3rd with New Jersey.

 

[Sasha Cares]

Only the NHL could **** this up. Uneven divisions is ********. Contract 2 teams and then it's ok. Adding two would suck. But that's the ONLY reason I can see they did this. So stupid.

 

[Sasha Cares]

Sorry to interrupt the doom and gloom, but in the new setting we would currently be tied for 3rd with New Jersey.

So ur saying were also tied for first team out of the non wild cards?

 

[Sasha Cares]

Why Win and CBJ or Nash were not switched, I'll never understand.

 

[bleedgreen]

Karmanos will probably be lining his pockets with extra ticket revenue due to our new rivals fanbases packing our building so at least that can make up for lost playoff revenue.

This can't be understated. The whalers would've been a rich team if they played the rangers and bruins every night. Down there with all the transplants, this division placement will be very helpful.

 

[Sasha Cares]

We basically just became the orioles and blue jays. Once a decade runs. Only thing different is they actually have the revenue to spend when they see a chance.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

So ur saying were also tied for first team out of the non wild cards?

If you're that determined to declare the sky is falling down...

 

[Sasha Cares]

It's true though.

 

[What the Faulk]

Typical HF Canes *****fest. Guess everyone is forgetting that they're 4-2-1 against their new "rivals" this year. The only reason they're tied with New Jersey for "first team out of the non wildcards" is the fact that they're abysmal against the current Southeast.

Why Win and CBJ or Nash were not switched, I'll never understand.

Because it was never that simple. Nashville was never coming East because they're in the Central time zone. Dallas wanted to not be in a better division and Detroit wanted to come East.

 

[Sasha Cares]

So Dallas gets priority over Car? It's dumb. And yes THIS year we have that record. I'm interested in our record the previous 3 years.

The time zone this is STUPID.

 

[What the Faulk]

So Dallas gets priority over Car? It's dumb. And yes THIS year we have that record. I'm interested in our record the previous 3 years.

The time zone this is STUPID.

Well, yeah. Why would the NHL feel Carolina is getting slighted here? They're not.

Time zones matter, whether you like it or not.

Since the previous lockout, the Canes have had 1 abysmal year (last) and 2 very successful years against the current Atlantic. The 2 successful years have been playoff years, and they don't include this year. The rest have been within a few points of .500 either way. I think they'll be OK.

 

[Lazyking]

If the league was like the NFL, we wouldn't have to worry about Carolina having to go to the new Atlantic to help sell tickets.

i still think the team will be fine in the long run.

 

[Joe McGrath]

This set up is bad for the Hurricanes playoff chances, yes. To say its unfair because of unbalanced divisions is also fair (2016 expansion is pretty much guranteed).

To suggest that WHO they are in the division with is somehow unfair is just pathetic. This is a team that's been in the southeast for almost the entirety of its existence and the division has been a bottom 2 division almost every season so any *****ing about the fairness of the skill level of the teams they will now play just looks stupid.

 

[Sasha Cares]

It's about money fairness. We are in a division with 3 of 4-6 teams that can and will spend more. We can't compete with them for UFAs and now we get them more. It's just one mans opinion though.

 

[caniac247]

It's about money fairness. We are in a division with 3 of 4-6 teams that can and will spend more. We can't compete with them for UFAs and now we get them more. It's just one mans opinion though.

This. Unless PK is willing to spend to the cap and by that I mean have quality players in our top 6, not overpriced 3rd line pluggers, it's going to be very difficult.

 

[tarheelhockey]

And yes THIS year we have that record. I'm interested in our record the previous 3 years.

The previous 3 years we were in open rebuilding mode after dismantling an aged-out Cup winning team. Of course they were bad during a rebuild, that's what a rebuild IS.

As for the money thing, I still don't see a difference between this and the new-Northeast, where you have a trio of Original Six teams which are going to spend just as much and be just as difficult to play against long-term.

The bottom line is that we have been in an incredibly weak division for a long time, and got almost nothing out of it but 12 crappy home games a year. We're moving to a division where you actually have to be good to win, like almost every other team has dealt with for their entire existence. Which is fine, because we weren't winning the division or receiving freebie playoff seeds anyway. Now, at least we get a decent schedule and more revenue to build a competitive team.

I don't buy the argument that we should want to be in the weakest division possible. Let's take what we're given and win the damn thing.