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For quite a while now, there's been speculation about a division realignment for the upcoming NHL season, as a result of COVID-19. According to TSN's Pierre LeBrun, these could be the divisions for the 2020-21 season:
Not finalized yet, and still subject to change, but the 2020-21 four-division re-alignment currently looks like this according to sources:
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 9, 2020
Bos-Buf-NJ-NYI-NYR-Pha-Pgh-Was
Car-CBJ-Det-Chi-Fla-Min-Nas-TB
Ana-Ari-Col-Dal-LA-SJ-STL-VGK
All-Canadian teams
Buffalo is certainly a more favourable addition to the division, however, given that they placed 25th overall in the 2019-20 regular season standings. That said, with the additions of Taylor Hall and Eric Staal, they do look better heading into next season.
Leaving the division for the year would be Carolina and Columbus, who both qualified for the playoffs this past season. Carolina was a safe bet to make the playoffs again, though the Islanders and Hurricanes are fairly comparable, while the Bruins are a step ahead of the Islanders. That said, the Sabres weren’t as strong as the Blue Jackets last year, though it’s hard to judge how much Buffalo has improved over the offseason.
We know it’s going to be a competitive division. The New York Rangers are only getting better and the Philadelphia Flyers had a great bounce-back season. Even though the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals are now older teams, you can always count on them to be tough competition. I think it’s safe to put the Islanders ahead of Buffalo and the New Jersey Devils but there’s certainly going to be a battle within the division.
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Here’s today’s poll question (results and discussion will be posted in a future article):