NHL Realignment

[Regs]

So starting next year, the "division A" is:

Nucks
Ducks
Sharks
Kings
Oilers
Flames
Coyotes

Playoff format is different too:

The Stanley Cup Playoffs will still consist of 16 teams, eight in each conference, but it will be division-based and a wild-card system has been added as a new wrinkle. The top three teams in each division will make-up the first 12 teams in the playoffs.

The remaining four spots will be filled by the next two highest-placed finishers in each conference, based on regular-season points and regardless of division. It will be possible, then, for one division to send five teams to the postseason while the other sends three.

The seeding of the wild-card teams within each divisional playoff will be determined on the basis of regular-season points. The division winner with the most points in the conference will be matched against the wild-card team with the lowest number of points; the division winner with the second-most points in the conference will play the wild-card team with the second fewest points.

The teams finishing second and third in each division will play in the first round of the playoffs. The winners of each series will play for berths in the Conference Championship series.

The two divisional champions in each conference will then play in the conference finals to advance to the Stanley Cup Final.

 

[The Franchise]

Having the west conference with 14 teams and the east with 16 teams speaks volumes that the NHL is going to expand again making this league a 32 team league...

Quebec?
Another Ontario team?

 

[Regs]

So expanding there would put 18 in the east and still 14 in the west

Or move the Coyotes there and have 13 in the West...

 

[STD]

I like the realignement but it is sad to say expansion will be coming sooner rather than later. Why they don't just move the struggling teams to stronger markets and let the talent pool catch up before they expand is beyond me.

 

[akslop]

NHL should expand to Surrey and Seattle

Seattle is getting a new arena for basketball are they not?

You could plunk an arena down on the corner of Scott and 72nd or better yet have Watts build one on Colebrook Road. Body dumping ground problem solved!

 

[johnnybluenose]

agreed STD. The last thing this league (Where you can have the Sedins and total plugs like Andrew Ebbett playing on the same team ffs) needs is to have its talent watered down further.

They also will be reticent to expand into Eastern Markets and the move Detroit and Columbus back to the West... They finally get out of brutal travel and are moved back again... lame.

I see either Kansas City or Vegas as being one of the expansion spots and potentially Seattle.

You could move Phoenix to Quebec City making it 15 and 15 with no expansion and a relocation...

Tampa and Florida have also been given bad geographics but have put the leafs habs and others in that "Conference" to captivate the FLA Snowbirds...

 

[Sliver]

 

[trece verde]

Biggest markets in the US without teams (in no particular order):

• Seattle
• Houston
• San Francisco (the other end of the Bay)
• San Diego
• Atlanta (forget it!)
• Portland
• Las Vegas
• Cleveland (tried before)

It's really difficult to sell a fringe sport like hockey in small markets in the US. Realistically, it's even tough in a big market. The team in Phoenix will not move until after Gary Bettman retires, because otherwise he will have to admit that he actually made a mistake.

In Canada, you could easily fill up an additional NHL rink in either of Hamilton or Quebec, but pickings get slim quickly after that.

 

[termatofylakas]

The Florida choice is interesting. But I wonder if instead of snowbirds maybe that franchise is going to be relocated to Ontario or Quebec? You can also say Tampa but they seem to be doing ok. Hence if they move down the road then that div wouldn't need much changing. If anything switch Tampa with Columbus and travelling becomes a bit easier.

 

[Regs]

Total plug, nice

 

[Konk]

The last thing this league (Where you can have the Sedins and total plugs like Andrew Ebbett playing on the same team ffs) needs is to have its talent watered down further.

Ebbett got three points last night. Good timing on that remark.

 

[johnnybluenose]

eff you Regs. and Konk... eff you...

 

[trece verde]

Don't we have a Canucks thread for that?