So after reading rumors about a pending move of the Islanders to Kansas, it got me wondering what the divisions would look like if (big if) that happened?
Would the Stars be worked into a more centralized division than they are now? Something along the lines of the Avalanche, (?)Islanders(?), Blues, and Wild? If so, what happens to the Pacific? Or does a move to Kansas push a team out of the Central? Something like Nashville to the Southeast and Capitals to the Atlantic possibly?
Pure speculation at this point (probably not anymore valid than an Eklund rumor right now), just curious what everyone's thoughts are on the topic.
Logically, I could see Detroit or Nashville being moved east or something, but it'd be weird seeing Detroit go east. Someone like Vancouver makes more sense in the Pacific, maybe we'd even move to the NW? Who knows.
I doubt the East is going to allow the Wings to come there. Talk about dominance.
And there's no way the NHL splits up Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver...no matter how logical it sounds. I don't even want to think of the fuss the Canadian fans would have.
I mentioned a Capitals move because you know the NHL would drool over the thought of having the Penguins and the Capitals being division rivals.
Though, I don't know that putting the Predators in the Southeast would help that division much unless the Staals have 4 more NHL-ready sons stashed away somewhere.
The only way the Stars move into the Central Division, or a similar division, is if a team moves further West of Denver.
In the proposed move to Kansas City, that would likely mean Detroit is moving the EC and the new KC Whatevers would just replace Detroit in the Central. That would be, in my view, bad news for the Stars. Instead, push them to Las Vegas.
Or Portland or Salt Lake City. The point is that a team would have to be moved West of Denver for the league to think of moving the Stars to the Central, and that also hinges on the NHL finally taking Detroit's wishes into account and moving the team to the EC. It's the only way the Stars won't play in the Pacific Division, sans a movement to two or four divisions within each conference.
I mentioned a Capitals move because you know the NHL would drool over the thought of having the Penguins and the Capitals being division rivals.
Though, I don't know that putting the Predators in the Southeast would help that division much unless the Staals have 4 more NHL-ready sons stashed away somewhere.
I think they have something equivalent to a puppy mill going with those Staals...one of them is going to come out with 5 arms then watch out! Would he get to play with 2 sticks at that point?
Wow...too much studying makes a girl loopy. Back on topic, yes traveling out West sucks, but anyway you do it whatever division the Stars are in will have more traveling than any other division frankly because there are no teams close. Closest teams would be Isles and Blues which would still be 2 states away. Anything that gets us out of the Pacific division I am in favor of though.
I think the eventual outcome will be 2 divisions per conference. It just works so much more naturally. The first chink in the armor of the current format was the reduction from 8 to 6 divisional games.
Speaking teeams switching conferences, I've come to like the idea of moving Detroit and Columbus moving to the east and sending two teams like Florida and Atlanta (whoever really) out west to Seattle, Portland, Kansas City, or Las Vegas. This could put Dallas in more of a "central" division, while still keeping together most of the Northwest and Pacific divisions.
