Detroit Red Wings & the NHL

[Mike]

The Jets are back! Winnipeg officially anounced the team name today.

Also, the commish has proposed that the NHL will go back to a 4 division alignment with Detroit and C-bus moving to the East. The top 4 teams in each division would make the playoffs with the first round being divisional (like the pre-Bettman era). The second round would re-seed the remaining 4 teams. That would be the best thing to happen to the NHL since Bettman took over.

http://aol.sportingnews.com/nhl/story/2011-06-23/report-gary-bettman-proposes-major-nhl-realignment-winnipeg-detroit-red-wings

[Hannibal]

It has already been said here, but I think that Nashville goes East, and not Detroy-it.

[Hannibal]

I'll be pretty surprised if that realignment happens. Detroit to the East, possibly, but I think that 4 divisions is unlikely, and the intra-divisional playoffs are very unlikely.

[Mike]

I don't know how they could take Nashville, who is is in the central time zone, over Detroit or C-bus who are both on EST.

[Mike]

One big sticking point about having the playoffs based on divisional standings is that there would be two divisions with 8 teams and two with 7.

[Optimus Prime]

Traditionally the Wings belong in the EAST ( old Adams Division), realignment would ease travel considerably but they would lose the benefit of playing weaker opponents in the West on a frequent basis.

[madootra]

I think the east is actually weaker overall.....tradition notwithstanding. The Islanders, Panthers, Leafs, Senators, all generally suck. Playing a team like the Sabres after an hour and a half travel is easier than playing an equally mediocre team like Dallas after 4 hours, and a night over.

[Jamie H]

I think it fluctuates, but the West has been plenty tough while the Wings have been there. For many years, the Avalanche were one of the best team in the NHL, but they have faltered in recent years.

[lions&tigers&wings...yea]

lol at anyone thinking the wings wouldn't have it easier in the east

they would mop the floor with those teams...did you happen to notice the playoff races the last couple years? I think like last year the 12th placed team in the west would have been like 6 or 7 and in the playoffs comfortably if they played in the eastern conference.

The eastern teams comprised 6 of the bottom 9 teams last year and we would play those teams at least twice a year. Add that to the huge decrease in travel and we'd be sitting pretty.

[Hannibal]

I agree it would probably be easier in the East right now. The West is really tough. Six or seven teams can be Stanley Cup contenders and there are few bottom feeders like the Panters, Maple Leafs, Islanders, and Thrashers (now the Jets) in the East.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Oops, didn't see this thread and posted NHL stuff in the Michigan hockey thread instead

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=6706113

There's too many teams in the East though...I'm not sure how you could even add Detroit and/or Columbus

[Hannibal]

Why wait?

[Jamie H]

They probably have schedules/tickets/etc. already drawn up for 2011

[lions&tigers&wings...yea]

Why wait?

Because once they have the schedules finalized they then plan all the individual separate events at each arena, so you can't just flip it around because then some shitty bull riding event would have to be switched around after they already have the arena reserved.

[Hannibal]

So Tampa Bay, Carolina, and Florida are going to play fell "Southeast" rival Winnipeg six times this year.