NHL approves 4-conference realignment PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- The NHL's Board of Governors on Monday approved a radical realignment plan, eliminating the current two-conference, six-division setup in favor of a configuration that features four conferences based primarily on geography. Two conferences will have eight teams and the other two conferences will have seven teams. The Board authorized Commissioner Gary Bettman to implement this proposal in Monday evening's vote, pending input from the National Hockey League Players' Association. The vote, which required a two-thirds majority of the League's 30 governors, passed on the first of two days of meetings here at The Inn at Spanish Bay. The League's new structure will go into effect starting next season. The makeup of the yet-to-be-named four conferences is as follows: CONFERENCE A: Los Angeles, Anaheim, Phoenix, San Jose, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Colorado CONFERENCE B: Detroit, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, Chicago, Minnesota, Dallas and Winnipeg CONFERENCE C: Boston, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Buffalo, Florida and Tampa Bay CONFERENCE D: New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Washington and Carolina The four conferences are designed to alleviate geographic concerns among several current Western Conference teams that had been unhappy about their extensive travel through one, two, and sometimes even three time zones. Some of those teams argued that the late start of road games in the Pacific time zone were affecting fan interest, especially among younger fans. The new alignment also enables the NHL to create a balanced schedule in which all teams will play each other at least twice every season, once at home and once on the road, giving fans a chance to see every team and superstar in the League. The remaining games will be played within the conferences. In the seven-team conferences, teams would play six times -- three home, three away. In the eight-team Conferences, teams would play either five or six times in a season on a rotating basis; three teams would play each other six times and four teams would play each other five times. This process would reverse each season: An eight-team Conference member that plays an opponent six times in one season would play it five times the following season. The top four teams in each Conference qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The first-place team would play the fourth-place team; the second-place team would play the third-place team. The four respective Conference champions would meet in the third round of the Playoffs, with the survivors playing for the Stanley Cup. Source: NHL.com
the leafs stay being Bruin's bitches:trollface2: geologically this makes sense for the west teams...less travel.
my oilers arn't in the best position either =( shark, canucks, duck and av's thats already top 4 for playoff for my conference...it should have been all canadian teams all together, then we'd have a chance haha. Northern conference ftw.
In the old days, there were 4 divisions: Norris, Adams, Partrick, Smythe so it's still similar. A Canadian conference doesn't make any sense. The travel westward puts a strain on players. Canadian teams would have a disadvantage. Furthermore, I don't want that conference to be segregated like that, and be known as the "Canadian group who can't win at their own game". Which reminds me, all these people who say "oh, Canadian teams should be spread out to have the best chance of having a Canadian team in the playoffs", gtfo. "I cheer for a Canadian team" is stupid as fuck. Go watch the WJC, the IIHC or the Olympics instead. Leafs or nothing. Oh, and Leafs > all other Canadian teams If I had to rank the teams that would be most dangerous, it would be VAN>EDM/MTL>WPG>CGY>[all other Canadian cities without an NHL team]>SENS And no it's not because I'm a Leafs fan. Patience. The bigger they are, the harder they fall, and I get the strong impression it's going to apply to the Bruins. And when that happens, I will
Dayum.. our "conference" is actually pretty tough. Sens are actually in the 8th seed right now.. lets see how long they can hang in there for -whistle
no love for the kings? :( admittedly, they've been playing far below expectations and are currently riding a 4 game losing streak, but the ducks haven't been much better this season!
