30 thoughts - always good

[puckhead]

Realignment plus 30 Thoughts | Hockey | CBC Sports

 

[pixburgher66]

I wonder if that team that changed it's mind, but didn't want to be named, was the Wings...

 

[Eddie_Shack]

I wonder if that team that changed it's mind, but didn't want to be named, was the Wings...

So let's work backwards. Bettman needs 20 votes. There are 15 teams in the West. I can't say with certainty that he has all of them in his pocket, but if he doesn't, it's close. So, how many Eastern teams does he need? Five? Six? Maybe eight?

Can he get those votes? If he needs eight, it's barely half the conference. One team confirmed it has changed its mind (although, in return, said it did not want to be identified). "The next month is all about arm-twisting," one source said. And, it will happen at the ownership level.

I think it was an Eastern team, based on the wording in the article. More than likely one in the Southeast, I'm going to guess Washington.

 

[pixburgher66]

I think it was an Eastern team, based on the wording in the article. More than likely one in the Southeast, I'm going to guess Washington.

Good point. Just figured Detroit because they're opinion is clearly the most well known. So there was a thing on CBC that discussed the current proposition which many think is happening, and here's the break down on divison/conferences:

East 1: Phi, Wash, NY Ran, NY Isl, NJD, Car, TB, Fla (basically a combo of ATL and SE minus the Pens...pfft)
East 2: Pit, Bos, Tor, Ott, Mont, Buff, and either Det/CBJ
This is where the Pens and Flyers step in. This would cut down the rivalry to 2 games a year (home and home), as well as taking the Pens out of basically every rivalry they have and bringing it down to 2 games. I'm sure they'd just create new ones (like Boston), but still. Not a fan.

Other issues with this: unbalanced divisions, with one division in each conference being one team larger. I like the way this article put it. Brief and to the point. Pens, Flyers Teaming Up For Right Reason ~ PENS UNIVERSE - Real hockey

I agree with his points about doing away with divisions in general, especially because that would mean the top 8 teams in each conference, regardless of divisional ranking, make it in. That would also ensure that teams are playing equally challanging schedules, because lets face it, in past years (not neccessarily this year) the Southeast just didn't match up with the Atlantic, and similarly with many other 'weaker' divisions.