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Taking into account all the political business and the elephant in the room called the Coyotes, the realignment proposal approved by the BOG sans Winnipeg/Minnesota and Florida/Tampa Bay was the best the league could come up with.
As for Florida and Tampa Bay, they might have been put in the Patrick (Atlantic). However it would've cost Bettman Washington's vote since the Capitals had been trying to get back in with their rivals in the Patrick.
I therefore put them in the Norris (Central) because it would give Detroit and Columbus some ETZ company. The main beef Detroit and Columbus have with their current conference alignment is they play too many games in the Pacific and Mountain time zones and barely any games in their own time zone. With the new four conference alignment schedule, putting Florida and Tampa Bay in the Norris will result in half of Detroit's and Columbus's conference games being in their own time zone.
In the case of Winnipeg, I simply don't think it wise leaving them as only Canadian team in the Norris. Putting them in the Adams (Northeast) with the eastern Canadian teams will not only help them with gate and TV revenues, it would also keep going through customs to a minimum. Minnesota is along for the ride as a local driving distance rival.
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