Just what Winnipeg fans want, watching their home team play at 8pm and 9pm all the time

What a dumb idea!

This configuration makes the most sense to me (ignore the conference/division names if you like):

Howe Conference

Lemieux Division
Montreal
Quebec
Toronto
Ottawa
Buffalo
Detroit
Pittsburgh
Columbus

Orr Division
NY Islanders
NY Rangers
NJ Devils
Boston Bruins
Philadelphia
Washington
Florida
Tampa

Gretzky Conference

Hull Division
Carolina
Nashville
Chicago
Minnesota
Dallas
St. Louis
Phoenix
Colorado

Messier Division
LA
Anaheim
San Jose
Las Vegas
Edmonton
Calgary
Winnipeg
Vancouver
- mjones242

As a Jets fan, I don't want to be staying up late every night just to watch my team.

Detroit
Chicago
St. Louis
Minny/Nashville

That could be fun.

interesting new format, but how do teams qualify for the playoffs? top 2 teams in each division? or division winners than the next top 8? then seed 1-16?

dallas would love to take drouin from tbay and create the same success as seguin.

8 teams in canada. 12 teams in east and 12 teams in west for a total of 32. top 4 from each conference make playoffs and are ranked 1-12 based off regular season record. 1 plays 12. 2 plays 11. 3 plays 10 etc. single elimination until the final which is a best of 3.

east:
NYR
NYI
BOS
BUF
DET
PHI
PIT
TAMPA
WSH
NJ
CAR
FLA

West:
LA
SJ
ANA
LV
DAL
NSH
CBJ
MIN
STL
COL
CHI
PHX

CAN:
VAN
CGY
EDM
WPG
TOR
MTL
OTT
QUE

This configuration makes the most sense to me (ignore the conference/division names if you like):

Spano Conference

Strait Division
Montreal
Quebec
Toronto
Ottawa
Buffalo
Detroit
Pittsburgh
Columbus

Bailey Division
NY Islanders
NY Rangers
NJ Devils
Boston Bruins
Philadelphia
Washington
Florida
Tampa

Milbury Conference

Capuano Division
Carolina
Nashville
Chicago
Minnesota
Dallas
St. Louis
Phoenix
Colorado

Reasoner Division
LA
Anaheim
San Jose
Las Vegas
Edmonton
Calgary
Winnipeg
Vancouver
- mjones242

fixed

fixed
- eichiefs9

How did AMAC get screwed out of this?

How did AMAC get screwed out of this?
- glove_was_stuck

Because OEL said so.

Simply No.

Bring back the Norris Division I say and playoffs should be best 8 teams regardless of division...that is all.

I love this. Too bad the knuckleheads at the NHL office and Bettman won't even look at it.

fixed
- eichiefs9

If the NHL is fixated on rivalries, then this won't fly as Pittsburgh and Philthadelphia aren't in same division. As much hatred as there is with those two teams, the one thing both franchises agree on is they want to be together to keep the rivalry locked in

I prefer the format someone here suggested a few blogs back. No conferences or divisions, just 1 32 team league.

Play every other team in the league home and home (62 games). The remaining games are randomly selected, with no more than 1 additional game against any team.

1 v. 16, 2 v. 15 , etc. in the playoffs.

Most fair and best balances travel, eliminating the advantage the NY/NJ teams have when playing each othe many times with no travel involved.
- scottak

I could get on board with this idea except the "Random" assortment of other games. I could see the league doing something like you suggest. But would have to be a way of ensuring that if you dont play an 'extra' game against a team one season that you do the following.

2 new teams = more hockey each year. Bump it up to 90 games!

If the NHL is fixated on rivalries, then this won't fly as Pittsburgh and Philthadelphia aren't in same division. As much hatred as there is with those two teams, the one thing both franchises agree on is they want to be together to keep the rivalry locked in
- Amanion

You realize you are replying in a serious manner to a post in which I named an entire NHL conference after Mike Milbury, right?

You realize you are replying in a serious manner to a post in which I named an entire NHL conference after Mike Milbury, right?
- eichiefs9

And for the record, in case fans of other teams were wondering how Islander fans felt about Mike Milbury: you can figure it out by the fact that I referenced him as a worse namesake for a conference than John Spano, the man who has been repeatedly convicted and sentenced to extensive jail-time for massive instances of fraud.

How about the teams just join whatever geographical location they belong to, and instead we reformat how teams make the playoffs... It should be the top 16 teams make the playoffs... period. Regardless of what division/conference you play in. The top 16 teams with the most points finishing the season are the teams that deserve to play for the cup. The whole 2 conference, top team from the division, and 2 wildcard team format just seems archaic. It doesn't make sense for a team with less points to make the playoffs, just because they were on the top of their weak division.
- mixturebill

wait are you implying only the best teams should make the playoffs???

8 teams in canada. 12 teams in east and 12 teams in west for a total of 32. top 4 from each conference make playoffs and are ranked 1-12 based off regular season record. 1 plays 12. 2 plays 11. 3 plays 10 etc. single elimination until the final which is a best of 3.

east:
NYR
NYI
BOS
BUF
DET
PHI
PIT
TAMPA
WSH
NJ
CAR
FLA

West:
LA
SJ
ANA
LV
DAL
NSH
CBJ
MIN
STL
COL
CHI
PHX

CAN:
VAN
CGY
EDM
WPG
TOR
MTL
OTT
QUE
- boltsfan48

how does that make any sense? Quebec and Vancouver in the same division/conference? yeah not much of a time distance there, at all

how does that make any sense? Quebec and Vancouver in the same division/conference? yeah not much of a time distance there, at all

- HabzSquanch

i'm not weighing in on that one

The US Lakes Division!!!

i'm not weighing in on that one
- Flyfreaky

What are you weighing in on? A tractor trailer scale?

What are you weighing in on? A tractor trailer scale?
- eichiefs9

big is beautiful and dont you forget it

big is beautiful and dont you forget it
- DDM-Coga

http://i.imgur.com/o6snO1v.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/o6snO1v.jpg
- eichiefs9

http://i.imgur.com/o6snO1v.jpg
- eichiefs9