Coco-puffs
New member
Hi Everyone,
As the news that the NHLPA agreed to the NHL's proposal for re-alignment came out today, I thought I'd share this idea I had for re-alignment.
I'm not a big fan of the re-alignment proposal. Having 16 teams fighting for 8 playoff spots in the East and 14 teams fighting for 8 in the West in completely unbalanced. I have a feeling the NHL is planning on expanding to 32 teams, so this sets us up for that, but even my idea addresses that.
Sticking with the two conference, four division format my idea keeps 15 teams in each conference and a division in each conference the ability to absorb an expansion team. The same rules would apply as currently proposed. 3 teams from each division make the playoffs, with the final two spots per conference going to the teams with the best records:
Eastern Conference
Division #1. This should be named something to reflect the fact that these 8 cities were the original teams in the NHL (Ottawa and Pittsburgh had teams back in the 1910-1920's):
Toronto
Montreal
Boston
New York Rangers
Detroit
Chicago
Ottawa
Pittsburgh
Atlantic Division:
New Jersey
New York Islanders
Washington
Philadelphia
Carolina
Florida
Tampa Bay
Western Conference
Central Division
Buffalo
Columbus
Winnipeg
Minnesota
St. Louis
Nashville
Dallas
Colorado (can move to the Pacific as well)
Pacific Division
LA
Anaheim
Phoenix
San Jose
Vancouver
Calgary
Edmonton
What does everyone think?
As the news that the NHLPA agreed to the NHL's proposal for re-alignment came out today, I thought I'd share this idea I had for re-alignment.
I'm not a big fan of the re-alignment proposal. Having 16 teams fighting for 8 playoff spots in the East and 14 teams fighting for 8 in the West in completely unbalanced. I have a feeling the NHL is planning on expanding to 32 teams, so this sets us up for that, but even my idea addresses that.
Sticking with the two conference, four division format my idea keeps 15 teams in each conference and a division in each conference the ability to absorb an expansion team. The same rules would apply as currently proposed. 3 teams from each division make the playoffs, with the final two spots per conference going to the teams with the best records:
Eastern Conference
Division #1. This should be named something to reflect the fact that these 8 cities were the original teams in the NHL (Ottawa and Pittsburgh had teams back in the 1910-1920's):
Toronto
Montreal
Boston
New York Rangers
Detroit
Chicago
Ottawa
Pittsburgh
Atlantic Division:
New Jersey
New York Islanders
Washington
Philadelphia
Carolina
Florida
Tampa Bay
Western Conference
Central Division
Buffalo
Columbus
Winnipeg
Minnesota
St. Louis
Nashville
Dallas
Colorado (can move to the Pacific as well)
Pacific Division
LA
Anaheim
Phoenix
San Jose
Vancouver
Calgary
Edmonton
What does everyone think?
