NHLPA Rejects NHL's realignment proposal

[mattola]

it will be massive but the leafs will be ok with it even if it isnt

Freidman:
22. The Toronto expansion craziness has died down, but there are quite a few people who believe that if there are two teams in the area, Rogers will own one and Bell the other. They presently share Maple Leafs ownership.

Lebrun:
http://www.sportshoopla.com/forums/2755236-post405.html

that makes the most sense as well. maybe its even something they planned when both bought the leafs. its logical. they would each own the same market and get the viewers I doubt it would affect it that much.

since Im commish now Jstew is my Bill Daly. except me being a small jewish lawyer Im a large german realtor.....

 

[DChero]

There's only one way to settle this - cage match with Shawn Michaels as the special guest referee.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

since Im commish now Jstew is my Bill Daly. except me being a small jewish lawyer Im a large german realtor.....

sounds ok i guess

Ill be the italian who makes you cry

 

[mattola]

lol

 

[Bizzle McDizzle]

i would like 28 teams and max 78 games per season

Conference A
Anaheim
Calgary
Colorado
Edmonton
Los Angeles
San Jose
Vancouver
Chicago
Columbus
Dallas
Minnesota
Nashville
St. Louis
Winnipeg

West
Boston
Buffalo
Detroit
Montreal
Ottawa
Tampa Bay
Toronto
Carolina
New Jersey
New York Islanders
New York Rangers
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Washington

 

[juliansteed]

Under the current 6 division alignment and assuming no expansion, relocation, or contraction, I can't see why they don't just swap Winnipeg for Columbus, or move Winnipeg to the Northwest bumping Minnesota to the Central, and Columbus to the Southeast. There's probably a couple more ways they can do it but in the end I think Columbus being the team to move to the Eastern Conference to play out of the Southeast division makes the most sense. Nashville could work too but I like Columbus better. Those are really the only 2 teams in either conference that would geographically make sense to put in the Southeast division. I think the problem when the last proposal was done might be that the NHL wants to move Detroit to the Eastern Confernece but know they can't really make it work under the current format. Detroit to the Eastern Conference makes sense. Detroit in the Southeast division does not.

I'm not even sure why they are seriously discussing this with the Coyotes future still being up in the air. They may need to do it all over again within the next year or 2. Perhaps they already have an idea where the Coyotes would move if necessary and it wouldn't require switching division (Seattle, Portland, Las Vegas).

 

[IndyAndy]

...move Winnipeg to the Northwest bumping Minnesota to the Central, and Columbus to the Southeast....

...or Nashville instead of Columbus.

 

[juliansteed]

Oh yeah, its coming. Honestly while I prefer 30 teams (28 too) I think 32 will be fine. The lack of quality goalies and defensemen may make for some pretty entertaining games.

I actually don't mind the idea of 2 more teams at all, as long as they are placed in the right markets (please not Las Vegas). I like the idea of 4 divisions and divisional playoffs where exactly 50% of the teams get in.

I'm not too worried about the mild watering down of talent. 6.67% more teams is not that big of a deal. As long as the decline in talent is gradual (which it would be) and distributed reasonably evenly around the league (which it also would be) then I don't see it making the games any less exciting. The least watered down game of the year is the All-star game. Does that make it the most exciting game. I watch a lot of junior hockey which can be exciting but the majority of those players are lucky to even play in the AHL, and even the ones that do aren't even close to being in their prime yet. Also, expansion into certain markets would eventually lead to a larger talent pool to draft from anyway. Look at how many more players are being drafted out of places like California, Colorada, Texas etc. compared to 20 years ago. Some are the result of relocation and not expansion but for the purpose of this discussion it makes no difference. Also the playoffs would be a bit more exciting as the weakest teams to make it would be slightly better.

Contraction on the other hand, I don't see that ever being an option that either the players or the owners would ever go for, especially not the players. There are enough markets out there without teams that could be options for relocation if necessary long before contraction would ever be seriously considered. The NHL considers relocation pretty much a last resort as it is, but contraction would be an absolute last resort.

 

[juliansteed]

...or Nashville instead of Columbus.

Read on....

 

[dboy97]

Contraction is not going to happen. As it is ESPNBA only talks hockey when they can make fum of it or something really bad happens. Imagine the ESPNBA story NHL first major league to contract since... god knows when. PR nightmare even if the reasons for it are real and not financial it would be spun into negative press for the NHL.

 

[pixburgher66]

I doubt there's contraction because there'd need to be two. If it was just one, we all know what team would go, but it's unfortunately not that simple. Outside of Phoenix, I'm not sure there's a team that deserves such a move.

 

[puckhead]

here's some stat-aholic's take on realignment
lots of neat gifs

Hockey Prospectus | Greater Than Plus Minus: NHL Realignment, Part 2

 

[awaz]

the last one with everyone playing everyone outside their division an equal(ish) amount of times is the best way to go.. no division crosses more than 1 time zone

(it is a lot of travel up and down the coast for the nucks though)

 

[puckhead]

the last one with everyone playing everyone outside their division an equal(ish) amount of times is the best way to go.. no division crosses more than 1 time zone

(it is a lot of travel up and down the coast for the nucks though)

I think they'd want to keep Van - Cal - Edm together, but who knows.



@DarrenDreger
Progress on realignment discussions and planning, but don't expect announcement until end of next week or the week following.

 

[dash]

I think Vancouver wants to stay in the same division as the Flames and Oilers in order to continue feasting...

 

[dare2be]

I think they'd want to keep Van - Cal - Edm together, but who knows.



@DarrenDreger
Progress on realignment discussions and planning, but don't expect announcement until end of next week or the week following.

I think Vancouver wants to stay in the same division as the Flames and Oilers in order to continue feasting...

Just swap COL and VAN in the blue and red polygons of the bottom image. But then when PHX moves that throws everything off...unless they go to Seattle.

 

[awaz]

Just swap COL and VAN in the blue and red polygons of the bottom image. But then when PHX moves that throws everything off...unless they go to Seattle.

that's why it's pointless to do anything too drastic at this stage.. move winnipeg to the central and cbj to the southeast.. once phoenix moves, then fix the whole thing

 

[dare2be]

I would move NAS to the southeast before CBJ.

 

[awaz]

I would move NAS to the southeast before CBJ.

thats fine to, forgot about them.. just winnipeg to central, central team to southeast.. for simplicity's sake.. then let phoenix move.

 

[higgyfan4]

Me likey...