OT: Realignment would split Wings, Blackhawks
In an article in the Chicago Tribune, a proposed NHL realignment of conferences would put the Red Wings in the Eastern Conference and the Blackhawks in the Western Conference.
There is more commentary on this at the WWL.
Somehow, it just seems wrong to pull apart these traditional Central Division rivals who were part of the league's original six teams. I know I'm a grumpy old man, but why can't they leave things like this alone? I hate it at Michigan, in the Big 10, and now in the NHL. Even though I'm a Blackhawk's fan, I don't like this a bit.
EDIT: I am very thankful to the Red Wings for declining to resign Marian Hossa. He has been a critical part of the Blackhawks.
February 26th, 2013 at 5:49 PM ^
February 26th, 2013 at 5:43 PM ^
As a 'Hawks fan, I don't like the idea one bit. We would lose the Red Wings and the Blue Jackets (easy 2 points) and then Winnipeg moves to the Central... Chicago people do not like it.
February 26th, 2013 at 5:46 PM ^
Sucks losing the rivaly with the Hawks but the teams we would play more are fun matchups.
PS. you're welcome about Hossa, dude is a pain in the ass. (in the he is freaking good way) Big matchup this Sunday.
Go Wings!
February 26th, 2013 at 5:59 PM ^
There are no perfect solutions. At least in this proposal, all teams in the Eastern Time Zone are in the Eastern divisions.
Another problem is if there is expansion or relocation, the main destinations seem to be in the East, also- Quebec City, Toronto metro area.
February 26th, 2013 at 5:59 PM ^
Who considers this a rivalry? The only "rivals" the Wings have had were the Avs pre-1st lockout.
February 26th, 2013 at 7:43 PM ^
February 26th, 2013 at 8:49 PM ^
February 26th, 2013 at 6:00 PM ^
You guys won't care about hockey in 2 years anyway.
February 26th, 2013 at 6:01 PM ^
ESPN sheds some light on another portion of the rationale, or at least I think so - (LINK)
"The new plan calls for divisional playoffs, not conference playoffs as the NHL currently has. The division winner with the most regular-season points will play the lowest-seeded wild-card team in the first round, with the other division winner playing the other wild-card team."
Going from six divisions to four probably makes this proposal for a postseason fairly manageable - as the article mentions, the top three teams in each division get automatic berths, and the fourth spot in each is the wild card slot (top two records in the division, which means the potential for a division to send five representatives and another to send only three).
I guess the proposal initially fronted in December 2011 had Columbus and Detroit still in the West and was ultimately blocked due to travel concerns and the inequity of still having divisions with eight teams.
February 26th, 2013 at 8:58 PM ^
February 26th, 2013 at 6:02 PM ^
Not a big deal. Being a Wings fan in Chicago is awful. Toronto, Montreal, and even Boston would treat Wings fans better.
February 26th, 2013 at 6:10 PM ^
Regarding the Hossa thing, I would much rather have kept him and put Franzen out there, but if it's a choice between resigning a hometown guy, or a FA, we all know which way Ken Holland is choosing.
As for the Realignment, I'm all for it. I think a great way for the league to build up some rivalries is to make division playoffs over conference playoffs.
February 26th, 2013 at 6:27 PM ^
If only we could go back and have the choice between Franzen and Hossa...
February 26th, 2013 at 6:10 PM ^
February 26th, 2013 at 6:20 PM ^
see the wings play the leafs more often then i'd want to see them play the hawks... growing up the wings vs. leafs on hockey night in canada on a saturday night was best! plus those assholes in toronto get to hold 1993 over our heads (yes i am still pissed) and i'd like to play them in the playoffs again to get some sweet sweet revenge...
and we'd get this back: http://youtu.be/pOKZPxr60Dk
February 26th, 2013 at 6:28 PM ^
Nikolai Borschevsky still gives me nightmares, that was such a great series though. Luckily Bowman was hired right after and the rest is history. =)
February 26th, 2013 at 6:50 PM ^
was my freshman year of high school and i grew up in windsor which is about a 50/50 split of wings and leafs fans... when borschevsky scored that goal it made it a rough day at school the next day and it only got worse since the leafs made it to the conference finals that year... then the wings and leafs never met each other in the playoffs again... i hate the fact that they have that on us... however i have been able to take some enjoyment from their utter downward spiral over the past few years...
February 26th, 2013 at 6:29 PM ^
I'll miss the Blackhawks every day we're playing someone other than the Rangers, the Maple Leafs, the Bruins, the Habs, the Penguins, the Capitals, the Flyers, the Islanders, the Senators, the Sabres, the Devils, and the Hurricanes.
In other words when we play Florida teams I'll totally be like "man I miss Chicago right now." Then I'll go to bed. And it will be like 10 o'clock. And the hockey game will already be over. Because we'll actually be playing against teams in our own time zone.
Won't miss: Anaheim, LA, Dallas, Vancouver, Edmonton, Nashville, St Louis, Columbus, Calgary, Phoenix, San Jose, Bill McQuery. Colorado was a nice rivalry but that was about the players on the teams at that time--can't really hate the modern Avs.
If you guys ever want to ditch those losers and come play in a conference of hockey cities let us know. You can bring Minnesota and the Jets if you want. Downsize the rest of 'em.
February 26th, 2013 at 6:32 PM ^
So, as far as I can tell, the divsion playoff format will remain only with a "wild card" team...
For example...
Atlantic Playoffs
1. New York Rangers vs Wild Card Team
2. New Jersey vs 3. Pittsburgh
Central Playoffs
1. Boston vs Wild Card Team
2. Montreal vs 3. Toronto
Mid-West Playoffs
1. Chicago vs Wild Card Team
2. Minnesota vs 3. St. Louis
Pacific Playoffs
1. Los Angeles vs Wild Card Team
2. San Jose vs 3. Anaheim
With the best 1 seed playing the last wild card team, the 2nd best 1 seed playing the third wild card team, etc.
February 27th, 2013 at 12:31 AM ^
So could the wild card team come from a diffeent region potentially?
February 27th, 2013 at 8:45 AM ^
Will they re-seed teams for the second round, or are those divisional too? I don't want to see two divisional playoff rounds. As much as people like myself romanticize the playoffs of the past, the NHL's following was terrible back then. Worse than the nadir of the dead puck era. The playoff matchups got really repetitive and tiresome. If they are going to divisional playoffs, i hope that they at least minimize regular season games against divisional opponents. At the very least, make it a priority to play everyone else in the league at least twice.
February 26th, 2013 at 7:03 PM ^
What they should do is move Chicago and Detroit to the East, instead of Columbus. Let the five Blue Jacket fans b*tch all they want.
February 26th, 2013 at 7:04 PM ^
February 26th, 2013 at 7:24 PM ^
it would be a great rivalry for the Cup!
February 26th, 2013 at 7:38 PM ^
February 26th, 2013 at 7:42 PM ^
Glad to have the Leafs rivalry back. This will make the Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium even more intense.
February 26th, 2013 at 7:53 PM ^
As a Bruins fan I am kinda torn with this. Because I developed my hockey fandom in Michigan I always cheer for the Wings as my second team, but now I won't really be able to. On the other hand, both teams will play each other a lot more which will make me talk a lot more about hockey with my Wings fan friends.
February 26th, 2013 at 8:58 PM ^
I missed all those games against the Leafs. That rivalry meant a little more to me than the Blackhawks. I get a little burned out with Detroit-Chicago matchups in all the other sports. I'll gladly trade that for more games with Toronto and Montreal. Plus I'll look forward to facing Crosby and Ovechkin more.
Plus more appearances on Hockey Night in Canada. Love it!
February 26th, 2013 at 9:09 PM ^
FIne with me. I'd rather play most of our games in the Eastern time zone. The rivalry with the Blackhawks is all well and good, but we also have ties with the Leafs and Habs. Get us out of the Central/Mountain/Pacific time zones, I say.
February 26th, 2013 at 10:14 PM ^
For Chicago this is crappy, but for Detroit it's much, much better.
February 26th, 2013 at 11:27 PM ^