Quote:
Originally Posted by Puckschmuck
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Quote:
Originally Posted by voyageur
I must be old, but I remember distinctly that the Winnipeg Free Press was constantly ranting about how we got the bum deal being in the Smythe, with all our travel. And L.A. was a big deal with Gretzky, so the NHL wanted to ease their travel burdens hence the expansion to San Jose, and expansion to Anaheim. I personally would rather see Jonny Toews 3 times a year than any of Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver, and I want Mark Chipman to make money, the new divisional alignment will reduce travel expenses, and make more games accessible to viewers (not everyone can stay up the extra two hours to watch Pacific coast games). [/FONT]
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It is good to see the Jets being put in the proper division. Voyaguer, you're not old. It has been said on sportstalk shows many times that the Jets were happy when they were in the Norris div. and then unhappy when they put in the Smythe. Wikipedia supports this. http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?...t=Search&ns0=1
In 1981, the NHL, hoping to reduce travel costs in the face of a struggling economy and high energy prices, re-aligned its divisions along geographical lines, although the non-geographical names were retained until 1993.The regular season and playoffs were also altered to emphasize divisional match-ups. The Jets successfully lobbied to be placed in the more central Norris Division as opposed to the Smythe. However, the relocation of the Colorado Rockies to New Jersey the following year compelled the Jets to return to the Smythe, where they remained for over a decade.