2012/2013 realignment

[maplesyrup]

Often, the simplest solution is the best one... and as a Leaf fan, I'd much rather enjoy more Leaf-Detroit games per year - even if it hurts our play-off chances a bit.   

 

[bustaheims]

If they move to the South East, I'm not sure their travel costs will get better if distance traveled has anything to do with those costs - and it usually does:
http://www.section303.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/NHL-map.jpg

Yeah. Unless they're really dead set on trying to re-ignite some very stagnant rivalries with the Leafs, Rangers and Habs, I'm not sure this proposed move helps them out as much as I'm sure they hope.

 

[maplesyrup]

If they move to the South East, I'm not sure their travel costs will get better if distance traveled has anything to do with those costs - and it usually does:
http://www.section303.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/NHL-map.jpg

Yeah. Unless they're really dead set on trying to re-ignite some very stagnant rivalries with the Leafs, Rangers and Habs, I'm not sure this proposed move helps them out as much as I'm sure they hope.

It might help a little. Also, aren't the teams in the east more compressed? With some creatice scheduling, the Wings could knock off games with the Rangers, Devils, Flyers, and Islanders and then return home for a stand. I can't help but feel it's easier for travel that way. 

 

[ZBBM]

If they move to the South East, I'm not sure their travel costs will get better if distance traveled has anything to do with those costs - and it usually does:
http://www.section303.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/NHL-map.jpg

Yeah. Unless they're really dead set on trying to re-ignite some very stagnant rivalries with the Leafs, Rangers and Habs, I'm not sure this proposed move helps them out as much as I'm sure they hope.

?  Are you saying that the travel miles won't be less if DET goes to the Southeast?  Because they'd be substantially less.  Or am I misunderstanding you?

 

[bustaheims]

It might help a little. Also, aren't the teams in the east more compressed? With some creatice scheduling, the Wings could knock off games with the Rangers, Devils, Flyers, and Islanders and then return home for a stand. I can't help but feel it's easier for travel that way.

It helps a little that way, but, their in-division travel significantly increases from what it is now. So, while they save on travel for the 16 out of division away games, they lose on the 12 in-division away games. So, while they probably will save some money, it won't be as significant amount as they're probably looking for. The ideal for Detroit would be for the league to shift to 2 divisions per conference, but, I'm not sure the BoG is thinking about going in that direction - and, even then, Detroit could possibly end up in the less advantageous division for them.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

That re-alignment has at least some negative feedback: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Red-Wings-in-Southeast-Jets-in-Central-NHL-wim?urn=nhl-wp14631&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

[Britishbulldog]

What should be done is revert back to a best-of-five quarterfinal format (and perhaps even the semifinal).  It will make for a quicker end-time and a more intensive hockey series.

However that would also make it tougher for Crosby, Ovechkin, Stamkos etc to set dazzling new postseason scoring records that the league could then trumpet, plus less $$ in ticket sales, so I strongly doubt that will happen.

I don't know about that.  It has been suggested that the length of the season is a problem in the US and that interest wanes when the hockey season hits the warmer months , especially June when the NHL is competing against other more established US sports that can be enjoyed outside in the warm weather. 

The argument is that the NHL is so gate driven financially rather than TV revenue driven that if the season and playoffs could be shortened even just a few games then the public interest might still be there which could help with a more lucrative American TV contract which could more than make up for the approximate $1 MIL loss of revenue for that 1 home game in the 1st 2 playoff rounds.

Cutting regular season games would be MUCH more difficult.  If no teams folded and every team play each other home and away then a team would play 29 other teams twice for 58 games.  If they played their 4 division rivals 2 more home and away games (4 more games against each team) it would add an additional 16 games for 74 regular season games instead of 82 causing a team to play 37 home games rather than 41.  That would be the loss of 120 home game revenues league wide.

Soooo...I figure that if the season could be shortened to 74 games and the playoffs reduced the conference quarter finals to best of 5 (removing a maximum of 16 home games) as well as the conference semi finals to best of 5 (removing a maximum of 8 home games) as Hockeyfan1 suggested....then ANY new revenues to the league that totaled $144 MIL or more would compensate the gate revenue lost and would possibly help with the public interest. Considering the size of TV contract the NFL has $144 MIL for the NHL is nothing.

8 regular season games of the schedule would shorten the season about 2 1/2 weeks.  4 playoff games in the 1st 2 rounds would save an additional 8 days pushing the Stanley Cup finals to be started around the 1st or 2nd week of May.

 

[princedpw]

Here is an interesting realignment proposal:

http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2011/10/12/2475303/nhl-realignment-mlb-nfl-model

However, what I found far more interesting was the revenue imbalance between teams and the shockingly disproportionate percentage of total revenue due to the Leafs.  I had no iea it was that large.  It is unconscionable that they didn't have the highest payroll pre-cap.  This kind of disparity also indicates the league will have a hard time surviving without more revenue sharing or a wider cap gap.

 

[Britishbulldog]

Here is an interesting realignment proposal:

http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2011/10/12/2475303/nhl-realignment-mlb-nfl-model

However, what I found far more interesting was the revenue imbalance between teams and the shockingly disproportionate percentage of total revenue due to the Leafs.  I had no iea it was that large.  It is unconscionable that they didn't have the highest payroll pre-cap.  This kind of disparity also indicates the league will have a hard time surviving without more revenue sharing or a wider cap gap.

Great article.

The other thing I was wondering is if any more franchises would move.  There are probably only 4 viable cities around: Quebec, Southeast Ontario between Toronto and Detroit, Las Vegas and Kansas City. 

Something definitely has to be done regarding salaries in the next CBA though.  As you said, the disproportionate revenue levels across the league is staggering.

 

[Number 5]

Anyone up for an 'Original Six League'? No cap.

Vancouver can be our farm team.

 

[sneakyray]

Just point in fact, Holland was on Hockeycentral at noon yesterday and re-affirmed his/ownership's desire for the Wings to be in the East.

they.ve been whining about this on detroit sports radio for years...boo hoo we have sooooo much traveling...actually they think that bettman has it out for the wings (as if the commish hates one of his premiere teams!)

anyways, their theory is that the nhl needs the wings in the west because they are the only big draw team left in the west to sell out other teams buildings when they play there (ie. pheonix, anaheim, etc.)

Kinda makes sense tbh.

Seriously. Detroit being in the West makes about as much sense as when Toronto was in the West. I really don't understand the tone of that post. Detroit has every right to whine.

Unfortunately, even if the NHL got over that issue (and the fact that the Central division would be pretty stale right now without the Wings), there's really nowhere to put the Wings in the East unless a dramatic alignment occurs. No teams are betting booted from the Northeast or Atlantic divisions.

I was mostly getting at the fact that many wings fans think that bettman has it out for them, as if he wants them to lose.  They point to their travel as one of the reasons for this.  I just think its bogus whining...thats all.

 

[Rebel_1812]

Here is an interesting realignment proposal:

http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2011/10/12/2475303/nhl-realignment-mlb-nfl-model

However, what I found far more interesting was the revenue imbalance between teams and the shockingly disproportionate percentage of total revenue due to the Leafs.  I had no iea it was that large.  It is unconscionable that they didn't have the highest payroll pre-cap.  This kind of disparity also indicates the league will have a hard time surviving without more revenue sharing or a wider cap gap.

Great article.

The other thing I was wondering is if any more franchises would move.  There are probably only 4 viable cities around: Quebec, Southeast Ontario between Toronto and Detroit, Las Vegas and Kansas City. 

Something definitely has to be done regarding salaries in the next CBA though.  As you said, the disproportionate revenue levels across the league is staggering.

Quebec has a population of about 500,000 in the city and 700,000 in the metro area.  Winnipeg has a population of 670,000 in the city and 750000 in the metro area.  This means Quebec city would be a slightly smaller market then winnipeg, and a tougher time trying to survive. Kanas city although it has a decent population base is not a proven hockey market and will face the same pressures as other US markets that don't know about or like hockey.  Quebec could work with a low payroll and high ticket price like winnipeg but it will not be a big money maker.  Moving to Kanas city will be like moving to Nashville or Phoenix; a franchise that is destined to lose money.

 

[maplesyrup]

I like that re-alignment proposal the Hotstove just flashed... I'd like to look at that more closely but it seems good to me.... 4 divisions, you play one home + one road game vs every team in the league outside your division and the rest within. Playoffs begin vs. your own division like the old days.

 

[LittleHockeyFan]

I like that re-alignment proposal the Hotstove just flashed... I'd like to look at that more closely but it seems good to me.... 4 divisions, you play one home + one road game vs every team in the league outside your division and the rest within. Playoffs begin vs. your own division like the old days.

While I kinda liked it personally, I'm thinking it's really unfair for the Pittsburgh/Philly state rivalry. They didn't mess with the Toronto/Ottawa provincial one, why would they mess with Pennsylvania's?
I want Detroit back in our division

 

[Kin]

I like that re-alignment proposal the Hotstove just flashed... I'd like to look at that more closely but it seems good to me.... 4 divisions, you play one home + one road game vs every team in the league outside your division and the rest within. Playoffs begin vs. your own division like the old days.

While I kinda liked it personally, I'm thinking it's really unfair for the Pittsburgh/Philly state rivalry. They didn't mess with the Toronto/Ottawa provincial one, why would they mess with Pennsylvania's?
I want Detroit back in our division

Yeah, it struck me as minimizing a lot of pretty good rivalries like Philly/Pittsburgh or NY/Bos and replacing them with a lot of fairly shrug-worthy games.

 

[maplesyrup]

I like that re-alignment proposal the Hotstove just flashed... I'd like to look at that more closely but it seems good to me.... 4 divisions, you play one home + one road game vs every team in the league outside your division and the rest within. Playoffs begin vs. your own division like the old days.

While I kinda liked it personally, I'm thinking it's really unfair for the Pittsburgh/Philly state rivalry. They didn't mess with the Toronto/Ottawa provincial one, why would they mess with Pennsylvania's?
I want Detroit back in our division

I think it's going to be impossible to make everyone happy. There probably isn't a perfect model. Like I said though, I really like the format.

 

[pnjunction]

I'd rather get rid of the divisions than the conferences. 4 games against every conference team and 2 against every team from the other conference. Yeah the total is 86 but drop 2 crappy money-losing teams and it's 80.   This system is fair unlike the current one where teams competing for playoff spots have played against different division and other-conference opponents.

Those big divisions sound awful. It's boring enough already playing 32 games against the same 4 teams (not to mention how unfair it is to teams trying to scrape into the playoffs in a tough division). Playing half of the games against the same 6-7 teams (which is it the league doesn't even divide evenly) sounds excruciating.

 

[Bullfrog]

An illustrated guide to NHL realignment history:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/An-illustrated-guide-to-NHL-realignment-history;_ylt=AsatB7J748wLKjEkbDV4GAR7vLYF?urn=nhl-wp16943

 

[drummond]

I do not like 4 conferences idea presented during Hot Stove

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

That didn't take long.

DarrenDreger Darren Dreger
Decision has been made on realignment by NHL Board of Governors. Will have full details of changes very soon.