Red Wings to be in an Eastern conference in latest NHL/NHLPA proposal

[CrimsonFlame 424]

I was thinking about the whole baseball divisions idea and the more I think about it the more I like it. Here' s a scenario I was thinking about. East and West are eliminated all together and now we have two division, the Prince of Wales and the Campbell. I'm sure you guys can come up with something more creative. Each conference has it's own east central and west divisions

I tried to keep the divisions relatively close in terms of how good the teams are as well as try and preserve some rivalries and also having to travel relatively similar distances. I also managed to get all original six into one conference since that's important to a lot of people. What do you guys think?

-=Prince of Wales=- -=Campbell=-
*East* *East*
Tampa Bay Lightning Montreal Canadiens
Carolina Hurricanes Boston Bruins
Philadelphia Flyers New York Rangers
Washington Capitols New York Islanders
New Jersey Devils Florida Panthers

*Central* *Central*
St. Louis Blues Detroit Red Wings
Nashville Predators Chicago Blackhawks
Buffalo Sabers Pittsburgh Penguins
Ottawa Senators Toronto Maple Leaves
Minnesota Wild Columbus Blue Jackets

*West* *West*
Anaheim Ducks San Jose Sharks
Phoenix Coyotes Los Angeles Kings
Vancouver Canucks Colorado Avelanche
Edmonton Oilers Calgary Flames
Winnipeg Jets Dallas Stars

*edit*

Looking at it now blue division is a lot more clustered compared to orange division so I would consider swaping CBJ for st louis or nashville.

Edited February 28, 2013 by CrimsonFlame

[Euro_Twins 4,485]

I was thinking about the whole baseball divisions idea and the more I think about it the more I like it. Here' s a scenario I was thinking about. East and West are eliminated all together and now we have two division, the Prince of Wales and the Campbell. I'm sure you guys can come up with something more creative. Each conference has it's own east central and west divisions

I tried to keep the divisions relatively close in terms of how good the teams are as well as try and preserve some rivalries and also having to travel relatively similar distances. I also managed to get all original six into one conference since that's important to a lot of people. What do you guys think?

-=Prince of Wales=- -=Campbell=-

*East* *East*

Tampa Bay Lightning Montreal Canadiens

Carolina Hurricanes Boston Bruins

Philadelphia Flyers New York Rangers

Washington Capitols New York Islanders

New Jersey Devils Florida Panthers

*Central* *Central*

St. Louis Blues Detroit Red Wings

Nashville Predators Chicago Blackhawks

Buffalo Sabers Pittsburgh Penguins

Ottawa Senators Toronto Maple Leaves

Minnesota Wild Columbus Blue Jackets

*West* *West*

Anaheim Ducks San Jose Sharks

Phoenix Coyotes Los Angeles Kings

Vancouver Canucks Colorado Avelanche

Edmonton Oilers Calgary Flames

Winnipeg Jets Dallas Stars

*edit*

Looking at it now blue division is a lot more clustered compared to orange division so I would consider swaping CBJ for st louis or nashville.

so you "get rid of" two conferences and instead call them divisions with different divisions in each. And the you RE-ALIGN the nhl anyways, which is exactly what you said we shouldn't do

[CrimsonFlame 424]

so you "get rid of" two conferences and instead call them divisions with different divisions in each. And the you RE-ALIGN the nhl anyways, which is exactly what you said we shouldn't do

This is purely for arguments sake to provide some alternative than to what others are proposing.

[Euro_Twins 4,485]

This is purely for arguments sake to provide some alternative than to what others are proposing.

what most are "proposing" is the NHL's ACTUAL proposal

[Jaymister 71]

The only team I get excited about seeing in the Central is Chicago. I like this proposel, I would look forward to seeing Steve Yzerman's team, Toronto and Boston. Montreal, Buffalo and Ottawa games would alright, with one dud team Florida. Florida would still be more interesting than Columbus because of Huberdeau.

[Tane 17]

7/8 team "conferences" with the top 4 teams making the playoffs is the absolute best scenario. Long term for the league, you have to understand they'll add 2 more teams. This is what I've been dying for since 93, Divisional playoffs. I want the first 2 rounds of the playoffs to be nothing but rivalry games. This is what creates rivalries Not playing the same team 8 times a year. but playing the same couple teams in the playoffs EVERY year. Imagine your first round opponent's going to be Montreal, Toronto, Boston every year. I get goose bumps thinking about this. I'd take having to go against 1 extra team every year. Perfect scenario, 4 Conferences of 8 teams, You play the other 3 home and home, and the rest is against your conference. Give me Montreal, Toronto, Boston 4 times a year at home, an I'm a 41 game season ticket holder next year. Wild card or Not, Make divisional Playoffs happen.

I fear a top 3 team in each division plus 4 wild card team 1-16 seeding scenario. the playoffs lost luster when we had first rounds against non rivals like Edmonton, Anaheim, Calgary, San Jose, I loved when we knew we're going to war with Chicago, St.Louis, Toronto or Minnesota for the first 2 rounds every year. That's how Rivalries happen.

4 divisions, Divisional playoffs, Divisional Championships, and Switch the Damn jerseys back to whites for the home teams, and Hockey will be back to being perfect for me.

[number9 3,297]

New Central Division
Detroit

Chicago

Toronto

Montreal

Boston

NYR

New Poop Division

Pittsburgh

Vancouver

San Jose

Colorado

St. Louis

Nashville

I'm still torn on whether or not Chicago should be in the Central Division or the Poop Division. Thoughts?

[Guest irishock]

Keep em in the Central and dump their fans to the s*** division.

[Serratoni 49]

I'd much rather keep Chicago San Jose Vancouver and Colorado than lose them and gain Boston and Montreal. Thats really all I'd look forward to seeing in this promotion. Tampa Bay is ok I guess, buffalo is pretty meh, and Toronto doesn't do anything for me.

I'm too old to agree with most of this, aside from not wanting to lose CHI. I had standing room only tickets in '93 when we lost in OT to Toronto in game 7 of the playoffs. Still bitter about that one and eager for revenge.

[Rivalred 630]

I'm too old to agree with most of this, aside from not wanting to lose CHI. I had standing room only tickets in '93 when we lost in OT to Toronto in game 7 of the playoffs. Still bitter about that one and eager for revenge.

When was the last time TO won the cup?

[Serratoni 49]

When was the last time TO won the cup?

What does that have to do with it? Until a couple of years ago, CHI hadn't won a Cup in a long time. Were they not a rival when Chelios (as a Hawk) was blasting shots from the point in OT back in the 90s? Don't forget that nail-biting series against St. Louis when Yzerman scored the winner in OT. Was St. Louis not a rival because they hadn't won the Cup?

TO was a great rival to Detroit until the Leafs were shipped East. It was a shame it happened and should be rectified.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

I highly approve if true.

I don't watch as many games as I used to, but given that I am so used to being an early bird during the week waking up before 5:00 am most days, any game that ends by 9:00-9:30 (8:00-8:30 my time) I am a happy camper with.

Plus, I started a new job this past week where I'm still trying to get a feel of my new work environment and consistent hours. There wasn't a snowballs chance is hell I was watching the two late games that were out on the west coast this week. By 9:00 both evenings I was pretty much in complete shutdown mode from exercise early in the morning and training at work.

[beachwing 426]

I really hope we head east:

[The Datsyukian Deke 127]

I really like the realignment to the East for us, but this "divisional playoffs" thing just sucks..

[chrisdetroit 189]

I really like the realignment to the East for us, but this "divisional playoffs" thing just sucks..

I think that the divisional playoff is the best part. The first 2 rounds, we will not have to leave our own time zone. This is huge!

[IllinoisRedWingsFan 49]

Here's what I'd do if I had my way

Northeast
Toronto

Montreal

Ottawa

Boston

Buffalo

New York Rangers

New York Islanders

Atlantic

Pittsburgh

Philadelphia

New Jersey

Flordia

Tampa Bay

Carolina

Washington

Midwest

Chicago

Detroit

Winnipeg

St. Louis

Columbus

Minnesota

Nashville

Dallas

Pacific

Phoenix

San Jose

Los Angeles

Anaheim

Colorado

Calgary

Edmonton

Vancouver

We also need to remember Phoenix may move to Quebec City so what happens then? Do they flip Detroit back to West?

Under my plan is IF and When Phoenix moves it will become a 15/15 confrence with Quebec City/Phoenix goign to the Northeast.

[Nev 1,085]

I have to admit, if we do move East, I will miss our regular season games against Chicago. Even the ones we've lost (like today) have been entertaining, close fought games. They've been our best games to watch these last 3/4 seasons, shame that we've only had the 1 playoff series, and that when we were just coming down off our peak whilst they were just starting up the mountain.

[Barrie 900]

Today's game is one of the reasons why I don't want this new plan, we'll only play Chicago twice. Then when they come to town you'll have to pay hundreds for a ticket.

Are people seriously excited to play the same 7 teams 6 times during the season, then two of them (if we win a couple rounds) in a best of 7? There's a potential to play one team 13 times. If you ask me, that's a huge over kill and it will get old fast! There's one thing about being retro, but to set up the league like it's 1968 is just plain dumb.

All it will do is help owners save money on travel, and allow them to charge more for tickets. No wonder why the owners suggested it. Fans will lose in the long run.

[Jedi 1,865]

Are people seriously excited to play the same 7 teams 6 times during the season, then two of them (if we win a couple rounds) in a best of 7? There's a potential to play one team 13 times. If you ask me, that's a huge over kill and it will get old fast! There's one thing about being retro, but to set up the league like it's 1968 is just plain dumb.

That's no different than as scheduled last season. 2011/12, we played each team in the Central 6 times. Had we gone 7 games against Nashville, that reaches your potential 13 games. The only difference now is that we can stay in the same time zone guaranteed for the first 2 rounds, and significantly help our travel time.

Had we been in a more favorable travel situation, 07 (Calgary, San Jose, Anaheim) could have ended a bit differently for us...

[Guest irishock]

Had we been in a more favorable travel situation, 07 (Calgary, San Jose, Anaheim) could have ended a bit differently for us...

This is true. Plus it's no coincidence we won the next year, facing Nashville, Dallas, Colorado and Pittsburgh.

[canadian wings fan 305]

christ that 07 playoff situation was gruelling as all hell. I totally forgot about that bulls***

[puckbags 863]

Realignment appoved, Wings in the east....about time.

[MidMichSteve 1,115]

NHLPA has agreed to realignment according to NHL Network.

[chances14 229]

awesome.

i don't care about the uneven conferences. the fact that we don't have to stay up until 1am to watch games more than makes up for that. time to enjoy the cake walk travel schedule that the eastern teams have enjoyed for years.

one bad thing i see coming from this is an increase in ticket prices for all the original 6 games. good luck trying to get a home game against toronto at decent prices

Edited March 7, 2013 by chances14

[evilzyme 769]

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Jeff MarekVerified account‏@JeffMarek

NHLPA gives consent to realignment. But will reseve right to re-evaluate after the '14-'15 season.