Realignment: Is it time for an overhaul?

[barilko05]

Originally Posted by headsigh

All these people moving Atlanta (8th largest US media market) to QC over Florida or just going for expansion



QC doesn't even have an arena

Not a full sized one...not yet! But I seem to remember in 1980, another Atlanta hockey team with ownership troubles pulling up stakes and moving to a Canadian city that had a small, temporary arena. I always wondered why they didn't change the name, though. The Flame name had significance in Atlanta, but certainly not in the heart of Alberta. Guess it was just cheaper to keep 'er.

[sonny side up]

Originally Posted by foppagirl21

I like this. Better than the other formats trying to cram 3 time zones in one division.

but but but it makes too much sense! the NHL will not let it happen! (cue Vancouver moving to the Pacific, and keeping Colorado in the NW so Vancouver has to play Dallas 6 times a year)

[MoreOrr]

Originally Posted by uncleben85

Put Pittsburgh in with Detroit, Nashville in with Tampa, and NYI in with Rangers.

Splitting Pitts and Philly sucks, but so does splitting NYI and NYR as do the travel costs for NYI to be in the same division as Florida for no reason.

So then, leave Nashville in the Central, put Washington in the Atlantic, and then move both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia in the Southeast. Though I would then change up those Division names, like so:

So now, the Divisions would be:

Quebec City
Montreal
Ottawa
Toronto
Buffalo
(BORDER Division)

Boston
NY Islanders
NY Rangers
New Jersey
Washington
(NORTHEAST Division)

Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Carolina
Tampa Bay
Florida
(ATLANTIC Division)

[MoreOrr]

Originally Posted by headsigh

But they don't have it right now

And by the time Atlanta's ownership issue is rectified most likely it'll still be in construction

tl;dr thrashers =/= quebec city

Agree with you almost completely. But I think you're wrong about one thing... The old Colisee can probably be used on a temporary basis until Quebec's new arena is built.

[Rubber Biscuit]

Relocation and Realignment.png

Expand into Seattle and Quebec City, move Phoenix to Winnipeg.

[johnnybbadd]

This is the best that I can come up with if the league ends up with 32 teams and Phoenix moves to Winnipeg. I used Quebec and KC as expansion teams as they seem like the two most likely with the least amount of barriers to clear. Each team plays 4 division games, 3 conference games and 2 out of conference games which adds up to 80. Boston and Montreal are in seperate divisions but can still play eachother 4 times as there are 2 extra games that can be made rivalry games to get to 82. They will still be in the same conference and can play in the play-offs.

Western Conference

S West
San Jose, LA, Anaheim, Colorado

N West
Edmonton, Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg,

Central I
Minnesota, St Louis, KC, Dallas

Central II
Chicago, Detroit, Columbus, Nashville

Eastern Conference

Northeast
Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec

Atlantic
Boston, NYR, NYI, New Jersey

East
Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington

South
Florida, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Atlanta