Usually for a rivalry to work, you have to either occupy the same city/state or both teams must be good. The is no rivalry with either Pitt or Philly. The Islanders have been a punching bag for those teams for a while now.
I dunno about that, I think Philly at least is close enough that there's a rivalry whether or not Philly is the superior team. I've gone to quite a few NYI-PHI games and there's always a good number of Philly fans in the building. It could be the same with NJ, but I think the fact that both fanbases hate the Rags unites us somewhat.
Either way, I could deal with having Philly and Pittsburgh in another division if it means a more geographically-sensible conference setup. As ScaredStreit's last post shows, the Florida teams seem to feel as screwed by this arrangement as I thought they would.
I dunno about that, I think Philly at least is close enough that there's a rivalry whether or not Philly is the superior team. I've gone to quite a few NYI-PHI games and there's always a good number of Philly fans in the building. It could be the same with NJ, but I think the fact that both fanbases hate the Rags unites us somewhat.
Either way, I could deal with having Philly and Pittsburgh in another division if it means a more geographically-sensible conference setup. As ScaredStreit's last post shows, the Florida teams seem to feel as screwed by this arrangement as I thought they would.
The Florida teams got screwed to cater to the ****ing penguins. While I don't consider the pens and isles rivals, I do hate them as many fans do. The attention they get is just beyond insanity and the league obviously screwed both Florida teams to appease the Penguins. The pens made it known they were dead against not being in a division with the Flyers. Yea, I get they have a rivalry but those teams fill their buildings regardless of who they play. The Florida teams have no one to thank but the pens for the situation they find themselves in. Makes me sick how the league caters to certain teams while ****ing others in the ass.
I don't understand the "NHL screwed the FLA teams" logic. Look at the 4 conferences and tell me how else they could have done it. If they put the Pens in with COL/DET, etc., another team still would've had to leave our conference to make room for the 2 FLA teams. Any suggestions on who that could've been? No, because there is none. And then the BOS/MTL conference would've need 2 other teams.
Look at the franchises on a map. The FLA teams happen to be way down in a corner, so travel is inevitable. And is their travel schedule much worse than LA/ANA? Or Dallas?
Look at the franchises on a map. The FLA teams happen to be way down in a corner, so travel is inevitable. And is their travel schedule much worse than LA/ANA? Or Dallas?
The problem is that in the West, everything's spread out enough that almost everyone has to do a lot of traveling. Under the proposed conference setup, most of the "Atlantic division" teams are within a short distance of each other, and most of the "Northeast division" teams are clustered pretty close as well. Putting Florida in the "Northeast division" makes it so they're playing most of their games against teams that are like 1500mi away at the minimum. If you swap FLA and TB with PHI and PIT, at least then the Florida teams will be playing many games a lot closer to home in Carolina and even DC.
If you wanted to get real adventurous, you could put the Florida teams in the "Central division" and move DET and CBJ into the Northeast. The FL teams would then have to cross time zones, but many of the teams in their div would geographically be a lot closer (Nashville, Dallas, St Louis). Not sure they'd be keen on going to Winnipeg or Minneapolis 6x a year though...
The travel is not that bad for the Florida teams. They'll probably spread out the 3 times they have to play the NE teams into something like 8 trips. They get in, they get out and travel less than 200 miles to go to their next game, its not like they are going to go all the way back to Florida from Toronto and then go on to Buffalo.
The Florida teams got screwed to cater to the ****ing penguins. While I don't consider the pens and isles rivals, I do hate them as many fans do. The attention they get is just beyond insanity and the league obviously screwed both Florida teams to appease the Penguins. The pens made it known they were dead against not being in a division with the Flyers. Yea, I get they have a rivalry but those teams fill their buildings regardless of who they play. The Florida teams have no one to thank but the pens for the situation they find themselves in. Makes me sick how the league caters to certain teams while ****ing others in the ass.
Possibly, but if anything, I think the plan was created to appease Detroit after years of complaining about their travel. Detroit has wanted to be in the Eastern Conference for a long time now to cut down on the amount of travel they have to do. With this new alignment, they only have to go to California and Western Canada once a year as opposed to twice.
Either way, it shows what the NHL thinks of the Florida franchises.
Possibly, but if anything, I think the plan was created to appease Detroit after years of complaining about their travel. Detroit has wanted to be in the Eastern Conference for a long time now to cut down on the amount of travel they have to do. With this new alignment, they only have to go to California and Western Canada once a year as opposed to twice.
Either way, it shows what the NHL thinks of the Florida franchises.
That too. But really... **** Detroit. Ohhh we have to fly to the west coast so much. Boo hoo. Cry me a river. That team has been a powerhouse for 15 years now. It obviously doesn't affect them in the slightest.
That too. But really... **** Detroit. Ohhh we have to fly to the west coast so much. Boo hoo. Cry me a river. That team has been a powerhouse for 15 years now. It obviously doesn't affect them in the slightest.
Haha, that was almost always my thought whenever I'd see a mention of their travel complaints.
That too. But really... **** Detroit. Ohhh we have to fly to the west coast so much. Boo hoo. Cry me a river. That team has been a powerhouse for 15 years now. It obviously doesn't affect them in the slightest.
A 10 year old kid can't watch half the games because the EST Wings are on too late.
Sure, Detroit wins a lot, but the kids who love the team have to stay up til midnight when they play any PST locales.
Add that on top of them having to live in or near Detroit.
That too. But really... **** Detroit. Ohhh we have to fly to the west coast so much. Boo hoo. Cry me a river. That team has been a powerhouse for 15 years now. It obviously doesn't affect them in the slightest.
Just think how much nastier they'll be when they aren't jet-lagged half a season.
That too. But really... **** Detroit. Ohhh we have to fly to the west coast so much. Boo hoo. Cry me a river. That team has been a powerhouse for 15 years now. It obviously doesn't affect them in the slightest.
Put yourself in the shoes of Red Wings fan for a second, and imagine that more than 3/4 of your road games start at 8 PM or later, and about 1/3 start at 10 PM or later.
That is where most of their complaints arise from. The travel is part of it, but take it from someone having lived in the Detroit Metro area for close to a decade, their road schedule sucks for their fans.
Before the Blue Jackets came into existence, the Wings didn't have one single team in their conference in the same time zone as them.
Not sure how exactly the Florida teams were getting screwed either? With Atlanta relocating, there weren't enough Southern teams to form their own Division/Conference. So they either wound up in the Atlantic of the Northeast. Either way their in a plane a minimum of 2-3 hours to the closest destination. Also, some of their biggest home crowds during the season, are when they play the Bruins, Leafs, and Habs given the ridiculous number of Canadian and New England transplants living in West and South Florida.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OlTimeHockey
Add that on top of them having to live in or near Detroit.
No one lives in Detroit. There are many areas near Detroit (within an hour driving distance) that could give some of Long Island's more serene locales a run for their money. Not to mention, Michigan doesn't have endless miles of shopping malls and retail, like LI.
Yea I don't really have a lot of sympathy for the Florida teams with regard to the potential increased travel. Boston to Florida is 3 hours....big deal.
Most people don't know it...but when TB first came into the league they were in a division with Minnesota.
The problem is that in the West, everything's spread out enough that almost everyone has to do a lot of traveling. Under the proposed conference setup, most of the "Atlantic division" teams are within a short distance of each other, and most of the "Northeast division" teams are clustered pretty close as well. Putting Florida in the "Northeast division" makes it so they're playing most of their games against teams that are like 1500mi away at the minimum. If you swap FLA and TB with PHI and PIT, at least then the Florida teams will be playing many games a lot closer to home in Carolina and even DC.
If you wanted to get real adventurous, you could put the Florida teams in the "Central division" and move DET and CBJ into the Northeast. The FL teams would then have to cross time zones, but many of the teams in their div would geographically be a lot closer (Nashville, Dallas, St Louis). Not sure they'd be keen on going to Winnipeg or Minneapolis 6x a year though...
The Atlantic teams are so close, you could almost bus to most of your games. Bus to MSG, NJ, Philly even Washington. The only really flying would be to Carolina/Pittsburgh and to our out of conference teams.
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Originally Posted by C77
Yea I don't really have a lot of sympathy for the Florida teams with regard to the potential increased travel. Boston to Florida is 3 hours....big deal.
Most people don't know it...but when TB first came into the league they were in a division with Minnesota.
It isn't but when you have a situation like the other night on Long Island, Tampa couldn't land at Farmingdale (due to fog) and had to go to JFK. Their broadcast said they got in at 400am. So while flights are short, weather could screw up a lot of travel.
Also the past 2 winters have been brutal in the northeast and could wreck havoc with teams coming in and out.
Ultimately teams will adjust. I don't like the realignment for the fact that I will only see the Isles once here in Tampa, rather than the current 2 times. I guess I could drive to S. Florida to Sunrise, but that's a 4-5 hour drive.
The big loser is Wang. Isles give up 1 home game to Bos
Montreal Buffalo Toronto. That's 10,000 fans at $100 a pop ( including beer parking etc ) $1,000,000 of lost revenue excluding the ones that stay at the Marriott. I am sure however he can figure out a way to apply it to the Cap floor
The Atlantic teams are so close, you could almost bus to most of your games. Bus to MSG, NJ, Philly even Washington. The only really flying would be to Carolina/Pittsburgh and to our out of conference teams.
It isn't but when you have a situation like the other night on Long Island, Tampa couldn't land at Farmingdale (due to fog) and had to go to JFK. Their broadcast said they got in at 400am. So while flights are short, weather could screw up a lot of travel.
Also the past 2 winters have been brutal in the northeast and could wreck havoc with teams coming in and out.
Ultimately teams will adjust. I don't like the realignment for the fact that I will only see the Isles once here in Tampa, rather than the current 2 times. I guess I could drive to S. Florida to Sunrise, but that's a 4-5 hour drive.
Yea but I'm not sure how the weather is any different for the other teams that play in the Northeast? **** happens in the winter.
Anyways, it stinks that you'll only get one Isles game down there...maybe you'll be able to get a better seat?
