N H L Overhaul

[digitalmonkey 929]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=189350&hubname=Sources tell TSN the proposal includes the following:

• A reduction in the number of divisions from six to four. There would still be an Eastern Conference and a Western Conference, but there were would one eight-team division and one seven-team division in each conference.
• The top two teams in each division would be guaranteed the top four playoff seeds within the conference with four wild card playoff berths going to the teams with the next highest point totals.
• The four new divisions would be configured primarily along the lines of time zones. The theory is not only would this benefit teams in terms of travel, but could also boost TV ratings because game times in the same time zone would be more favorable.
• The current Northeast Division (Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Buffalo and Boston) would remain intact and add two other teams to form a seven-team division. Sources say Pittsburgh is one of those teams that would join the Northeast teams.
• The current Atlantic Division (the three New York area teams plus Philadelphia) would be melded together with four teams from the current Southeast Division (all but one of Washington, Carolina, Atlanta, Tampa Bay and Florida).
• The eight-team division in the Western Conference would feature all teams in Pacific or Mountain time zones (Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Jose, Colorado and Phoenix).
• The seven-team division in the Western Conference would feature teams that are in either the Central or Eastern time zones.
• As for the schedule, it is said to be a little more complicated than it currently is, because of the uneven number of teams in the divisions, but each team will apparently play its division rivals six times each and its conference rivals either three or four times each and non-conference teams once each.

[ajs510 122]

I like it, as long as some provision is made so every team in the league plays every other team in the league at least once. I hate only getting to see Buffalo play Chicago every 4-5 years or so, and the fact that Buffalo and Anaheim aren't playing each other this season is a jopke.

[digitalmonkey 929]

I like it, as long as some provision is made so every team in the league plays every other team in the league at least once. I hate only getting to see Buffalo play Chicago every 4-5 years or so, and the fact that Buffalo and Anaheim aren't playing each other this season is a jopke.

As for the schedule, it is said to be a little more complicated than it currently is, because of the uneven number of teams in the divisions, but each team will apparently play its division rivals six times each and its conference rivals either three or four times each and non-conference teams once each.

[ajs510 122]

I can read, I'm saying that provision is the one that needs to stay above all others.

[chester97 0]

the only thing i don't like is the top two in each division get top 4 seeds guaranteed. give two spots per division guaranteed in the playoffs, but let the points decide where they place.

[digitalmonkey 929]

the only thing i don't like is the top two in each division get top 4 seeds guaranteed. give two spots per division guaranteed in the playoffs, but let the points decide where they place.

Yeah, I'm not a fan of top division teams getting top seeds. While the chances would be slim there would still be the possibility of having something like we have now with Edmonton being 3rd in the West with 38 points and San Jose 4th with 48 points.

[Orcasgt22 0]

Division leaders need to be in the playoffs. All sports have it so the NHL should too. That should at best never change

[digitalmonkey 929]

Division leaders need to be in the playoffs. All sports have it so the NHL should too. That should at best never change

But a team winning their division with 95 points should NOT get home ice advantage over the 4th place team in the other division that finished with 100 points.