2025-2026 NHL Offseason

lukin2006

NHLPA approves realignment

http://www.thescore.com/home/articles/5 ... ealignment

NEW YORK (AP) The NHL moved a step closer to realignment Thursday as the players' association approved a proposed plan that is set to go into effect next season.
Now that the league has gotten the go-ahead from union chief Donald Fehr, the NHL will only need to get approval from team owners to put it in place.
``The NHL Players' Association confirmed to us today that it has consented to a revised plan for realignment, effective for the 2013-14 season,'' NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement. ``Our next step will be to bring the proposed plan for realignment to the NHL board of governors for its consideration.''
Fehr signed off on the plan after discussions with the union's executive board and said the realignment issue will be ``re-evaluated following the 2014-15 season.''
No official details of the changes have been released by the NHL, but it is widely believed that teams such as Detroit and Columbus will be put into more travel-friendly divisions in the Eastern time zone, and the Winnipeg Jets - formerly the Atlanta Thrashers - will leave the Southeast Division for a spot in the Western Conference.
``It's awesome,'' Detroit Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard said. ``These West Coast swings, not only do they take a lot out on us and you guys, but also out on our fans, having to stay up and watch us late at night. To be able to play a lot more in the Eastern time zone is going to be very beneficial.''
Up until now, there has been an even split of teams with 15 in each conference. Under the new plan, the East will have 16 clubs in it - making playoff qualification a bit tougher.
The two divisions out West will contain seven teams each. The East divisions will both contain eight.
Each conference will still have eight teams in the playoffs but the setup will be slightly different.
Instead of the current system, under which the top eight teams in each conference make the playoffs, the new plan will award spots to the top three teams in each division along with the next two teams with the best records as wild cards.
The new Atlantic Division in the East will be comprised of Carolina, Columbus, New Jersey, New York's Rangers and Islanders, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington. The Central Division will contain Boston, Buffalo, Detroit, Florida, Montreal, Ottawa, Tampa Bay and Toronto.
``It will definitely be a change,'' Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader said. ``The benefit will be less travel. The disadvantage is 16 teams in the East - so harder for a playoff spot. It's one of those things that you kind of take the pros and the cons, and it's part of the deal.
``It's something that'll be different, so we'll give it a couple years and see how it goes.''
Out West, the new Midwest Division will feature Chicago, Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota, Nashville, St. Louis and Winnipeg. The Pacific Division will be made up of Anaheim, Calgary, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Jose and Vancouver.

Jason P

Attention Boston, Buffalo, Florida, Montreal, Ottawa, Tampa Bay and Toronto ... you just made the list!



Go Wings!

lukin2006

Jason P wrote:

Attention Boston, Buffalo, Florida, Montreal, Ottawa, Tampa Bay and Toronto ... you just made the list!



Go Wings!

Based on this season that might be the toughest division in hockey ... with the exception of Buffalo and Florida. I like it. 4 of the original 6 in 1 division ... like that. Toronto and Detroit can continue their rivalry.

The western owners will probably be unhappy ... now its up to the owners to approve it and they probably will.

Unfortunately now the conferences are no longer balanced ... this means possible expansion, which I hope not, the league is a little watered down right now. The only change I would make is to move Columbus to the midwest. So I figure expansion could be in the works.

MayDay10

Thats a bad-ass Division. Like the son of the Adams and Norris Divisions. Itll be even better when Florida moves to Quebec City. I bet they would slide Tampa Bay to the NYC/PHI Division, and Columbus to the Adams/Norris if that happened.

Would it kill them to drop the Geographical Division names? Central Division? Boston? Montreal? Miami? Tampa? People know where major cities are located. Dont need Divisions to markate them, especially when they are incorrect/misleading. Would love:
Atlantic: Howe
Central: Orr
Mid Western: Hull
Pacific: Gretzky

looking forward to final word on schedule grid and playoff format. The other proposal made it possible for teams from the same time zone to play for the Stanley Cup.

Jason P

I agree on renaming the division after hockey royalty.

But as a Colts fan I'm used to shit not making any sense as they play in the AFC South :fp:

MayDay10

Jason P wrote:

I agree on renaming the division after hockey royalty.

But as a Colts fan I'm used to shit not making any sense as they play in the AFC South :fp:

At least if you have Conferences it makes sence because you prefix it with Conference to markate and that has a purpose.

But now that there are basically 4 stand-alone Divisions, they need to get unique/creative. Hockey fans will love it, non fans wont really be confused by it.

lukin2006

You have to name one of the division after Jean Beliveau ... I'd drop Hull.

Jason P

lukin2006 wrote:

You have to name one of the division after Jean Beliveau ... I'd drop Hull.

I'm sorry, I don't speak French.

MayDay10

I was thinking of Bobby Hull, but he is/was a contraversial figure so it may not fly.

Was trying to get name(s) who played in the region. Mikita?

Definitely bent the rules with Howe though. Basid it on his time with Hartford who is now Carolina and moving into that Division.

lukin2006

MayDay10 wrote:

I was thinking of Bobby Hull, but he is/was a contraversial figure so it may not fly.

Was trying to get name(s) who played in the region. Mikita?

Definitely bent the rules with Howe though. Basid it on his time with Hartford who is now Carolina and moving into that Division.

IMO if your going to use players names you really can't leave Jean Beliveau off the list ... they already have the Richard trophy ... the division Montreal is in should be name after Beliveau.

I wouldn't give Bobby Hull anything ... to controversial ... if the players were given a say they'd likely replace Howe with Ted Lindsay ... Ted Lindsay did a lot for the players ...

iwasatpj20

My Detroit Red Wings are not dead yet. Still the nightmare to Buttman and his crew.

Dr. Delight

So Ryan Getzlaf signs for 8 yrs @ 8.25 per. Good thing they had yet another lockout.

Rygar

Dr. Delight wrote:

So Ryan Getzlaf signs for 8 yrs @ 8.25 per. Good thing they had yet another lockout.

Agreed, good to see contracts back at reasonable levels!

norm

name the new divisions...

Patrick
Smythe
Norris
Adams

MayDay10

im cool with that, too

Dr. Delight

norm wrote:

name the new divisions...

Patrick
Smythe
Norris
Adams

Thats what it should be.

drivingrl

MayDay10 wrote:

Would it kill them to drop the Geographical Division names? Central Division? Boston? Montreal? Miami? Tampa? People know where major cities are located. Dont need Divisions to markate them, especially when they are incorrect/misleading. Would love:
Atlantic: Howe
Central: Orr
Mid Western: Hull
Pacific: Gretzky

I like it.

lukin2006

its good to see the edmonton oilers getting close to last overall ... thought for while they would not have a shot at a lottery pick .

smarchee

Rygar wrote:

Dr. Delight wrote:

So Ryan Getzlaf signs for 8 yrs @ 8.25 per. Good thing they had yet another lockout.

Agreed, good to see contracts back at reasonable levels!

lukin2006

The contracts are what the owners and players agreed too ... it is what it is ... as far as I'm concerned all sports are out of control ...