NHL Realignment: NHL Switches to Four Conferences
by Nick Montemagno on Dec 5, 2011 9:16 PM EST
in NHL News
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PrintAccording to Bob McKenzie of TSN, the NHL Board of Governors has approved a new four-conference alignment format that will take effect next season. The intense debates about the realignment took place today in Pebble Beach, and although the idea was heavily opposed by the Eastern Conference earlier, it eventually was passed this evening.
This will change the scheduling format as well, since it will mean seeing different teams more often than in the past. That could potentially create new rivalries, and also some different-looking playoff matches as well.
The only problem I have with this is that there are still several teams that could potentially relocate in the near future, so that will again result in a change in landscape, won't it? We'll see how it all plays out, but this is going to take some getting used to for sure.
The NHL has yet to announce the plan for how, exactly, the four conferences will be divided and which teams will be included in which conference.
Thanks to Cassie from Raw Charge for her map:
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I’m a little upset we only play Boston, Toronto and Montreal only twice now. Washington 6 times a year though should be cool.
I agree, it ruins the New York and Boston rivalry. I doubt this will last though because more team’s are on the move in addition to Atlanta/Winnipeg.
by jetrangermetfan on Dec 5, 2011 10:26 PM EST up reply actions
Rangers wouldn’t have made the playoffs last season.
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Well I’m a liar then.
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In fact the same 8 eastern teams would’ve made the playoffs (ignoring the fact that they obviously would be playing a different schedule under the new format).
In the West the Kings wouldn’t have made it I think I read.
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Yeah I don't see how we make it past the first round if we have to get out of our division.....
We are going to go to Philadelphia... and we are going to win.- Glen Sather
by RichieToGabbySCORE on Dec 5, 2011 9:52 PM EST reply actions
Be better than the other team? You have to think we are better than Philly and Washington and competitive with Pitt.
Think you’re underrating the other three teams. And the Devils, too.
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by red army line on Dec 5, 2011 11:26 PM EST up reply actions
Every first round matchup will be divisional matchup every year? If that’s true I really don’t like it.
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Detroit will never miss the playoffs again.
We are going to go to Philadelphia... and we are going to win.- Glen Sather
by RichieToGabbySCORE on Dec 5, 2011 9:59 PM EST reply actions
uhm..ow
JimCerny Jim Cerny
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This is a bit more then stupid
It doesnt address the travel problems that well in the west.
It gives the west 2 more teams then the east, and they actually agreed to do that.
we have 30 teams 3,5,6 divisions would work well 4 doesnt divide evenly that was a dumb idea no damn idea why none of them can do some simple math to divide the divisions equally. Unless they are saying that phoenix is getting dissolved in the future as well as a team in the central division.
Its kind of stupid still, and I dont like the idea of playing 6 games against everyone in our division and only 2 in the others we are losing a lot of good games if we dont play teams 4 times.
This could have easily been divided into 6 sections of 5 each and reduce the travel time
sharks, kings, ducks, lanche, coyotes.
canucks, flames, oilers, jets, wild
lightning, panthers, stars, predators, hurricanes
rangers, islanders, devils, flyers, capitals
redwings, blackhawks, blue jackets, blues, penguins
Canadians, senators, maple leafs, bruins, sabres
would make the lightest travel and lets everything make sense
yeah but that makes too much sense.
and we would get rid of the penguins!
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
Darnit Winnipeg! I hope you are happy. Whodda thought that restoring your franchise would entail such a major shakedown?
The Jets are like that 1 extra book, DVD, or video game you have that doesn’t fit anywhere on the shelf, so that you have to change the entire freaking organizational system around to fit it.
"Clever is the eunuch version of funny"
by NYRBlue on Dec 5, 2011 11:06 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
And meanwhile...
They still got f’ed over as they are not with any other West Canadian teams, so the original problem and reason for realignment didn’t even get fixed.
That’s ridiculous! :(
I read that just the conference winner would make the playoffs
That’s only 4 teams. Is that correct?
Team Juggernaut: Jacobs, Hynoski. No one is safe
No. The top 4 teams from each devision/conference make it. So it’s still 16 teams.
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by NYRangerFan718 on Dec 5, 2011 11:13 PM EST up reply actions
Rangers vs Bruins is a possible SC final if they dont link the conferences
by nyrangerfan521 on Dec 5, 2011 11:22 PM EST up reply actions
the conferences aren’t being linked. So yeah that is one possibility.
by CrazyRangerFan on Dec 5, 2011 11:31 PM EST up reply actions
Seems like..
It’ll be football style; four divisions two conferences. But that would also make too much sense.
I like it. I honestly have no problem with it. The only problem is that it kind of screws the 2 Florida teams (Even though the Panther should be gone soon)..
Looking at the map, I would’ve made these changes: Move Winnipeg into the group on the left (Orange) and move Colorado into the Yellow.
Make the Orange Group: 4 Canadian teams with 3 CA teams and Phoenix (Once they move we’ll have to do this all over again haha).. 8 teams.
Make the Yellow Group: Colorado, 2 Florida Teams, Dallas, Nashville, St. Louis and Carolina. 7 teams.
Make the Green Group: Detroit, Chicago, Minnesota, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington. 7 teams.
Make the Blue: Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Buffalo, Boston, Rangers, Devils, Islanders. 8 teams.
Combine one 8 team and one 7 team division to make a conference (I would do Yellow/Orange and Blue/Green but you could also switch it up.).. Keep it like it is now. Top team in each division can get the top 2 spots. The next 6 best teams in each conference make it (8 teams total in each conference like it is now).. Play the playoffs the same way it is right now.
For the regular season, the teams in the 8-team division will play everyone in their division, 6 times (42 games). They play everyone in the 7-team division that is in their conference, 4 times (28 games). And they play the team in the opposite conference that has 7-teams, 2 times each (14 games).. That adds up to 84 games.
The teams in the 7-team divisions also play every team in their division 6 times (36 games). They play everyone in the 8-team division that is also in their conference 4 times (32 games).. And they play the team in the opposite conference that has 8-teams, 2 times (16 games).. This also adds up to 84 games.
That’s is how I would’ve done it. It breaks up the divisions a little better. Spreading them out a little more so teams won’t have that travel issue. Travel will always been an issue. There are tons of teams in the northeast and a few in the west. The teams in the east are also closer together then the teams in the west. But I feel like this spreads out the central and southern teams better. Also, it would keep the conferences the same way they work now. I like the idea of divisional playoffs but I also like the way they do the playoffs now. We still play the Bruins, Leafs, Habs, Flyers, Pens, Devils and Isles at least 4 times a year in my set-up. We would also get 4 games against Original 6 teams the Red Wings and Blackhawks. With the way we have it set-up now (New realignment), we only play the Bruins, Leafs, Habs, Blackhawks and Red Wings twice a season.
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I’m glad we now have the conference of death… in order to get out of our division, taking the 4 best teams right now, we have to beat 2 of the caps, flyers, pens… then we must go on to face a conference championship game… we got absolutely boned…
@clalicata17
yeah we did…..but this all but cements the Isles in the basement for at least the next decade.
by CrazyRangerFan on Dec 6, 2011 1:00 AM EST up reply actions
Florida
So what happens if/when the Panthers move? Where do they go? What other teams are likely to move in the future and how would that affect this new alignment?
I think the map kinda spells out where they predict Florida would move to. If Florida moves, albeit prior to a phoenix move, it would probably end up in Quebec or maybe Hamilton. As such it would stay in the same conference.
the tricky part
What do they do if someone (phoenix/florida) moves to KC?
What about a team in Wisconsin?
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
Clalicata and Crazy..........
…….sure it makes things harder but our Rangers are built to compete with these teams. We are just as formidable now. We had the Pens and Flyers anyway right? And the Capitals – I don’t know but I have a feeling they lost their elite status, maybe just for the forseeable future but they don’t scare me like they once did. No team in the east scares me like it once did; except Florida. The Panthers scare me like they never did lol
The only thing I don’t like about the conferences if the fact that there are 8 teams in two of them, and 7 in the other two. With that said, the Rangers have one of the 7 team conferences so I can’t complain too much.
I really like the fact that it creates a plethora of stanley cup finals matchups. It would be absolutely insane to play the Bruins in the stanley cup finals. Additionally, it will add an incredibly high level of intensity to the first two rounds of the playoffs. I think it also means that teams need to continually compete down the stretch instead of possibly putting it in cruise control. You may have your conference locked up, but you are still competing with the other top teams of the others confereces for home ice advantage.
For those that are afraid of Pitt, Phili, Wash, I think their fans are probably lumping the rangers into that category when looking at the conference. As somone said above, I think we are pretty well equipped to battle those teams, especially with the talent hopefully coming through the system. The Rangers are on the rise to an elite team (Not sure I’d put them there yet) and will be right up there for the forseable future.
by Peter North Stars on Dec 6, 2011 8:41 AM EST reply actions
so, what's the point of this realignment?
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In a word———-MONEY!!!! What else? MONEY!!!!~ it’s what makes the world go round!!! MONEY!!!!
You don’t REALLY think the owners care about anything else, do you??
how is realignment generating money
Flyers take it up the ass, doo dah, doo dah, Flyers take it up the ass, all lah doo lah day.
by FIRESATHER327 on Dec 6, 2011 5:10 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
To hell with this
Buffalo Sabres in the same state as the Rangers and Islander, but in a different division?
Carolina Hurricanes over the Boston Bruins?
by Guess Who's Back? on Dec 6, 2011 12:06 PM EST reply actions
Thank god. Imagine if instead of Carolina we had Boston.
That would suck.
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
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