Reallignment big topic this weekend - my 4 options

[centrehice]

Fully Interlocking is the only way to go.

8 Teams East
8 Teams West
Make the Playoffs.

1 plays 16
2 plays 15
3 plays 14

On down the line. Repeat for the following 3 rounds.

[edthesandwich]

Using the model of the 16-team non-conference-split playoff system, here are the matchups you would have seen last year:

Vancouver (1) vs. Dallas (16)
Washington (2) vs. Buffalo (15)
Philadelphia (3) vs. Montreal (14)
Pittsburgh (4) vs. Chicago (13)
San Jose (5) vs. Los Angeles (12)
Detroit (6) vs. Phoenix (11)
Boston (7) vs. Nashville (10)
Tampa Bay (8) vs. Anaheim (9)

It's worth nothing that the difference between No. 2 Washington and No. 16 Dallas is exactly 12 points. Digging even deeper, the gap between No. 8 Boston and No. 15 Buffalo is just seven points. Are any of the eight teams in that group actually demonstrably better than any other? No. A lucky bounce here, a few extra power-plays there and you can go from No. 15 to No. 8.

In today's NHL, the "more difficult" team has little if anything to do with its seeding relative to the remainder of the league. It has everything to do with whether that team is a good or bad matchup for the team it's playing.

[bojohnson]

sorry, i used to want the top 16, but im beginning to think that divisional rivals, and divisional winners is the best way, and it makes it funner to watch.
mini battles within the big race.

i think the way it is should stick

[centrehice]

Pens Hawks
Kings Sharks
Flyers Habs

would have been full round one value last year.

[Triple Peanut]

#1
as a flyers fan i'd like to be in a division NJ, NY just cause i love to hate them . i'd like Pitt in the division too but i don't see that as being a deal breaker, i think the NJ and NY rivalries are actually bigger.

[ericsnewmsn]

This doesn't really solve much, but it's interesting to watch:

http://watch.tsn.ca/#clip580148

[RGM81]

Dreger just tweeted that a decision has been made, with an announcement coming soon.

[ericsnewmsn]

Update:

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=382065

"The realignment is aimed at evening out the travel schedules for all NHL teams with each team playing teams outside their conference twice per year, once at home and on the road."

"The top four teams in each Conference would qualify for the playoffs. The first-place team would play the fourth-place team; the second-place team would play the third-place team. The four respective Conference champions would meet in the third round of the Playoffs, with the survivors playing for the Stanley Cup."

[RGM81]

Conference - CBJ will be w CHI, DAL, DET, MIN, NASH, STL & WPG.

Conference - the current Northeast Division plus Florida & TB

Conference - Van, Cal, Edm, LA, SJ, Ana, Col, Pho

Conference - NYI, NYR, PHI, PIT, WSH, NJ, CAR

[bojohnson]

Conference - CBJ will be w CHI, DAL, DET, MIN, NASH, STL & WPG.

What a joke we were supposed to be with edm, van and cal
Not even one cdn team in our div = joke