Realignment Not Occuring Next Year

[WorkingOvertime 536]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=610343

The NHLPA has refused to approve the proposed realignment.

[Donaldjr2448 43]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=610343

The NHLPA has just rejected the new realignment set for next season. I cannot understand why the NHLPA has gone down this road, but it sounds as if the NHLPA is ok with having yet another work stoppage!

Personally I do not think this league can survive another strike, and I must say I am disappointed that the PA has gone this route.

What do all of you think?? Is there a strike on the horizon?? Winnipeg simply cannot stay in the East, the current system sucks and needs change.

Discuss.......

[Donaldjr2448 43]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=610343

The NHLPA has refused to approve the proposed realignment.

Ooops ya beat me to it! This is not a very good sign for hockey next year!

[Kage5691 3]

I would like to hear the NHLPA's reasons for refusing the proposition. It's kind of disappointing as well, I was pretty excited about the realignment.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

After this, if we don't one for one with Winnipeg I'm gonna be pisssssed.

[Jedi 1,865]

Both surprised, and yet not surprised at the same time.

Ilitch and the front office brass must be LIVID about this.

[95MadeMeCry 11]

Pierre LeBrun tweeted

"NHLPA says extra travel was major concern as well as playoff structure.... Union says it consulted with players on conf calls ..."

eastern conf teams dont care or give a s*** about what western conf teams have to deal with

[WorkingOvertime 536]

Ooops ya beat me to it! This is not a very good sign for hockey next year!

I wasn't a fan of the playoffs structure and unbalanced conferences. IMO the extreme realignment wasn't necessary, but it is a blow that the board passed the plan and the NHLPA.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Not surprised at all. It was a half-#ssed attempt by the League, appearing to be doing something for both the fans and the players when, in the end, it was just another attempt for a new paragraph in the "Bettman Legacy" section in Wikipedia. i've got this mental image of Bill Daly, jumping up and down, as he spews out all of his best lawyer-speak in that statement. I laugh. Good for the NHLPA!

[xtrememachine1 795]

This is absolutely ridiculous. I can't believe Winnipeg is going to be in the Southeast for another year.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

I can't believe Atlanta got a second franchise.

[LeftWinger 4,936]

Well, what now then? Does Winnipeg just stay in the Eastern Conference? Ya, that makes sense. If it aint the NHL screwing around, it's the NHLPA! I am a Union supporter and member, but I really would love to hear the explanation behind their rejection...not unless there was some small print that we as fans didn't get to see. I don't get it. It was a good realignment and everyone plays everyone twice outside of your conference. Really less travel for the most part. You would think that the players wouldn't care, you would think it would have been the owners in the East that wold oppose this yet they approved it. I guess they are gonna have to go to plan B and screw the fans of seeing all the NHL teams at least once in their home arenas. Thanks NHLPA.

...yep and after reading the article, Winnipeg stays in the East. WTF NHLPA, what do you suggest for a re-alignment then? Let's hear it, because I for one was pretty excited to see a Detroit/San Jose SCF next year...

Edited January 7, 2012 by LeftWinger

[8 Legged RedWing 367]

Pissed.

[LeftWinger 4,936]

Pierre LeBrun tweeted

"NHLPA says extra travel was major concern as well as playoff structure.... Union says it consulted with players on conf calls ..."

eastern conf teams dont care or give a s*** about what western conf teams have to deal with

Extra travel? Playoff structure? What do they want, all the teams to make the playoffs? I don't get what their concerns are?!?!?

[puckloo39 5,686]

All I know is, if they lock out and there is no season, I am moving to Europe. I can't deal with losing my hockey.

Extra travel for who? Wings have had to deal with that issue for decades.

[WorkingOvertime 536]

Extra travel? Playoff structure? What do they want, all the teams to make the playoffs? I don't get what their concerns are?!?!?

Playoffs are a concern for two reasons. In the 'western' conferences, the teams have a lower chance of making the playoffs by having eight teams compared to seven team 'eastern' conferences. Also, the divisional playoffs may be a concern to some. If two teams from the same division are elite, you may see the better teams eliminated earlier.

[GMRwings1983 8,793]

There goes the home and home against every team and the easier travel schedule.

The NHL finds another way to embarrass itself.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

My first thought when reading this was the Eastern Conference teams bitched about the travel.

I didn't like everything about the realignment, but it was better than the current system. I can't believe those clowns are upset they actually had to go out of their own time zones to play some games for once.

The NHL is such a horribly run league at every level.

[chances14 227]

this is nothing but a negotiation ploy for the NHLPA. Get ready everyone because another lockout is coming

[LeftWinger 4,936]

this is nothing but a negotiation ploy for the NHLPA. Get ready everyone because another lockout is coming

This I believe. The NHLPA is going to try to get rid of the Cap and lower the UFA age. I think they should push to get rid of the waiver rule, if a player is willing to come to an organization and play in their minor's for a chance to play for their favorite team, then why punish them to the Island when they get sent back down? The NHL will also try to get rid of the "life-time" contracts that circumvent the Cap.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

this is nothing but a negotiation ploy for the NHLPA. Get ready everyone because another lockout is coming

Possibly. But Bettman and the NHL made this move much more likely by not involving the NHLPA in the process until now. A while back in an interview about the realignment, Bettman was openly condescending towards the union and about how they'll check with them but don't really have to be consulted.

The league went ahead with this process and by not involving the NHLPA from the start put them in the position of having to put the brakes on this if they didn't agree. Now they're painting the union as the bad guy for delaying things, which is idiotic. If there's a massive reorganization like that, doesn't it seem like they should have involved the people who actually play the hockey games BEFORE they decided to go ahead with the plan?

The posturing has definitely begun, but it's not like it's only come from the NHLPA. Bettman has nothing but open disdain for the players union and sets a very divisive tone. If there is another lockout, he should absolutely be removed as commissioner. I understand he is representing the franchise owners but ultimately he represents the game, and sometimes his job means he needs to save a few idiot billionaires from themselves.

A big part of his job is and should be diplomacy, which is where Bettman is the most lacking.

Edited January 7, 2012 by haroldsnepsts

[rick zombo 3,739]

f*** em.

What needs to be done in a situation like this is, move Winnipeg to the West, move Detroit to the East, and just for s***s, move Columbus to the East and move the Penguins to the Pacific. That’ll teach them.

[Nightfall 871]

There goes the home and home against every team and the easier travel schedule.

The NHLPA finds another way to embarrass itself.

Fixed it for you.

Seriously though, I thought the new realignment was good. It would have reduced travel for teams, but I guess the NHLPA isn't interested in that. If there is anything we as fans should take away from this, it is that nothing is certain when the CBA expires. We hope the process will go smoothly. We hope that there will be a new CBA in time for training camp and the season. With this NHLPA, nothing is certain. This really was a slam dunk for the league and fans. By rejecting it, I believe the NHLPA is setting the stage for a very difficult and contentious bargaining off season.

[Nightfall 871]

Possibly. But Bettman and the NHL made this move much more likely by not involving the NHLPA in the process until now. A while back in an interview about the realignment, Bettman was openly condescending towards the union and about how they'll check with them but don't really have to be consulted.

The league went ahead with this process and by not involving the NHLPA from the start put them in the position of having to put the brakes on this if they didn't agree. Now they're painting the union as the bad guy for delaying things, which is idiotic. If there's a massive reorganization like that, doesn't it seem like they should have involved the people who actually play the hockey games BEFORE they decided to go ahead with the plan?

The posturing has definitely begun, but it's not like it's only come from the NHLPA. Bettman has nothing but open disdain for the players union and sets a very divisive tone. If there is another lockout, he should absolutely be removed as commissioner. I understand he is representing the franchise owners but ultimately he represents the game, and sometimes his job means he needs to save a few idiot billionaires from themselves.

A big part of his job is and should be diplomacy, which is where Bettman is the most lacking.

I do agree with you to a point.

We don't know if the NHLPA was invited to get input from this plan or not. What I do know is this, there are two sides here. We cannot speculate that Bettman is totally in the wrong here. Just like we cannot speculate that the NHLPA is totally wrong for rejecting it. What we can say is that this could have went better. Both sides should have done their part, and I believe that the NHL and NHLPA are entering a contentious period. Bargaining is going to start up here in about 4 months. Both sides are getting ready for a big fight, as what happens with every professional league when billions are at stake.

In short, lets not say that Bettman is lacking in diplomacy. Its like saying the Republicans lack diplomacy because they don't talk to the Democrats and vice versa. I believe that both sides are set in their ways and neither wants to budge. I really fear for another lockout for next season. I wouldn't doubt it if we saw 1-3 months lost, or maybe even the whole season.

[VM1138 1,921]

Ah, once again the public suffers due to a pissing contest. Bettman should have included the NHLPA, and the NHLPA should just move on. f*** both of them.