TSN: Re-alignment

[Blue And Orange]

Facepalm just like splitting Detroit and Chicago into two separate conferences.

 

[MessierII]

I don't see how any shakeup to the current format could negatively effect this team. I'm stoked to see all those eastern teams more often.

 

[Sloth Slothersons*]

I don't see how any shakeup to the current format could negatively effect this team. I'm stoked to see all those eastern teams more often.

^This. We can't get much worse. Hopefully we'll be good soon and be able to form a really entertaining and competitive division.

 

[0ilerman]

Awesome that we'll see Pittsburgh and Boston as often as Minni and CBJ

 

[The Nuge]

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

Yep. 32 games against teams we're better suited for. We might suck right now, and be getting harder division rivals, but the realignment will help our record imo

 

[La Bamba]

Why can't they just keep the 2 conference, 15 teams in each format? There is nothing wrong with it, just swap some teams around instead of making unbalanced conferences.

 

[jsho]

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

We are the worst team in the NHL of the last 7 years....are there any teams that don't own us?

 

[nexttothemoon]

Just fyi... the reason they put Flo and TB in the same division as Mont/Tor/Ott is because of the snowbird factor. It may not be logical geographically but the league wants to milk the fact that a lot of Canadians/Senators/Leafs fans are down in Florida in the winter months and those two southern teams need all the help they can get to help fill the stands.

 

[Replacement*]

Maybe we can get "realigned" to the AHL.

 

[Replacement*]

Just fyi... the reason they put Flo and TB in the same division as Mont/Tor/Ott is because of the snowbird factor. It may not be logical geographically but the league wants to milk the fact that a lot of Canadians/Senators/Leafs fans are down in Florida in the winter months and those two southern teams need all the help they can get to help fill the stands.

With the Quebec and Ontario economy as bad as they've been are their really that many wintering snowbirds anymore from those provinces? Quebec particularly.

Its a desperate sounding idea.

The same NHL logic put a team in Nashville because they figured some ex detroit car plants getting shifted to Music city might make the Preds sing.

The NHL never thought this through very well.

 

[pocketful]

I am just not excited about our own conference.

 

[WaitingForUser]

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.

4 and a half hours away from each other.

As much as it sucks DET should be and should have always been in the east.

 

[Moonlapse Vertigo]

Maybe we can get "realigned" to the AHL.

They'd probably be a borderline "lottery" team in the AHL as well.

 

[nexttothemoon]

I think the realignment format is somewhat stupid as well... but I agree... since it's easier to make the playoffs in a 14 team conference than with 16 and knowing the Oilers obviously need all the help they can muster at this stage... if it has to be done... so be it.

 

[shoop]

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.

Phoenix to QC provides major headaches for the league as it adds another geographically eastern based team when the eastern conference would already have 16 teams. fwiw I was in Phoenix in the fall and the rare occasions when the Coyotes were mentioned on sports talk radio the discussion was about the strike or new local ownership, with no mention of relocation.

Moving Winnipeg to the new Pacific division is crazy. Five teams in the Pacific time zone and one in the Central? Winnipeg would rightly fight that one tooth and nail.

 

[Soundwave]

Shrugs. I don't really even care at this point, any divisional reallignment isn't helping/hurting the Oilers much as I see it unless the Oilers were in a division with the Islanders, Blue Jackets, Panthers, and Leafs.

That would help us.

 

[joestevens29]

With the Quebec and Ontario economy as bad as they've been are their really that many wintering snowbirds anymore from those provinces? Quebec particularly.

Its a desperate sounding idea.

The same NHL logic put a team in Nashville because they figured some ex detroit car plants getting shifted to Music city might make the Preds sing.

The NHL never thought this through very well.

There are still a lot, if you are at the point where you are a snowbird the economy isn't hurting you that much. You have your money saved up and it's in real low risk investments.

 

[joestevens29]

No matter what is done you will never please everyone, it's really that simple.

 

[oilfaninvan]

With the Quebec and Ontario economy as bad as they've been are their really that many wintering snowbirds anymore from those provinces? Quebec particularly.

Its a desperate sounding idea.

The same NHL logic put a team in Nashville because they figured some ex detroit car plants getting shifted to Music city might make the Preds sing.

The NHL never thought this through very well.

YES. Especially Quebec.

Not just snowbirds but permanent residents too.

 

[Replacement*]

There are still a lot, if you are at the point where you are a snowbird the economy isn't hurting you that much. You have your money saved up and it's in real low risk investments.

Good point. That wouldn't be sustainable however. Not sure the demand is there right now(and then only for lowcost tickets) The Florida teams are basically discounted tickets.

YES. Especially Quebec.

Not just snowbirds but permanent residents too.

Hard to imagine. Overall economy has struggled for a long time in Quebec is what we keep hearing about.

Still, a very strange concept thinking that a small population of immigrants or snowbirds to an area is going to prop up the local hockey team.

Remember everybody laughing when the CFL expanded into markets like Las Vegas because a lot of Canadians go there?

Seems desperate on the NHL's part and as we've seen it hasn't worked out all that well.

 

[Mr Forever]

Can the Oilers beat a top AHL team?

 

[joestevens29]

Good point. That wouldn't be sustainable however. Not sure the demand is there right now(and then only for lowcost tickets) The Florida teams are basically discounted tickets.



Hard to imagine. Overall economy has struggled for a long time in Quebec is what we keep hearing about.

Still, a very strange concept thinking that a small population of immigrants or snowbirds to an area is going to prop up the local hockey team.

Remember everybody laughing when the CFL expanded into markets like Las Vegas because a lot of Canadians go there?

Seems desperate on the NHL's part and as we've seen it hasn't worked out all that well.

You and I both know discounted seats or not, if those Florida teams can benefit in anyway from snowbirds then the NHL will use that to their advantage.

As for Vegas, ya lots of people go there. In the winter. That and whoever thought canadians that go to Vegas for a 4 day trip would go to a CFL game is a moron.

 

[OilerNut*]

Just break up the league in 3 divisions, where if you win the division you get bumped up to the next, or if you finish last you get dropped down a division.

 

[oilfaninvan]

Hard to imagine. Overall economy has struggled for a long time in Quebec is what we keep hearing about.

Still, a very strange concept thinking that a small population of immigrants or snowbirds to an area is going to prop up the local hockey team.

Remember everybody laughing when the CFL expanded into markets like Las Vegas because a lot of Canadians go there?

Seems desperate on the NHL's part and as we've seen it hasn't worked out all that well.

It's not hard to imagine when you have seen it. I have family there, so I know.

It's not desperate, it's logical. The Eastern Canadian teams are a big draw in FL. I can tell you from firsthand experience the number of Canadians that not only live there permanently (residents & citizens), but the number of them that show up to Canadian team games, whether residents, snowbirds, or tourists.

Obviously Canadians are not going to "prop" up these teams or comprise the team's entire fan base, but that's not the logic here.

For once Florida is in a VERY interesting division. Buffalo, Boston, Detroit, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Tampa Bay, Florida. I'm happy for the Florida teams and I hope they thrive.

 

[Moonlapse Vertigo]

Can the Oilers beat a top AHL team?

I doubt it. Eberle, RNH, Hall and J. Schultz struggled to win games in the AHL.