I also think Detroit and Chicago need to be in the same conference.
The easy fix is to swap Columbus and Detroit and I like it.
I prefer Detroit in the east, and apparently Detroit prefers it, too. At least according the story in Puck Daddy.
Quote:
Blogged/Reported in Puck Daddy today: [Detroit] wanted to shift to the Eastern Conference teams’ divisions. ... Whatever the schedule, this is a huge win for Detroit, which was rumored to have been promised this realignment for several years.
Apparently Columbus is on board as well:
Quote:
It’s also a huge win for Columbus – hell, it’s a franchise game-changer. The Jackets will have Pittsburgh as a division rival, which is an enormous boon; not only because it brings a premiere franchise from the same time zone to town, but because Penguins fan invasions for those games already have created a kinetic atmosphere in the arena.
But most of all, Jackets fans won't have to stay up to the wee hours just to see their team face conference rivals.
Yes, that's part of the plan. Top 4 in a conference make it. There are likely provision as well for certain teams making it from the 8-team conferences and swapping in to the 7-team conference's playoffs if they have better record than the 4th place team there.
__________________ "The only thing that beats winning [in Toronto] is winning in Montreal.--Aaron Ward
"I've gotta go run some little French guys over."--Shawn Thornton
I'd love to see Detroit in the same division as Boston. Without Lidstrom, they are nowhere near the team they used to be. And Chara is one of the few defenseman in the league that Datsyuk isn't gonna dispy-doodle around.
I dont work out the logistics and deeper meanings of this as some of you have. Thank you for that. However this definitely points to more foolish expansion by two teams in the West and central. I think this plan is actually not a bad way of putting lipstick on a pig but it is still putting lipstick on an incredibly diluted pig........They should be contracting two teams not adding them......OWNERS!!!!!!!!!!! BETTMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The owners can't just contract without PA approval. And they aren't going to get that approva from the PA without monetary considerations.
The owners can't just contract without PA approval. And they aren't going to get that approva from the PA without monetary considerations.
The league needs better revenue sharing more than it does contraction. Of course one thing is something (as you pointed out) the PA will NEVER approve of, and the other the heavy hitters on the BOG won't. The talent is/will be out there to support 32 teams easily, and it's not as though there's markets out there that aren't worth taking chances on.
Growing up a fan of the old Norris Division, I'm not a fan of Detroit coming East. Yeah, I'd like them to see Boston more frequently, but Detroit's rivalries with Chicago, Minnesota and St. Louis would be lessened. Chicago/Detroit's as intense for those folks as Boston/Montreal is for us.
Hockey is a nonfactor in Milwaukee (It is popular in Madison) and the Bradley Center is terrible venue
The Admirals dont draw as well as people believe
Hawks are biggest loser in this realignment ,, Lose yet another longtime rival
In terms of rivalry the Hawks are a big loser but in terms of winning games you have to think this benefits them.
From the East Coast perspective there are only a handful of teams in the current West that have interesting rivalries and history and moving Detroit to the East means even less attention will be given to the West.
I'd like to see Chicago, Minnesota, St. Louis, Detroit, and Toronto all together. St. Louis vs Detroit was a big deal in the 90s.
It's so easy. I'd like to see a division heavy schedule and you play every other team outside your division (or conference or whatever they want to call it under this plan) at home and away.
My only objection is I love Bruins/Flyers games and I think it sucks that the Bruins would only see them twice a year.
As long as the games vs the division are 6 or greater I will be happy.
The only two negatives I see are for Chicago loosing it o 6 rival and if you live in Quebec city
Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie
West team plays 16 East teams home/away for 32. West plays other out of division but in conference 3x per team (21). 29 GP within division.
Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie
East teams would home-away vs 14 West teams (28), 3x each vs out of division but in conference opponents (24) and 30 games within division
I hope everyone enjoys 2 home games vs Montreal but a guaranteed 1 vs Phoenix.
WTG NHL...they had a chance to do something good.. but they are going to **** it all up.
Far from ideal, but I think they should just switch Winnipeg and Columbus. It just makes too much sense to have six divisions of equal size.
And I know a lot of you love the idea of Detroit in the division, but give me Philly, Pittsburgh, or NYR over them any day of the week. Would hate to think we only get to play Philly twice a year. Those are my favorite games.
Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie
West team plays 16 East teams home/away for 32. West plays other out of division but in conference 3x per team (21). 29 GP within division.
Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie
East teams would home-away vs 14 West teams (28), 3x each vs out of division but in conference opponents (24) and 30 games within division
I hope everyone enjoys 2 home games vs Montreal but a guaranteed 1 vs Phoenix.
WTG NHL...they had a chance to do something good.. but they are going to **** it all up.
According to McKenzie, that's the alternate plan though:
Quote:
Schedule matrix for alternate plan more complicated.
(and then he goes on to tweet what you posted)
Unless I'm completely misunderstanding this.. which is possible, haha
I think Kerry Fraser ejected Peter Stastny from that game as well, despite Stastny being one of the first to the dressing room.
I remember my friends and i being extremely upset at that injustice, there is a clear shot of Stastny heading off ice long before the real crazy stuff happened.
Memory is a little fuzzy on this one though, and i believe adult beverages were a part of the hockey package that evening.
Sidebar, i hated Kerry Fraser, who was such a jerk that despite 30 years in the game his only post career gig is an 'ask the ref' piece on TSN.CA.
28 games vs. Western Conference (one home, one away).
24 games vs. other division in Eastern Conference (teams with the extra home game will be rotated every season).
30 games vs. own division (you'll play two teams five times, and five teams four times).
DISGUSTING
Such a huge pander to the expansion markets who can't make it without transplants showing up to see their favorite team once a year. I know one thing, I will be going to less home games.
But we get to play Phoenix once a year at home! YAY! Those games are much wars, I circle them on my calendar! Who needs to play Montreal 3 times when you have a host of teams to sleep walk through!
The league needs better revenue sharing more than it does contraction. Of course one thing is something (as you pointed out) the PA will NEVER approve of, and the other the heavy hitters on the BOG won't. The talent is/will be out there to support 32 teams easily, and it's not as though there's markets out there that aren't worth taking chances on.
Seattle, Houston, KC, QC, Markham/Hamilton.
I guess I'm one of the few who doesn't like Hamilton. Pro sports is about corporate support these days. Does Hamilton have enough? It's not like Jim Balsilie is flashing Blackberry cash around anymore. Plus, it takes a bite out of the Sabres market.
Markham is definitely the location for another Toronto/GTA team. The Toronto burbs are growing, the location is easily accessible from the 407 and GO, and they're on the verge of building a new arena. The group that's backing the arena build are not stupid. They aren't going to dump money into an NHL-sized arena just to hold a few concerts throughout the year. Surely they believe they will get a team. For all we know, they have a "wink wink nudge nudge" agreement with the NHL already.
The problem is, based on this new realignment, if you grant the GTA and Quebec a team, that gives the east 18 teams. For arguements sake, relocate FLA to the west, the east is still left with 17 teams. Personally, I can see the NHL being happy with a 17/15 split. It wouldn't make sense to send one of Detroit or CBJ back to the west when they just moved to the east. Two relocations (Florida and Phoenix) setting up shop in Seattle, and......KC, Houston, wherever (how's Portland as a hockey market?). I assume the NHL could milk more expansion money out of Quebec and GTA, which means the relocations happen in the west.
Personally, I'm done with expanding but I think it'll happen.
