Realignment and the affects on the Canucks next year

[canucksfan100]

With only 3 teams making it from a division and there only being 2 wildcard spots and not playing Calgary, Colorado, Edmonton 6 times a year will hurt. We could play EDM or CGY 4 Games, not to mention playing SJ, LA, PHX, ANA each one more time will hurt.

This is our Division.
ANA
SJ
LA
PHX
VAN
CGY
EDM

I think this is how our division finishes.
1. LA
2. SJ
3. ANA
=============
4. VAN
5. EDM
6. PHX
7. CGY

Where in that case, we will be fighting for a wildcard spot to play the top team in one of the divisions.

I see ANA, SJ, LA making it next year, but even if we make it we may have to play CHI/LA/STL etc every year in the 1st round unless we are 2nd or 3rd, where we play one of SJ/ANA/LA every year as i dont believe EDM will make it. We dont have the luxary of playing a less physical team like MIN, DET, DAL, NSH like we have in the past. Odds are we will be facing a team from the pacific(LA/SJ/ANA) or either STL/CHI in the 1st round for the next while as NSH, CGY are rebuilding. COL and EDM could be put in that group of rebuilding too.

Do you think this new Playoff format hurts us? Also how do you think we finish?

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[Nucker101]

Way too early to make any realistic prediction before the draft, free agency and off-season. Especially from a Canucks perspective where it's very likely that they'll be an entirely new coaching staff and a few significant roster changes. It's also obvious that the new format is not favourable compared to playing in the NW division. The only upside is that the Eastern divisions/conferences have more teams and this format also means less travel for the Canucks. Long-term you have to like it for those 2 reasons, but in the short-term clearly the NW division was more favourable for Vancouver.

 

[opendoor]

I don't see the division as being that big of a deal for the Canucks. LA is the only team who I see as a pretty much guarantee to get in and even then they've had a couple of underwhelming regular seasons the last 2 years.

Anaheim wasn't as good as their record would suggest and is going to be spending 1/4 of their cap on 2 guys and have older guys like Selanne (42), Koivu (38), Souray (37), and Beauchemin (33) playing key roles on their team.

San Jose's success this year was largely built on Niemi playing extremely well while starting 90% of their games. Is that going to hold up over an 82 game season? Not to mention 2 of their top 3 scorers (and 4 of their top 8) were born in the '70s. If people are heralding the 32 year old Sedins' decline, then what about Thornton, Marleau, and Boyle?

I don't see why either Anaheim's or San Jose's short term regular season prognosis is any better than the Canucks. Then you have Calgary and Phoenix who are kind of limbo right now and probably not a threat to make the playoffs in the short term. Edmonton is a bit of a wild card, but they've failed to impress so far.

The Canucks can't play worth a **** in the playoffs, but they're still a good regular season team, especially now that they'll get 32 games against the Eastern Conference.

 

[vector209]

It's like Nuckler said: this thread is a little premature, given that the Canucks are likely going to look like a pretty different team after the summer.