NHL Conference Realignment

[$ven27]

That Pacific Division is down right awful IMO.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Zarley

I wonder if Winnipeg would prefer to be in the Pacific?

On the plus side they would get higher ratings from rivalry match-ups with CGY, EDM and VAN, and likely more appearances on HNiC. The tradeoff being greater travel and more 8pm and 9pm start times.

Interesting point. I also wonder if it would be easier travel to have a 2 hour flight to Calgary than a 1 hour flight to Minneapolis; with the tradeoff of there being no customs.

[Red Menace]

I personally would have loved to see a Canadian division....travel wouldn't have been THAT much worse for the western Canadian teams....but of course would have been much worse for MTL-TOR-OTT, who I'm sure would have vetoed that idea.
Less time going through Customs as well....

Imagine the 1st 2 rounds of playoffs in that division

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Interesting point. I also wonder if it would be easier travel to have a 2 hour flight to Calgary than a 1 hour flight to Minneapolis; with the tradeoff of there being no customs.

I think the NHL wants to avoid making a division that is too heavy with Canadian teams though. Minnesota already complained about being in a Canadian dominated division. I can't imagine team like LA and Anaheim will stomach it any better.

[flylock shox]

Why do they even have divisions? Is it to save money on travel costs?

Why can't they just have two conferences, and if they're worried about travel, have teams play back-to-back games against each other if they're playing more than 2 games against each other in a season?

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by $ven27

That Pacific Division is down right awful IMO.

It cannot be awful when it has the defending Stanley Cup Champion Calgary Flames in it.

[Split98]

If this goes through I'll be pissed.

How can people sign off on divisions that don't even have the same amount of teams?

[Jojado]

If the most recent proposal means that the chances of making the playoffs are 8/14 for western teams and 8/16 for eastern teams, I'm opposed.

However, if it means that eastern conference wild cards could potentially crossover to play in the western conference divisional playoffs (or vice versa), I'm all for it.

[DiracSpike]

Originally Posted by Zarley

I wonder if Winnipeg would prefer to be in the Pacific?

On the plus side they would get higher ratings from rivalry match-ups with CGY, EDM and VAN, and likely more appearances on HNiC. The tradeoff being greater travel and more 8pm and 9pm start times.

Most of the people on these boards are probably too young to remember (I know I am) but apparently there used to be a sick rivalry with the Jets that both Calgary and Edmonton had. I was really hoping any realignment would result in us having regular games against the Jets but it's not like Winnipegers need an excuse to watch Jets games so Chipman probably leaned towards the easier travel schedule. It sucks though, seems like a squandered opportunity for a good old prairie rivalry on both sides.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by DiracSpike

Most of the people on these boards are probably too young to remember (I know I am) but apparently there used to be a sick rivalry with the Jets that both Calgary and Edmonton had. I was really hoping any realignment would result in us having regular games against the Jets but it's not like Winnipegers need an excuse to watch Jets games so Chipman probably leaned towards the easier travel schedule. It sucks though, seems like a squandered opportunity for a good old prairie rivalry on both sides.

Everyone in Jetsland still remembers Macoun breaking Hawerchuk's ribs and crushing the hopes of the best Jets team ever in the NHL

There was definitely a rivalry in those days.

[hwy19man]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

I believe the NHL wants divisional rivalries back.

The Flames and Oilers haven't met in the playoffs since 1991.
The Bruins and Sabres haven't met in the playoffs since 1999.
The Leafs and Habs have never met in the playoffs since the Leafs moved to the East.
The Kings have never met the Sharks or the Ducks in the playoffs EVER. (The Sharks and Ducks have met once)

First of all, the Bruins and Sabres met in the 2010 playoffs.

I agree that the NHL wants division rivalries back. The irony is that some rivalries such as the Penguins-Flyers, Devils-Rangers, Capitals-Penguins, and Rangers-Capitals have flourished with the current format.

[hwy19man]

Originally Posted by Zarley

I wonder if Winnipeg would prefer to be in the Pacific?

On the plus side they would get higher ratings from rivalry match-ups with CGY, EDM and VAN, and likely more appearances on HNiC. The tradeoff being greater travel and more 8pm and 9pm start times.

Reading archives from the Hockey News, the Jets were unhappy when they were moved out of the Norris Division. They never did like the late start times by being in the old Smythe Division, just like the Stars do not like being in the Pacific Division. They liked playing the North Stars for geographical reasons as well as three Original Six teams.

[hwy19man]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I think the NHL wants to avoid making a division that is too heavy with Canadian teams though. Minnesota already complained about being in a Canadian dominated division. I can't imagine team like LA and Anaheim will stomach it any better.

The Kings did not enjoy being in the Smythe Division being the lone american team until the 1991-92 season.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by hwy19man

First of all, the Bruins and Sabres met in the 2010 playoffs.

I agree that the NHL wants division rivalries back. The irony is that some rivalries such as the Penguins-Flyers, Devils-Rangers, Capitals-Penguins, and Rangers-Capitals have flourished with the current format.

Those rivalries flourished in the old days. That was the old Patrick Division
Rangers, Islanders, Capitals, Flyers, Penguins and Devils.

Flyers-Islanders was a huge rivalry in the 80s.
Lemieux's Penguins had some fierce battles with Bondra's Capitals.

[hwy19man]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Those rivalries flourished in the old days. That was the old Patrick Division
Rangers, Islanders, Capitals, Flyers, Penguins and Devils.

Flyers-Islanders was a huge rivalry in the 80s.
Lemieux's Penguins had some fierce battles with Bondra's Capitals.

The playoff pairings of the Flyers-Penguins, Devils-Rangers, and Penguins-Capitals all only played once with the old format.

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Originally Posted by DiracSpike

Most of the people on these boards are probably too young to remember (I know I am) but apparently there used to be a sick rivalry with the Jets that both Calgary and Edmonton had.

There were rivalries with the perennial punching bag of the Smythe Division, the Winnipeg Jets?

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Handsome B. Wonderful

There were rivalries with the perennial punching bag of the Smythe Division, the Winnipeg Jets?

The Jets eliminated the Flames twice (84 and 87?)

If I remember correctly, the Flames are the only team the Jets ever beat in the playoffs

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

I think the strangest thing is that it's not a cross-over but in fact both wildcards are divisionless.

For example if the Stars are Wildcard #1 and the Flames are Wildcard #2 with Chicago having a better 1st place record than Vancouver. Calgary would play Chicago in the near-west playoffs and Dallas plays Vancouver in the far-west playoffs.

Is that correct? Two crossovers?

/or what Red Menace said.

The thing I don't like about it is you're essentially punishing division winners who will more than likely have a much more difficult travel schedule in the first round than the second and third place teams.

It's also a possibility that the second place team will not only have an easier travel schedule but also an easier opponent. If the other division is a strong one, there will be times when the "wild card" team has a higher point total than the third place team.

[calgaryred]

Originally Posted by Handsome B. Wonderful

There were rivalries with the perennial punching bag of the Smythe Division, the Winnipeg Jets?

Yes the Jets were the Flames 2nd rival, Edmonton was absolutely number one, Vancouver wasn't much of anything until the 1989 Smythe Division Semi Final Round.

Jets were originally in the Norris and then moved to the Smythe. They were promised with expansion they would eventually go back to the Norris, but that promise was never delivered.

[Joborule]

There's just too many issues with the current proposal. Save it until 32 teams are in the league. Don't understand why they want to rush it in.