i'm surprised how many people care about time zones and not about the teams we would play....the travel distance would be no different for the team, so really the only difference would be the later start time of televised games.
for me, 8:30-11:00 is a great time to watch hockey.....can settle down for the evening....lots still going on at 7:30.
i remember how much we used to hate the oilers and flames....it was awesome....i just cant see that ever happening with st. louis and nashville where the people barely care about hockey, never mind opponents from obscure canadian cities that they cant even pronounce the name of.
there is so much more awareness and media attention in Canadian markets that would makes rivalries that much more intense....its hard to have a rivalry with a city that doesnt really care.
...and if it is going to stay 6 games against your own division, i would rather see pretty much anyone other than columbus, nashville, st. louis and dallas over and over.
when the jets were in the norris it sucked...way better once we moved to the smythe.
I agree.
We will never have the kind of rivalry with Minny, Chi, St L, Dallas that we naturally have with Edm,Cgy, Van. These rivalries go way back from not only the NHL but the CFL. The Oiler rivalry goes back to the WHA.
You guys really see Chicago 7 million people that spell Winnipeg Winnepag having a rivalry with us ? Not likely. People here cheer for the Viking and Twins, go down there to cheer them on, but we'll be rivals with the Wild ? As matter of fact have ther not been bus tours to go cheer on the Wild over these last 15 years?
Long term the best division for us would be to have CGY and EDM in our division.
One last thing how come no American teams want to be in an all Canadian division but yet we should be in and all American one ?
I hope it's the Central so I can actually watch the games. From what I've seen lately as far as the suggested re-alignment, it wouldn't matter. We'd be playing Chicago, St. Louis, Dallas, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, etc. the same amount. I'm not sure the NHL would go for 4 Canadian teams in the same division.
i'm surprised how many people care about time zones and not about the teams we would play....the travel distance would be no different for the team, so really the only difference would be the later start time of televised games.
for me, 8:30-11:00 is a great time to watch hockey.....can settle down for the evening....lots still going on at 7:30.
i remember how much we used to hate the oilers and flames....it was awesome....i just cant see that ever happening with st. louis and nashville where the people barely care about hockey, never mind opponents from obscure canadian cities that they cant even pronounce the name of.
there is so much more awareness and media attention in Canadian markets that would makes rivalries that much more intense....its hard to have a rivalry with a city that doesnt really care.
...and if it is going to stay 6 games against your own division, i would rather see pretty much anyone other than columbus, nashville, st. louis and dallas over and over.
when the jets were in the norris it sucked...way better once we moved to the smythe.
Probably people are going to be all over the place as far as time preferences, rivalries, etc... Personally, I like the games that start at 6:30 or 7:00 our time on weeknights 'cause my alarm goes off at 5:30 AM
..but you're right about hating the Oilers and Flames (and Canucks) - I don't like any of them -period- but then I don't like the Leafs or Habs, either...
so, I guess if I don't like those teams then might as well have them in the same division so I can yell at my TV and get more fired up watching those games ... I'll just have to live with a little less sleep on those road games- it's overrated anyways!
I hope it's the Central so I can actually watch the games. From what I've seen lately as far as the suggested re-alignment, it wouldn't matter. We'd be playing Chicago, St. Louis, Dallas, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, etc. the same amount. I'm not sure the NHL would go for 4 Canadian teams in the same division.
They won't stick a single US team in a division with four CDN teams.
Winnipeg have stated that they are okay with the reverse, being the only CDN team in the central div.
I think that where most realignment proposals break down is that they try to create a midwest division. It would be far better to do it on a modified North, West, South, and East basis.
North
Winnipeg, Minnesota, Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal.
-splits Cdn teams in two divisions.
-keeps US midwest teams happy with traditional rivalries.
-4 of original 6 teams.
West
Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, San Jose, Anaheim, LA, Colorado, Phoenix.
-8 teams so WHEN Phoenix moves no significant realignment required.
-most proposals lump them this way if four divisions.
South
Washington, Carolina, Florida, Tampa Bay, Nashville, St Louis, Dallas.
-Aligns Dallas better geograh. than most of the proposals.
East
Boston, NY Rangers, NY Islanders, NJ Devils?, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh.
-current rivalries maintained.
-all teams in all divisions within 1 time zone of divisional rivals (not so now).
Would have playoffs 1vs4, 2vs3 in each division, and then declare a divisional winner.
Semi Finals - Best seasonal record vs worst record.
JUST DREAMING BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE HEARING THAT REALIGNMENT MAY BE DEFERRED BECAUSE OF PHOENIX. AND I DONT LIKE SEEING THE JETS STUCK IN A DIVISION WITH NO OTHER CANADIAN TEAMS.
It would be interesting to ever see the reactions of some of the teams.
Those that "might" not be enthused would be:
Montreal-more travel.
Colorado-they may be the only team that wants a Midwest division.
Buffalo-losing the Toronto rivalry-hopefully having 3 other NY teams offsets.
This is actually one of the best realignment proposals I've seen. Kudos.
BTW, going to merge this with the old thread we had on re-alignment.
EDIT: The one issue, I don't know if Montreal would ever want to lose Boston as a divisional rival. Maybe Boston to the North division, Columbus to the South division, Washington to the East division?
Last edited by Hank Chinaski: 11-12-2011 at 05:03 PM.
I just do not see the problem with Winnipeg being in the division with all American teams. I still think Minnesota, not Edmonton/Calgary/Vancouver is the natural rival for Winnipeg and Chicago and St. Louis will be solid rivals as well, IMO, especially if they go to the divisional playoff format like I hope they will.
And TO Jet Fan, MTL-BOS will never be separated, St. Louis gets screwed hard, and I really doubt BUF-TOR get separated again.
IMO, this best setup is still 4 divs like...
West: LAK, ANA, SJS, PHO, VAN, EDM, CGY, COL
Mid West: DAL, MIN, WPG, STL, CHI, CBS, DET
South East: TBL, FLA, CAR, NSH, WSH, PIT, PHI
North East: TOR, MTL, BOS, BUF, OTT, NYR, NYI, NJD
If PHO goes to QUE things get interesting...maybe...
West: LAK, ANA, SJS, VAN, EDM, CGY, COL
Mid West: DAL, MIN, WPG, STL, CHI, CBS, DET, NSH
South East: TBL, FLA, CAR, WSH, NYR, NYI, NJD
North East: TOR, MTL, QUE, OTT, BOS, BUF, PIT, PHI
Good point on Montreal/Boston. Good two way tourism on road games.
You say Chi. Min. natural rivals. I agree, thats why they are included in both your proposal and mine.
St. Louis is not being "screwed hard" Their average travel distance would be less than the average of the teams in the three divisions excluding the East division.
Your proposal suggests that if Phoenix moves after next year further major realignment will have to occur. If not, eveything will have to be put on hold. Thats an "Obama decision".
You like the Central/Midwest proposal but Detroit and perhaps Chicago don't.
Also, Can you imagine the outcry if any American team were asked to play, as the only US team in an "all Canadian" division?
Anyway its not us that will be making the decision. It will be the owners.
Apparently there will be a report on realignment at the early December GM meeting. I am concerned that the conclusion will be that it needs "further study".
Good point on Montreal/Boston. Good two way tourism on road games.
You say Chi. Min. natural rivals. I agree, thats why they are included in both your proposal and mine.
St. Louis is not being "screwed hard" Their average travel distance would be less than the average of the teams in the three divisions excluding the East division.
Your proposal suggests that if Phoenix moves after next year further major realignment will have to occur. If not, eveything will have to be put on hold. Thats an "Obama decision".
You like the Central/Midwest proposal but Detroit and perhaps Chicago don't.
Also, Can you imagine the outcry if any American team were asked to play, as the only US team in an "all Canadian" division?
Anyway its not us that will be making the decision. It will be the owners.
Cheers.
With regards to STL it is not the distance but rather they get thrown in with teams they rarely have played in the past, it just is not a good fit for them. No rivals at all, they will fight to the death to have CHI at least in their div.
That is the big problem to keep PHI-PIT and NYR-NYI-NJD together further realignment would be needed if PHO does move, but that is something that the owners will know when realignment happens. If that is likely perhaps they switch those two pairings beforehand so only the 2nd prospal is implemented or if relocation will not happen then they will go with the 1st prospal.
Not sure what "Obama decision" means btw. I think politics should probably stay out of it though. Sounds negative to me, and I don't like it but politics is another ball of wax lol.
Detroit is not going to get their wish to move East. It just is not going to happen, both NSH and CBS have better cases, IMO. This proposal has them going no further West than Winnipeg, I think they will accept that.
CAN teams are outnumbered 23-7, of course an American team will not like being with All-Canadian but we are so badly outnumbered that we will just have to accept it. Our unique geographical placement being not quite West like EDM/CGY/VAN or for sure not close to East like the rest means WPG just has to accept all American teams, which is not a big deal since I think we have better rivalries with MIN and CHI than any CAN team, IMO.
Lastly, of course the owners make the decisions, but we might as well have fun talking about it, even if we will not have the info or insider knowledge of the politics of the NHL which will ultimately decide it. I know we will not decide .
Our unique geographical placement being not quite West like EDM/CGY/VAN or for sure not close to East like the rest means WPG just has to accept all American teams, which is not a big deal since I think we have better rivalries with MIN and CHI than any CAN team, IMO.
Really? I remember some great playoff series in the mid-late 80's between the Oilers and Jets and, to a lesser degree the Flames and Jets...I think they are better rivalries than Minnesota and Chicago.
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