An NBA Fan Shakes Up The NHL Divisions & Conferences
I felt like I had to put the Caps in the same division with the Flyers, Ranger, and Penguins. I also felt that Toronto & Montreal had to stay in the same division (is that correct?) Any other "division rivalries" I am unaware of that I screwed up with this move.
Note: I did not take into account any travel time, game schedules, costs involved. I just looked at a map, and grouped some teams. I like it, and I think it works!
7 comments:
What do you do next year when Phoenix moves to Quebec City? There's already going to be realignment next year, solely because Winnipeg has to be moved out of the Southeast (obviously), it will be interesting to see how the league handles it.
The whole NHL divisional alignment is a mess, simply because 6 5-team divisions do not work...it's like pounding a square peg into a round hole. Dallas, Minnesota, Detroit, Washington, and Columbus all either want to or should be moved, and you cannot satisfy all of them in the current format. There was talk at one point of going back to 4 divisions and having the first round of the playoffs be intra-divisional...I hope they do that...to me, that would solve pretty much every re-alignment issue.
Oh, and you have to have Ottawa and Toronto together (when both teams were good, that was a blood feud), and you have to have the Rangers and Isles together...as a New York hockey fan, splitting them up is just not an option.
Is Phoenix already officially set to move?
No, Gary is determined to keep them, and its 5,000 fans, in Phoenix.
Ottawa and Vancouver would really hate that travel!
Hey bro, you mixed up Montreal and Ottawa. You have them in the wrong divisions. Ottawa should be in the snow bank, and Montreal should be in the frozen pond.
And notice I spelled Ottawa OTTAWA. 2 A's
:) keep blogging, it's hilarious.
You sir have been added to a hockey fan's Google Reader.
Yeah, I should have said "if" Phx moves to QC, but realistically, no one is buying into that money pit. The only reason they are there is because Glendale, Az is paying $25 million to the NHL to help offset the losses the team is incurring while being owned by the league. I dare say they will not be making that payment next year.
Simple math: No payment next year + no buyer next year = no hockey in Phoenix next year.
The Coyotes have one foot out the Phoenix door, but where they end up is still very much up in the air. I also agree that you can't split up the 3 NY/NJ teams, although the Islanders may be relocating when their lease runs out in 2015. A ballot measure to fund a new arena for the Isles recently lost by a landslide. I took a crack at a new NHL alignment a few weeks ago-- using 4 divisions and the NHL 94 era names. Subject to change if/when the Coyotes and/or Islanders move.
Smythe Division (8 teams):
Winnipeg Jets
Edmonton Oilers
Calgary Flames
Vancouver Canucks
San Jose Sharks
Los Angeles Kings
Anaheim Ducks
Phoenix Coyotes
Norris Division (7 teams):
Ottawa Senators
Toronto Maple Leafs
Buffalo Sabres
Columbus Blue Jackets
Detroit Red Wings
Chicago Blackhawks
Minnesota Wild
Patrick Division (8 teams):
Montreal Canadiens
Boston Bruins
New York Rangers
New York Islanders
New Jersey Devils
Philadelphia Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins
Washington Capitals
Adams Division (7 teams):
Carolina Hurricanes
Tampa Bay Lightning
Florida Panthers
Nashville Predators
St. Louis Blues
Dallas Stars
Colorado Avalanche
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