Got my crayons and figured this out. Fill in the blanks with Quebec and Vegas


- Tumbleweed

What you fail to comprehend is that once you get out of the eastern time zone, vertical circles are better than horizontal circles, due to 3 different time zones in the western conference.

Here is the official NHL guideline to realignment:

For economic reasons stemming from marketing (i.e. television ratings, etc), no team should (a) exist in a conference that has more than a 2 time zone difference, or (b) exist in a division that has more than a 1 time zone difference. Therefore, Eastern time zone teams are confined to the Eastern Conference, and Central and Pacific time zone teams cannot co-exist in the same division.

There are many acceptable options for dividing the East, due to a more concentrated geographical proximity and no time zone changes. However, the West should be divided as follows:

ANA, LA, PHX, LV

VAN, SJ, CAL, EDM

WPG, COL, DAL, MIN

CHI, STL, NSH, CMB

1. If and when the Coyotes move to Seattle, they would flip flop divisions with the Sharks.

2. Blue Jackets temporarily break the rule of being an East team in the Western conference, pending a predicted move of the Panthers and eventual conference change.

So this is... different.
- Panthers88

Yes because it gets rid of the Eastern/Western Conference idea and has both conferences with teams from across the continent.

I think having 8 divisions devalues the overall pointing system.

1 - 8 teams get a pass into the playoffs simply by being better than 3 other teams. It would be conceivable to see teams winning a division and having the worst record entering the playoffs for all playoff teams.

2 - 8 divisional titles? Who is gonna care about these when every year 1/4 of the teams get a banner? It was bad enough when there were 6 each year. The less chance of 'winning' the points contest, the more valuable it is.

3 - Rivalries are important and must be fostered. The system outlined means that the highest chance of having a rivalry is with the 3 other teams in your division. The sister division, as it rotates, creates rhythmic breaks in developing rivalries with teams. By having larger divisions you allow for natural rivalries to cycle between teams as opposed to forcing the same 3 teams to your fan base.


Now, the points above could be worked into a system of 8 divisions of 4 teams, but really, what does this proposed solution solve? How does this make NHL hockey more accessible to new and casual fans. How does it help grow fan interest and rivalries? How does it make the standings race more interesting or balanced?
- mungozen

Completely agree with everything you just said this new system isn't an upgrade over the one we have now

What you fail to comprehend is that once you get out of the eastern time zone, vertical circles are better than horizontal circles, due to 3 different time zones in the western conference.

Here is the official NHL guideline to realignment:

For economic reasons stemming from marketing (i.e. television ratings, etc), no team should (a) exist in a conference that has more than a 2 time zone difference, or (b) exist in a division that has more than a 1 time zone difference. Therefore, Eastern time zone teams are confined to the Eastern Conference, and Central and Pacific time zone teams cannot co-exist in the same division.
- Katana777

I agree to an extent but you are quoting the guidelines of the worst marketed professional sports league known. Time zones are fine but the NHL also does afternoon games so prime time tv doesn't seem to be a factor that should depict what is best for the league.

32 teams make sense. Smaller divisions lead to better rivalries. An equal number of teams is also obvious so 8, 4 are the only choices and 8 makes more sense but either one works.

What you fail to comprehend is that once you get out of the eastern time zone, vertical circles are better than horizontal circles, due to 3 different time zones in the western conference.

Here is my un-official NHL guideline to realignment:

For economic reasons stemming from marketing (i.e. television ratings, etc), no team should (a) exist in a conference that has more than a 2 time zone difference, or (b) exist in a division that has more than a 1 time zone difference. Therefore, Eastern time zone teams are confined to the Eastern Conference, and Central and Pacific time zone teams cannot co-exist in the same division.

There are many acceptable options for dividing the East, due to a more concentrated geographical proximity and no time zone changes. However, the West should be divided as follows:

ANA, LA, PHX, LV

VAN, SJ, CAL, EDM

WPG, COL, DAL, MIN

CHI, STL, NSH, CMB

(If and when the Coyotes move to Seattle, they would flip flop divisions with the Sharks)
- Katana777

Well, you can't seem to comprehend your own unofficial rules.

#fail

Yes, and they were taken away from us.... now you want the same thing with the Hawks - Blues?
- Katana777

And you'd be getting the Wings-Hawks rivalry back.

Well, you can't seem to comprehend your own unofficial rules.

#fail
- Tumbleweed

Says the guy who colors with crayons

And you'd be getting the Wings-Hawks rivalry back.
- ezekial

I don't want to lose either. Another case of east coast bias. Can't ruin the Bos-ny-mont-tor rivalries, but who cares about the midwest, right? F that.

Says the guy who colors with crayons
- Katana777

I've done my best work with Crayola

How about 4 divisions with 7 teams in each? Or even 6? Expansion will water down the game even more.

I think the teams in the west would benefit the most with this cause of less travel but I'm not a fan of playing the same teams that much.

I like the idea but I think I would but Boston in the Atlantic; Buffalo in with the NY/NJ division and Columbus would still be ok being part of the Lakes division. I would do this strictly because Boston just feels odd being with the NY gang and Buffalo IS in NY.

The other scenario would be adding Boston to the Mon/Que/Ott division; Toronto would be part of the Lakes division; add Washington to the NY/NJ division and Columbus to the Play Penn.

Ek:

My initial opinion of this system was quite positive, however the thought of how much travel could be involved is definitely an issue.

This may have already been addressed in other comments (as I have not read them all), but I noticed some critical errors with the configuration of the sister divisions:

1) The Canada West and US West Divisions are sister divisions in both years 1 and 3. No other teams play the same sister division in any of the 3 years. If this system is in a 3 year cycle, the US West and Canada West divisions would play each other 2 years in a row.

2) The US Northeast Division doesn't appear to play in Years 2 and 3.

Can you please correct this, as to make it potentially more accurate?

Thanks!

I guess I didn't take into account the rivalries, but I'm also surprised I was the only one (I read everyone's replies) to point out the issues in the sister division configuration from my earlier reply.

Ek, if you ever need an editor, let me know!

I'd love to poach Drouin from the Lightning. But I wouldn't want to pay the cost.

Move Florida to Milwaukee, Phoenix to Seattle. Expansion in Quebec and Las Vegas.

EAST:
1) Buffalo, Toronto, Boston, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec, Detroit, Columbus
2) NYR, NYI, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, Tampa Bay, Carolina

WEST:
1) Chicago, Nashville, St. Louis, Winnipeg, Milwaukee, Dallas, Minnesota, Colorado
2) Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Jose, Las Vegas, Calgary, Seattle, Vancouver, Edmonton

Top 3 in each division make playoffs, other 2 spots wild cards.

Well the numbers n travel certainly works.
Only prob is continued realigning might disturb ppl.
Top 2 teams from each division make the playoffs.
Each year 4 Canadian to 12 USA teams r in.
That all said the current divisions add a lot more
Interesting playoff scenarios down the stretch.
Maybe 8 divisions will do the same or more idk.

As for Droiun its prolly to fetch a other top D or
if picks then a UFA D like Franson maybe.
Tampa is pretty flush with offense n size as is &
Prospects in the system also.

Sorry, as a Blues fan, I hate this alignment. Our travel time goes through the roof--I would suspect they'd be traveling the most of any team just to play their division rivals. And although I dislike the Red Wings, I miss the rivalry between them and the Blues. Now you are going to take away the Blues/Blackhawks? As much as I despise the 'Hawks, that's a no-go for me.

Move Florida to Milwaukee, Phoenix to Seattle. Expansion in Quebec and Las Vegas.

EAST:
1) Buffalo, Toronto, Boston, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec, Detroit, Columbus
2) NYR, NYI, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, Tampa Bay, Carolina

WEST:
1) Chicago, Nashville, St. Louis, Winnipeg, Milwaukee, Dallas, Minnesota, Colorado
2) Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Jose, Las Vegas, Calgary, Seattle, Vancouver, Edmonton

Top 3 in each division make playoffs, other 2 spots wild cards.

- OlliJochenin

Why Florida to Milwaukee? Why not Kansas City, which has a great new NBA/NHL ready facility with no main tenant? Milwaukee has the NBA Bucks; plus MLB Brewers, and everyone in the state loves the NFL Packers. I'm not sure I see a city this size being a great fit for a 4th major sports franchise. (I've been coming to Milwaukee for work pretty regularly the last year.) Not to mention where do they play? Bucks were doing the stadium rain dance recently, and they've been here for decades...

Fixed.

8 divisions? We're gonna need to take a course just to explain the playoffs. Unless top two teams in each division make it? Then 1-16 gets reseeded?! DO IT! Or do division winners make it and then it's the next best 4 in each conference? In terms of the games played: each division opponent 6 times (18 games). Then each other conference opponent 3 times (36 games). Then play all divisions in the other conference twice EXCEPT FOR ONE. (28 games) Gives you 82. Each season you switch which out of conference division you only play once. Kind of like the NFL. Is that math right? Someone help.

EDIT: Wait how can the Pens and Flyers not be together? And swap Columbus and Detroit.
- Panthers88

Just go to 16 two-team divisions - then every team in the play-offs would be a division winner.

Or 32 one-team divisions - so every team can tell their fans they're division-winners.

If a team should be inquiring about Drouin, it's Montreal. Galchenyuk for Drouin!

COULD be fun? COULD BE??

It's 4/5ths of the old Norris.... OF COURSE IT WOULD BE FUN!!
- Katana777

And you'd be getting the Wings-Hawks rivalry back.
- ezekial

Why not both?

i think the solution to expansion should be getting rid of the panthers, hurricanes, coyotes and the oilers
- Flyfreaky

What a horrible way to think. I expect better from someone like you. The league is growing. Accept and embrace it. It doesn't effect your life at ALL.