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HNIC shows new potential alignment with 16 teams in "east" groupings
That loser point needs to be tossed in the ashbin of history, I'll grant that much. Still, any team that doesn't play to win in any given game is a disgrace.
Names: ATLANTIC = the New York teams' division
CENTRAL = Montreal and Boston's division
MIDWEST = Minnesota's division
PACIFIC = Los Angeles' division
2 conferences, 4 divisions. Top 3 in each auto-qualify. Each conference gets 2 more.
Matrix = also as reported
To me: 2 problems.
1) There is still a 14/16 split, meaning the western teams have greater likelihood of qualifying for the playoffs. No big deal to me, but I thought the PA was dead against that.
2) Playing matrix still says that the 7-team divisions will play:
Out of conference = home/home = 32 games.
Out of division = 3 games = 21 games.
In division = all other games.
As we have calculated, that makes 82 games, sure, but it's impossible for the in division matrix to work out that way.
Why are we calling a division with Boston and Montreal a "Central" division? Unless Central has less to do with geography and more to do with being the center of the hockey universe
Why can't the NHL just go with the obvious right answer? Re-align Winnipeg to the west for the next couple of years until Quebec gets its team back, hopefully via a relocated Phoenix
Eastern Conference
Division 1:
Boston
Buffalo
Montreal
Toronto
Quebec
Ottawa
Florida
Tampa Bay
Division 2:
Washington
Carolina
Pittsburgh
Philadelphia
NYR
NYI
New Jersey
Western Conference
Division 3:
Detroit
Chicago
St. Louis
Dallas
Winnipeg
Minnesota
Columbus
Nashville
Division 4:
LA
San Jose
Anaheim
Calgary
Edmonton
Colorado
Vancouver
Balanced Divisions. Divisions with 7 teams play each other 6 (3 home, 3 away) times and everyone else twice (one home, one away). That's an even 82 game schedule. Divisions with 8 teams play their closest geographical team 6 times, and everyone else in the division 5 times. Half of the teams will play 3 home games and 2 away, and half vice versa and this alternates each year. all extra-divisional teams will be played twice by 8 division teams.
Playoffs:
Each team has a divisional seed and a conference seed (first two conference seeds go to winners of the division.) First round is divisional. Best team in division plays 4th best, and 2nd best plays 3rd best. If one team from a division is 5th best, yet has more points accumulated than the 4th best team from the other division in the conference, that team will cross over and play in that division round. After the quarterfinals, teams are reseeded based on their rank in the conference in the semifinals. The next round is conference finals, and then the SCF.
Last edited by JmanWingsFan: 02-26-2013 at 08:59 PM.
Why are we calling a division with Boston and Montreal a "Central" division? Unless Central has less to do with geography and more to do with being the center of the hockey universe
it should be called NE or great lakes, but neither name makes sense with florida in it.
east doesnt work because the conference is already named that.
Why are we calling a division with Boston and Montreal a "Central" division? Unless Central has less to do with geography and more to do with being the center of the hockey universe
That's been one of my gripes with the "Midwest" Division, too.
Too lazy to read through all the post. But did anyone discuss expansion yet? If they are going to even things up down the line, then the west should be getting two more teams. Which means no Quebec City, Hartford, or Hamilton. That's unless Detroit or Columbus moves back out west again.
I’m probably being a broken record with this, but seriously, now that we know what seems to be getting close to the final result for the 4 Divisions alignment, wouldn’t a 3-Conference structure with this scheduling matrix truly have been better? And as for the 84 games, hell there for a short while it seemed that they were going to consider an extra wildcard play-in round, so 84 games doesn’t seem to be a big stretch.
3 Conferences (only Minnesota gets screwed) alignment and scheduling matrix, 6 Divisions, 30 teams, 84 games
6 x 4
4 x 5
2 x 20
1st two Rounds are Conference Playoffs, within each 10 team/2-Division Conference, with only 1 crossover matchup in both Rounds. The 3rd Round is a Conference Elimination Round in which one of the 3 Conferences is eliminated.
Alignment:
West
Central
East
PACIFIC
MIDWEST
ATLANTIC
Vancouver
Dallas
NY Rangers
San Jose
St Louis
NY Islanders
Los Angeles
Chicago
New Jersey
Anaheim
Detroit
Philadelphia
Phoenix
Columbus
Pittsburgh
NORTHWEST
SOUTHEAST
NORTHEAST
Edmonton
Washington
Boston
Calgary
Carolina
Montreal
Colorado
Nashville
Ottawa
Winnipeg
Tampa Bay
Toronto
Minnesota
Florida
Buffalo
And if you ask about expansion, I'll reply... What about Quebec City with this planned 4 Division alignment? Good luck getting Detroit and Columbus back in the West.
Why are we calling a division with Boston and Montreal a "Central" division? Unless Central has less to do with geography and more to do with being the center of the hockey universe
Detroit, Columbus, those are current "Central Division" teams. Ontario is considered central Canada. Buffalo falls right in the middle of that.
But then, all the more reason why "Columbus" should be in that Division.
Damn it, put Columbus and Carolina in the new Central Division, and Tampa and Florida in the Atlantic, with those true Atlantic teams, like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.
Damn it, put Columbus and Carolina in the new Central Division, and Tampa and Florida in the Atlantic, with those true Atlantic teams, like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.
I'm perfectly fine with that. Then the Atlantic is, really, the Atlantic. And the Central can be called Northeast, Great Lakes, Great Shakes, Great Skates, or whatever isn't Central, leaving the Mid-West, which isn't really the Mid-West to be called the Central.
It seems keeping the Western divisions with the simple 6-2 scheduling formula would be preferred. This and sending 4/7 of each division into divisional playoff bracket every year.
Would there really be a strong drive to allow 71% of one western division when the Eastern Conference is stuck at 50% regardless? Divisional playoffs are more important (travel-wise) for the west anyway.
Too lazy to read through all the post. But did anyone discuss expansion yet? If they are going to even things up down the line, then the west should be getting two more teams. Which means no Quebec City, Hartford, or Hamilton. That's unless Detroit or Columbus moves back out west again.
Daly basicly said to Renaud Lavoie that this new alignment has nothing to do with any potential expansion coming. The will just rework the divisions after expansion.
Daly basicly said to Renaud Lavoie that this new alignment has nothing to do with any potential expansion coming. The will just rework the divisions after expansion.
Btw their is a clause to revisit the realigment with the NHLPA in 2015... The year all off Seattle, Markham and QC arena are finish being built.
Why are we calling a division with Boston and Montreal a "Central" division? Unless Central has less to do with geography and more to do with being the center of the hockey universe
this was my thought.
How can a division be named the Atlantic and the bruins are not in it. You can see the Atlantic from the city... can't get too much closer.
I like the wildcard, but I still don't see any solution to fix the eastern divisions having 8 teams each..
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Why are we calling a division with Boston and Montreal a "Central" division? Unless Central has less to do with geography and more to do with being the center of the hockey universe
I would say because the league doesn't have the pair required to swap Florida & Tampa with Pitt & Columbus in order to get an accurate division called the Northeast.
2) Playing matrix still says that the 7-team divisions will play:
Out of conference = home/home = 32 games.
Out of division = 3 games = 21 games.
In division = all other games.
As we have calculated, that makes 82 games, sure, but it's impossible for the in division matrix to work out that way.
Actually, it's pretty easy to do it, although not in the way described entirely. One team in each division in the West will play two of their opponents in the division four times. For both of those opponents, that team is the one they play 4 against. The team that gets two intradivision opponents 4 times also gets one extra game against the team in the other division in the same circumstance.
Actually, it's pretty easy to do it, although not in the way described entirely. One team in each division in the West will play two of their opponents in the division four times. For both of those opponents, that team is the one they play 4 against. The team that gets two intradivision opponents 4 times also gets one extra game against the team in the other division in the same circumstance.
Rather than having different teams play different numbers of divisional games, let alone different division opponents different times, have them play their 6 division opponents 5 times, and leave the 20 remaining games to be played against the other 7 team western division.
Rather than having different teams play different numbers of divisional games, let alone different division opponents different times, have them play their 6 division opponents 5 times, and leave the 20 remaining games to be played against the other 7 team western division.
That could work too, but isn't any more balanced than this approach. And also far more difficult to work out the matrix.
