TSN: Re-alignment

[BowDangles]

Pierre LeBrun ‏@Real_ESPNLeBrun
Via news release, NHLPA says it has given consent to NHL on its proposed re-alignment, to be re-evaluated after the 2014-15 season

What do you guys think of the new re-alignment? We are in a division of Edmonton, Vancouver, Calgary, San Jose, Anaheim, Los Angeles and Phoenix.

Top three teams make it from both Western divisions than there are two wild card spots for the teams with most points not in the playoffs.

Click to read more...

 

[McOilbleeder]

I'm not sure I like it for us. We trade Colorado and Minny for Anaheim, LAK, Phoenix and San Jose.

Yeah we never beat Minny, but I'm far more worried of our guys getting the snot hit out of them with the new opponents than I was when we had the Avs and Minny to worry about.

 

[Moonlapse Vertigo]

We're ****ed.

 

[Joey Moss]

So we lose Minnesota and Colorado, gain Phoenix and Los Angeles.. ugh.

I don't like the looks of this division. Going to be very hard to make the playoffs in the next few years. On the plus side.. maybe traveling to California and Arizona makes our team a more attractive destination for Free Agents.

 

[misfit]

I just don't like the uneven conferences. I don't know why they didn't just move Winnipeg to the west and Detroit or Columbus to the east.

But in the end, I really don't care all that much.

 

[Moonlapse Vertigo]

So we lose Minnesota and Colorado, gain Phoenix and Los Angeles.. ugh.

I don't like the looks of this division. Going to be very hard to make the playoffs in the next few years. On the plus side.. maybe traveling to California and Arizona makes our team a more attractive destination for Free Agents.

Don't forget about a resurgent Anaheim. We've been a doormat for a long, long time and moving to this division doesn't help in the slightest.

 

[Hockey Nightmare]

Under the new plan don't we play every Eastern conference team at least twice a season? If so, wouldn't that help?

 

[Master Lok]

We're ****ed.

So...... business as usual?

 

[402]

We have a 7% greater chance at making the playoffs over eastern teams, i don't mind it.

 

[Musashi]

So we lose Minnesota and Colorado, gain Phoenix and Los Angeles.. ugh.

I don't like the looks of this division. Going to be very hard to make the playoffs in the next few years. On the plus side.. maybe traveling to California and Arizona makes our team a more attractive destination for Free Agents.

I agree

But its going to be funny to pitch the idea to free agents tho. Why sign in California, when you can travel there all year!

 

[Joey Moss]

Don't forget about a resurgent Anaheim. We've been a doormat for a long, long time and moving to this division doesn't help in the slightest.

I was referring to extremely boring teams to watch. The only teams I'm worried about are LA and Vancouver. Anaheim is overachieving, Phoenix is a team we can beat, San Jose is regressing every year, Calgary sucks and will suck for a while. Next year I think we'll have to compete for a wildcard to make the playoffs but after that I see Los Angeles as the team that will give us a hard time in 2-3 years while San Jose and Vancouver will still be competitive but not nearly as good.

 

[Blue And Orange]

I hate this realignment in every way.

Firstly, not a fan of the four division format. If you go for the four division format, either fold two teams or add two teams to make the number of teams a number divisible by four.

Secondly, not a fan of unbalanced conferences. 14 teams in the West vs 16 teams in the East..how is that fair. I shouldn't complain too much because 14 teams means 7% better chance of making the playoffs but still. THey couldve kept Detroit in the West and retained the Chicago-Detroit rivalry.

Thirdly, why put Florida and Tampa Bay in the same division with Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Buffalo, Boston, Detroit? Wouldn't it make more sense to put two geographically closer teams (Pittsburgh and Columbus) with that group as opposed to the two Florida teams.

Northeast Division: OTT, TOR, BUF, BOS, DET, MON, CBJ, PGH

Southeast Division: NYR, NYI, NJD, PHI, CAR, WSH, FLA, TB

IMO, switching those two would make more geographical sense. Yes I understand the PGH/PHI rivalry is huge and you want them in the same division, but the fact of the matter is, if you can break up the DET/CHI rivalry, you can break the pens/flyers rivalry, besides they're in the same conference, its not like you're putting the two Pennsylvannia teams in separate conferences like you are with detroit and chicago.

And Lastly, what happens if you have a situation where PHX moves to Quebec City? Does that mean we're going to have 13 teams in the West vs 17 teams in the East. Are we going to have to move Detroit and/or Columbus back in the West after they fought so hard to be put in the East?

 

[Moonlapse Vertigo]

I was referring to extremely boring teams to watch. The only teams I'm worried about are LA and Vancouver. Anaheim is overachieving, Phoenix is a team we can beat, San Jose is regressing every year, Calgary sucks and will suck for a while. Next year I think we'll have to compete for a wildcard to make the playoffs but after that I see Los Angeles as the team that will give us a hard time in 2-3 years while San Jose and Vancouver will still be competitive but not nearly as good.

I think that Vancouver is on a significant downswing... and that's just another reason why I'm so frustrated about our results this season. They're more vulnerable than they've ever been post-2007 and this division is up for grabs. Unfortunately with this re-alignment plan we're seeing elite teams being re-introduced to our division.

 

[s7ark]

Yay. Fewer Wild games. Now we get the Kings and Yotes. Yawn. Man I hate the west.

 

[The Pouzar]

Except for the fact that there will be more 8:30 starts, it's not bad.

 

[Delicious Pancakes]

I hate this realignment in every way.

Firstly, not a fan of the four division format. If you go for the four division format, either fold two teams or add two teams to make the number of teams a number divisible by four.

Secondly, not a fan of unbalanced conferences. 14 teams in the West vs 16 teams in the East..how is that fair. I shouldn't complain too much because 14 teams means 7% better chance of making the playoffs but still. THey couldve kept Detroit in the West and retained the Chicago-Detroit rivalry.

Thirdly, why put Florida and Tampa Bay in the same division with Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Buffalo, Boston, Detroit? Wouldn't it make more sense to put two geographically closer teams (Pittsburgh and Columbus) with that group as opposed to the two Florida teams.

Northeast Division: OTT, TOR, BUF, BOS, DET, MON, CBJ, PGH

Southeast Division: NYR, NYI, NJD, PHI, CAR, WSH, FLA, TB

IMO, switching those two would make more geographical sense. Yes I understand the PGH/PHI rivalry is huge and you want them in the same division, but the fact of the matter is, if you can break up the DET/CHI rivalry, you can break the pens/flyers rivalry, besides they're in the same conference, its not like you're putting the two Pennsylvannia teams in separate conferences like you are with detroit and chicago.

And Lastly, what happens if you have a situation where PHX moves to Quebec City? Does that mean we're going to have 13 teams in the West vs 17 teams in the East. Are we going to have to move Detroit and/or Columbus back in the West after they fought so hard to be put in the East?

You can't split up Pittsburgh and Philly, too big of a rivalry.

 

[Joey Moss]

You can't split up Pittsburgh and Philly, too big of a rivalry.

Plus they're in the same state. It would be like putting Edmonton and Calgary in separate divisions.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

We're ****ed.

If we're ******, then Columbus is the mattress. They are now in a division with Philly, Pittsburgh, the Rangers, Devils, (Caps & Islanders are also in it).

I would not want to be them.

 

[jsho]

This is what the should have done....

Move Nashville to the SouthEast Division
Move Minnesota to the Central Division
Move Winnipeg to the NorthWest Division

Would have worked the best I think.

 

[I am the Liquor]

Lots of late night games. Bad news for Oil fans out east.

 

[McOilbleeder]

This is what the should have done....

Move Nashville to the SouthEast Division
Move Minnesota to the Central Division
Move Winnipeg to the NorthWest Division

Would have worked the best I think.

I'm with you, which leads to me think they are hoping for expansion.

NW:
Oil
Van
Flames
Jets
Wild

Pacific:
SJS
Pho
LAK
Ana
Col

Central:
Dallas
St. Louis
Chicago
Detroit
CBJ

SE:
Nashville
Tampa
Florida
Washington
Carolina

Leaving both the NE and Atlantic divisions the same.

 

[molsonmuscle360]

I can almost guarantee it will be Winnipeg and not Phoenix in our division next year. I would imagine there is a caveat in the realignment that have Winnipeg going to the Pacific if and when Phoenix moves to QC.

 

[Mr Forever]

Northeast Division: OTT, TOR, BUF, BOS, DET, MON, CBJ, PGH

Southeast Division: NYR, NYI, NJD, PHI, CAR, WSH, FLA, TB

 

[Toydarian]

Vancouver: Rival. Sedin's own the Oilers
Calgary: Rival. Own the Oilers
San Jose: Own the Oilers
Anaheim: Own the Oilers
Los Angeles: Boring. Own the Oilers
Phoenix: Boring as hell

 

[Joey Moss]

I don't understand having Detroit in the East.. I know they want to be but I think travel should be more of an issue than time zones. Nashville and Columbus makes more sense to move into the East.

EDM, CGY, PHX, VAN, SJS, ANA, LAK

FLA, TBL, NSH, CAR, WSH, CBJ, NJD, NYI

WPG, MIN, DET, STL, CHI, DAL, COL

NYR, BOS, BUF, TOR, MTL, OTT, PHI, PIT

Makes the most sense to me but not everyone will be satisfied.