NHL to Seattle Volume XVI - It's Official. Seattle to join the league for 21-22 season.

[gstommylee]

The Yotes arguably need more help at the gate with relatively nearby rivals and Arizona's time factor would be an issue with a sometimes three-time zone Central (which would notably be during playoff time). I'm not saying I favor it, just that I wouldn't be surprised.

And truth be told, I don't think that Seattle would really view the Alberta teams as geographic rivals compared to the California teams and obviously Vancouver.

Seattle 3 closest teams right now is Vancouver Edmonton and Calgary and i am sure the alberta teams would be thrilled to have anther closer team. SO why should all 4 teams + Central division vote yes for longer travel? It's just not going to happen. you are perfect okay to force dallas st louis and Nashville travel longer for the sake of the coyotes? I can argue that those 7 teams aren't okay with it.

Bettman like i said already hinted there won't be any major realignment.


Us fans can debate all we want but we are not the ones paying for those team travel expenses. the own point of the current alignment was to reduce travel distance as much as possible. Its perfect but there is no reason why the league should make it worse just for the sake of 1 club.

The NHL will decide as a whole on how the alignment will be and they are going to look at their own interest not just the coyotes. That's the angle I am taking the issue on.

 

[Dirty Old Man]

Seattle 3 closest teams right now is Vancouver Edmonton and Calgary and i am sure the alberta teams would be thrilled to have anther closer team. SO why should all 4 teams + Central division vote yes for longer travel? It's just not going to happen. you are perfect okay to force dallas st louis and Nashville travel longer for the sake of the coyotes? I can argue that those 7 teams aren't okay with it.

(Ugh, I lied. I'm not giving up.)

It is just as easily argued that there are 7 teams that absolutely ARE okay with it. Please tell me you understand that. We won't solve this here, but please understand why there isn't only one option, the one you favor.

Look up the distances from LA&Anaheim, Vegas, and San Jose to Denver and Phoenix. Then the distances from those cities to Calgary and Edmonton. Note the difference.

Now look up the distances from Minneapolis and Winnipeg to Denver and Phoenix. Then the distances from those to Calgary and Edmonton. Note the difference.

The point is: counter to what you seem to believe, the Coyotes are NOT the only team that benefits from that alignment. Do they benefit the most? Sure. But that alignment would get a lot of support were it put to vote among owners.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Seattle 3 closest teams right now is Vancouver Edmonton and Calgary and i am sure the alberta teams would be thrilled to have anther closer team. SO why should all 4 teams + Central division vote yes for longer travel? It's just not going to happen. you are perfect okay to force dallas st louis and Nashville travel longer for the sake of the coyotes? I can argue that those 7 teams aren't okay with it.

Bettman like i said already hinted there won't be any major realignment.


Us fans can debate all we want but we are not the ones paying for those team travel expenses. the own point of the current alignment was to reduce travel distance as much as possible. Its perfect but there is no reason why the league should make it worse just for the sake of 1 club.

The NHL will decide as a whole on how the alignment will be and they are going to look at their own interest not just the coyotes. That's the angle I am taking the issue on.

What longer travel? There's really no difference between the Central having Colorado and Arizona versus having Edmonton and Calgary from an airfare perspective. Maybe an extra hour in the air easily fixed if they also couple both Alberta teams on road trips compared to Colorado and Arizona. All things considered, if Bettman wanted that over just adding the Yotes to the Central, I think the issue would be that there wouldn't be enough opposition to block it. Even if Colorado, Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary were opposed, I don't think very many other teams would be opposed, and as long as Seattle has Vancouver and California they'll be happy regardless. East wouldn't care, most of the Central wouldn't care, and the American Pacific teams probably wouldn't care. It'd probably be something like 28-4 or 27-5 in the BoG.

 

[gstommylee]

And what make you think the alberta teams want to move to central divison? if i could guess there are more teams that would be unhappy about making the alberta teams play in central just for the sake of 1 team.

The whole current alignment was designed to reduce travel not to extend travel.

The NHL again works as a collective bunch and i just don't see them throwing a number of teams under the bus like that just for the sake of one.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Again, you're making points that I'm not arguing against. As stated, even if Alberta and Vancouver and Colorado and even Seattle (which I doubt) would hate it, I don't think anyone else would, and the notion that it'd be a longer travel schedule doesn't make sense. We're not talking about teams losing very proximate rivals in the Central, we're talking about two relatively isolated teams in a division versus two other fairly isolated teams. And if only a handful of teams don't like it, the number of teams that'd probably just rubber stamp it if Bettman wanted that alignment would be more than enough to push it through. Dallas and Nashville wouldn't look at flights to Alberta versus flights to Arizona and Colorado as really much different.

 

[superdeluxe]

If you are in the area, NHLSeattle is hosting a viewing party and Coach Dave Tippett will be there (And thats me in the Bottom left corner):

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Hmm.... I wonder who Seattle's first coach is going to be.... hmm....

 

[snovalleyhockeyfan]

Hmm.... I wonder who Seattle's first coach is going to be.... hmm....

No. I doubt it. Maybe in senior front office role but not as coach. Took job 1/2 for the franchise aspect of it the other 1/2 to be closer to family here in western Washington. And I'd beg a strong guess he's probably enjoying that second 1/2 a lot these days. He's earned it.

 

[FinnHab]

Talking about Seattle franchise`s name. I wonder if they do the same as Ottawa did, get that good ol name from 20`s NHL era?

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Metropolitans is solid, but them existing in a different division from the Metropolitan division would be even dumber than the Nationals of the National League in baseball, so I doubt it. Also, I would expect them to go a wholly unique route versus using a name also used by a different team, especially as their shorthand would assuredly be Mets and not Metros. Plus, it's not like they have a cultural affinity to the moniker like Winnipeg had with the Jets.

Still hoping they buy the Thunderbirds naming rights, but probably some random new name or name the team contest.

 

[Pilky01]

I dont like the Metropolitans name.

I hope they go with green as a primary colour with some combo of blue, silver or yellow trim.

 

[LadyStanley]

I like this one. Here'd be my groupings:
Pacific A-SEA, VAN, CGY, EDM
Pacific B-SJ, LA, ANA, LV
Central A-WPG, CHI, STL, MIN
Central B-COL, AZ, DAL, NSH
Atlantic A-MTL, TOR, OTT, DET
Atlantic B-BUF, BOS, TB, FLA
Metro A-NY teams and PHI
Metro B-PIT, WSH, CBJ, CAR

3 time zones in that Central B grouping. AZ is MST, never does daylight savings. (So before we fall back, and after we spring forward, it's the same "time" as PT)

 

[MNNumbers]

I like this one. Here'd be my groupings:
Pacific A-SEA, VAN, CGY, EDM
Pacific B-SJ, LA, ANA, LV
Central A-WPG, CHI, STL, MIN
Central B-COL, AZ, DAL, NSH
Atlantic A-MTL, TOR, OTT, DET
Atlantic B-BUF, BOS, TB, FLA
Metro A-NY teams and PHI
Metro B-PIT, WSH, CBJ, CAR

3 time zones in that Central B grouping. AZ is MST, never does daylight savings. (So before we fall back, and after we spring forward, it's the same "time" as PT)

Which is unavoidable unless you do this:
Pac A: VAN, SEA, SJ, COL
Pac B: ARZ, VGK, ANA, LAK
Cen A: WPG, CGY, EDM, MIN
Cen B: CHI, STL, DAL, NAS
Metro A: NY, NY, NJ, WAS
Metro B: PIT, PHI, CBJ, CAR
Atl A: MTL, BOS, TBL, FLO
Atl B: TOR, DET, BUF, OTT

But, herein lies the problem....While that works well for the west (except for those who think that Colorado and Arizona should swap with Calgary and Edmonton), the old-time rivalries in the East don't work well. No one in the Atlantic would WANT the extra games with the Florida teams, for example.

Which is why, if they do this, there is a reasonable chance that the POD system never happens, and the schedule is a straight 5/4 - 2. In which you play your division 5 times (except one team on a rotating basis, with whom you have 4), and 2 with all the other 24 teams.

 

[TheLegend]

No. I doubt it. Maybe in senior front office role but not as coach. Took job 1/2 for the franchise aspect of it the other 1/2 to be closer to family here in western Washington. And I'd beg a strong guess he's probably enjoying that second 1/2 a lot these days. He's earned it.

He had both here in Arizona.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Talking about Seattle franchise`s name. I wonder if they do the same as Ottawa did, get that good ol name from 20`s NHL era?

And pretend they are the same team?

 

[Mightygoose]

They don't have to pretend they're the same team to have that name.

I would be OK if they hang the 1919 Cup banner. Just don't place it where future a achievement banners (modern cup, conference, division) go.

Put it with where more 'ceremonial, banners would go...innagual season, future all star games, future retired players etc...

 

[tank44]

Re: alignments.... I calculated the air distances betweeen the western conference franchises. In the end, it's either 1.5 games at Edm/Cgy or 2 (assuming 3 games vs conference and 4 games vs in division). As mentioned many times, the road trips are indeed trips and not just one off destinations. You also ahve to figure the entire central division here and not just the Pacific i.e. what does NSH, DAL & CHI want to see? I would assume they'd rather have COL & AZ since A> closer to them and B> less border crossings.

Teams that benefit from Alberta teams in Pacific: Edm, Cgy, Van, Sea, Dal, Min, Chi, Stl, Nsh & Col (10 teams)
Teams that benefit from Col & Az in Pacific: Az, LV, LA, Anh, SJS, Wpg (6 teams)

	Distance saved (mi)
	Edm-Cgy in Pac	Col-AZ in Pac
SEA	561
VAN	706
EDM	985
CGY	1221
SJS		317
LAK		671
ANH		705
VGK		674
AZ		1857
COL	322
DAL	823
WPG		332
MIN	91
CHI	238
STL	446
NSH	505
sum	5898	4556

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[KevFu]

Should do 4 conferences each with 2 divisions of 4. Play division rivals 6x, Conference rivals 4 x, Non Conference teams 2 x for a total of

82 games

That works great if we have eight groups of four sitting around in perfect configuration. But we don't. Everyone's going to yell and scream about who they're placed with and who they're not placed with.


BTW, with 34 teams, you'd have 4 vs conference (64) and one vs other conference (81). One marquee rival an extra game. Boom.

 

[DougieMellon]

Practice facility announcment coming Monday. Northgate.

 

[Dirty Old Man]

Re: alignments.... I calculated the air distances betweeen the western conference franchises. In the end, it's either 1.5 games at Edm/Cgy or 2 (assuming 3 games vs conference and 4 games vs in division). As mentioned many times, the road trips are indeed trips and not just one off destinations. You also ahve to figure the entire central division here and not just the Pacific i.e. what does NSH, DAL & CHI want to see? I would assume they'd rather have COL & AZ since A> closer to them and B> less border crossings.

Teams that benefit from Alberta teams in Pacific: Edm, Cgy, Van, Sea, Dal, Min, Chi, Stl, Nsh & Col (10 teams)
Teams that benefit from Col & Az in Pacific: Az, LV, LA, Anh, SJS, Wpg (6 teams)

I gotta put my IT hat on here, and ask how Calgary can have saved more miles between the alignments than Edmonton? As the Flames would be closer than the Oilers to every other team surely, and all distances would be shorter? There might be a counterintuitive reason I didn't come up with, I just would like to know what that is.

A good point is brought up, though. That teams rarely take single game road trips, and the effects of distance can be lessened by clever scheduling...which also means any differences between these alignments can also be compensated for by scheduling. The optimal schedule does exist, but it probably isn't practical...So you end up with a bunch of give and take and a schedule that's "good enough"

 

[gstommylee]

Practice facility announcment coming Monday. Northgate.

It would have to be northgate mall location. Given that area is being redeveloped and its the only one big enough for a 3 ice rink facility.

With light rail opening up there. That will be a much easier place to get to than i thought it would be.

 

[tank44]

I gotta put my IT hat on here, and ask how Calgary can have saved more miles between the alignments than Edmonton? As the Flames would be closer than the Oilers to every other team surely, and all distances would be shorter? There might be a counterintuitive reason I didn't come up with, I just would like to know what that is.

A good point is brought up, though. That teams rarely take single game road trips, and the effects of distance can be lessened by clever scheduling...which also means any differences between these alignments can also be compensated for by scheduling. The optimal schedule does exist, but it probably isn't practical...So you end up with a bunch of give and take and a schedule that's "good enough"

I went back and forth on my math and it all seems legit re: Edm & Cgy miles. EDM would have more miles in both cases and this is just the difference from the total air miles... Maybe just the

I did have the AZ & COL mileage swapped so that actually makes the overall impact more even between the two options and

For reference: the mileage overall chart I calculated & used. It is interesting the Cgy & Edm difference vary from 2 miles to 150 miles difference. All the way the crow flies.

x	SEA	YVR	sjc	LAX	SNA	LAS	dfw	YWG	msp	ord	STL	BNA
EDM	557	502	1170	1360	1370	1190	1630	738	1080	1420	1490	1760
CGY	452	427	1030	1210	1220	1040	1520	740	1050	1380	1430	1700
AZ	1110	1230	620	369	337	255	865	1360	1270	1440	1260	1440
COL	1020	1110	946	860	844	627	640	782	679	885	768	1010

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Also, HELL YEAH if Northgate is the practice rink site.

 

[JetsFan815]

Northgate is way too far from the Key Arena, esp if you are taking into account peak traffic.

I also wonder what they are going to do about traffic around the Key Area. I don't think the area can handle 100s-1000s more cars on the road around 6 pm which lines up with peak traffic times. I have taken ubers from SLU to Lower Queen Anne/Belltown area a few times when the weather was too crappy to walk, basically swinging right by the arena, it's literally just over a mile ride and can take 30 mins between 4:30 and 7 lol. I don't use a car but it's gonna suck for the car users.

 

[gstommylee]

Northgate is way too far from the Key Arena, esp if you are taking into account peak traffic.

I also wonder what they are going to do about traffic around the Key Area. I don't think the area can handle 100s-1000s more cars on the road around 6 pm which lines up with peak traffic times. I have taken ubers from SLU to Lower Queen Anne/Belltown area a few times when the weather was too crappy to walk, basically swinging right by the arena, it's literally just over a mile ride and can take 30 mins between 4:30 and 7 lol. I don't use a car but it's gonna suck for the car users.

Northgate area has a light rail station opening in 3 years so they must have considered that too.

Key arena used to be home for our NBA team. ANd since its under redevelopment its the only place in Seattle that would work thats also big enough for 3 ice rinks.

 

[Kodi]

My thoughts on realignment are this. I think Seattle would want Calgary and Edmonton in the same division because of money at the gate. If anyone here has ever been to a Mariners/Blue Jays game in Seattle you'd understand how well Canadians travel to the Seattle area. I don't think you'd see anything close to this from Colorado or Arizona.