So far today I have updated the following players on the Rumor Chart: Click here for updates on Ehrhoff, Drouin, Tlusty, Franson, and Phaneuf.
There has been a great deal of talk regarding the NHL expansion and how unbalanced the league would become if the East and the West were to add 1 team each. I wrote a piece this past weekend regarding Carolina possibly moving to the Western Conference...here is a concept I really like:
8 Divisions of 4 Teams Each.
It would Look Like this...
The Canada East Division Montreal Quebec Toronto Ottawa
The US NorthEast Division NY Islanders NY Rangers NJ Devils Boston Bruins
The US Atlantic Division Philadelphia Washington Pittsburgh Columbus
The Canada West Division Edmonton Calgary Winnipeg Vancouver
The US Lakes Division Buffalo Detroit Chicago Minnesota
The US South Division Carolina Nashville Florida Tampa
The US Central Division Dallas St. Louis Phoenix Colorado
The US Western Division LA Anaheim San Jose Las Vegas
How the schedule works:
Each team would have a "Sister Division" Making essentially 4 Conferences. The Sister Division could possibly change each year however...
They would start like this:
Year 1
Conference A Canada East and US South
Conference B US Atlantic and US Northeast
Conference C Canada West and US West
Conference D US Central and US Lakes
Year 2
Conference A Canada East and US Atlantic
Conference B US Atlantic and US South
Conference C Canada West and US Lakes
Conference D US Central and US West
Year 3
Conference A Canada East and US Lakes
Conference B US North and US South
Conference C US Atlantic and US Central
Conference D Canada West and US West
How the Schedule Would Work for 82 games:
48 Games: Teams would play all 24 teams NOT in their Conference that year home and away 48 Games.
16 Games: Teams would play the 4 teams in the sister division 4 times
18 Games: Teams would play the other 3 teams in their division 6 times.
The NHL loves rivalries and I have tried to keep those teams together...
What do you think of this concept?
On Jonathan Drouin...
I can't understand why he is available, but he very well might be I am told...I have been told this going back to last season's midway point. The two teams that keep coming up are St. Louis and Dallas.
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