According to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman spoke at the recent board of governors meeting about a proposal for realigning the NHL after next season.
In short- the League would replace the current six-division system with a four-division system broken up into Pacific, Midwest, East, and South divisions. One division from each Conference would have seven teams while the other would field eight teams. The 82-game schedule would remain the same.
Without knowing where the Phoenix Coyotes end up after next season (and trust me, they will relocate), the NHL could look something like this:
East South
Boston Bruins Florida Panthers
Toronto Maple Leafs Tampa Bay Lightning
New York Rangers Carolina Hurricanes
New Jersey Devils Nashville Predators
Philadelphia Flyers Washington Capitals
New York Islanders Pittsburgh Penguins
Montreal Canadiens Detroit Red Wings
Buffalo Sabres
Pacific Midwest
San Jose Sharks Colorado Avalanche
L.A. Kings St. Louis Blues
Phoenix Coyotes Minnesota Wild
Anaheim Ducks Ottawa Senators
Calgary Flames Dallas Stars
Edmonton Oilers Columbus Blue Jackets
Winnipeg Jets Chicago Blackhawks
Vancouver Canucks
The best four teams in each division would move onto the playoffs. It’s possible under this system that a team in 5th place in their division could not make the playoffs, even if they have more points at the end of the regular season than the 4th place team in the other division within the Conference.
Would you be upset if the Flyers no longer played the Pittsburgh Penguins six times a year?
Needless to say, it’s a bold suggestion from a man that is booed on sight by NHL fans everywhere.
Has to be one of the worst possible scenarios for several teams and their fans, not to mention Penguins and Detroit in the South?? How do you remove Detroit from their historic rivalries in Chicago and Colorado??? Senators in the Midwest???? Please! Of course, the East will beat each other up by playoff time with only 4 in that group probably getting in.
Bettman is a jackoff! He is one of the biggest weasels that I’ve ever seen, in all of sports. He is the type of guy who never played a sport in his life, but thinks he invented it, & will reinvent it with his F^@#ed up ideas. Go suck on a tail pipe, you nimrod!
The reason I put Detroit in the “South” division was because they have an unwritten agreement with the NHL that, if the League ever realigns, they would have the first crack at the Eastern Conference. Playing in the West takes a financial and physical toll on players with the extensive travel.
I would otherwise flip Detroit and Dallas.
Pittsburgh used to be in the same division as the Capitals in the past, so I don’t see them being a “South” team as big of a deal.
love how this website still claims to have breaking philly sports news, and there is still no mention of the carter and richards trades…oh well, still love the site
It made it up eventually! Just was at my other job at the time…