NHL realignment on the table again.

[Tim Thomasen]

Yeah I definitely heard talk that its probably coming. Would love a Seattle team, good sports town.

Good sports town? They lost the Sonics in 2008 because neither city nor state would fund to build a new facility or update KeyArena ... something change since then? The owner of the NBA Kings have applied for relocation, but its contingent on a new arena deal.

They definitely embraced UW sports and MLS, but there is a great deal of uncertainty to contend with.

Yeah, a pointman to help fund and develop a plan for a new arena in the SoDo neighborhood of Seattle (Chris Hansen) someone that wasn't around to help the Sonics back in 2008. But regardless of who the pols were and who was fronting the money to help keep them there, that team was set on relocating the minute Howard Schultz sold the team to Clay Bennett and his OKC group.

[DelPen]

Has to stay east and west for now. Then a 7-8 split with expansion able down the road.

West:
Pacific - LA, Anaheim, SJ, Phoenix, Van, Colorado, Edm, Calgary
Central - Min, Win, Chi, Det, Dal, St. Louis, Nashville

East:
Atlantic: NYI, NYR, NJ, Phil, Wash, Car, TB, FL
NE: Pit, Columbus, Buff, Tor, Montreal, Ottawa, Boston

That's the only realignment that makes sense geographically. Columbus, Toronto and Buffalo all are closer than every other current Atlantic team for the Pens.

[bob vila]

Really wish Hartford would get a team again. I miss the Whalers.

[no name]

Geographically yes it does make the most sence but they also were trying to maintain old rivals. Your realignment is a major over haul where the new realignemnt is just tweaked from the old one.

[DelPen]

Geographically yes it does make the most sence but they also were trying to maintain old rivals. Your realignment is a major over haul where the new realignemnt is just tweaked from the old one.

Winnipeg to NW, Min to central, Columbus to SE. Done.

Nashville will not be in the east, TV scheduling will be all sorts of messed up. It's all about time zones.

[Kaizer]

Yeah I definitely heard talk that its probably coming. Would love a Seattle team, good sports town.

Good sports town? They lost the Sonics in 2008 because neither city nor state would fund to build a new facility or update KeyArena ... something change since then? The owner of the NBA Kings have applied for relocation, but its contingent on a new arena deal.

They definitely embraced UW sports and MLS, but there is a great deal of uncertainty to contend with.

funding doesnt make a good sports town. but by your definition, yes something did change, theyre building a new arena.

[no name]

So when instant teleportation is invented (like beem me up Scottie) does it matter where the teams are located? Would you just have one League confrence and you play each team 3 or 4 times??

[DelPen]

So when instant teleportation is invented (like beem me up Scottie) does it matter where the teams are located? Would you just have one League confrence and you play each team 3 or 4 times??

TV ratings are more important than transportation. With Detroit and Columbus they suffer having their games start after 8 for almost half the season. Columbus is getting hurt a lot by that, Detroit can work past it but that's not fair for their fans either.

[Beveridge]

So when instant teleportation is invented (like beem me up Scottie) does it matter where the teams are located? Would you just have one League confrence and you play each team 3 or 4 times??

TV ratings are more important than transportation. With Detroit and Columbus they suffer having their games start after 8 for almost half the season. Columbus is getting hurt a lot by that, Detroit can work past it but that's not fair for their fans either.

Detroit doesn't have jobs to wake up to the next morning.

[no name]

So when instant teleportation is invented (like beem me up Scottie) does it matter where the teams are located? Would you just have one League confrence and you play each team 3 or 4 times??

TV ratings are more important than transportation. With Detroit and Columbus they suffer having their games start after 8 for almost half the season. Columbus is getting hurt a lot by that, Detroit can work past it but that's not fair for their fans either.

Detroit doesn't have jobs to wake up to the next morning.

But seriously DelPen hit it on the head, time zone to benifit tv ratings at that point would drive the boat. I always looked at the realignment as to benifit mostly travel. But it is a true blend of both.

[Pitt87]

Create 2 new Teams (Seattle and Quebec). Move Florida to Toronto (2 NY teams, why not?).

Buffalo says, "HI!"

This, plus, Buffalo is very close to Toronto, so a 2nd Toronto team is 3 teams within 100 or so miles.

Kinda like NYR, NYI, NJ and PHI?

4 teams separated by less than 150 miles.

15 million people in the areas listed. Just a tad more than Toronto + Niagara + Buffalo.

[Pitt87]

Yeah I definitely heard talk that its probably coming. Would love a Seattle team, good sports town.

Good sports town? They lost the Sonics in 2008 because neither city nor state would fund to build a new facility or update KeyArena ... something change since then? The owner of the NBA Kings have applied for relocation, but its contingent on a new arena deal.

They definitely embraced UW sports and MLS, but there is a great deal of uncertainty to contend with.

funding doesnt make a good sports town. but by your definition, yes something did change, theyre building a new arena.

Pretty reliable indicator of health. Remember how close the Pens were to relocating? Pittsburgh is a good sports town, but it almost happened here.

Neither NBA nor NHL have committed a team there, so its unlikely there is a new arena without at least one. No brainer if they get both, but its a stretch without public support.

[Shyster]

Personally, I didn't mind the earlier proposal the NHL offered. Add Quebec City and another Ontario team and it's all balanced. It would also permit for an easy move of Phoenix to Seattle.

[no name]

The NHL and the PA are very tight lipped on this, i mean what is so big about a "tweek" if that is all it is. Makes me wonder if they might also announce expansion when this is all settled. I just want to know what our confrence will look like and how the playoffs will be done.

[tfrizz]

The NHL and the PA are very tight lipped on this, i mean what is so big about a "tweek" if that is all it is. Makes me wonder if they might also announce expansion when this is all settled. I just want to know what our confrence will look like and how the playoffs will be done.

Various insiders have been reporting the same thing for a month now. They're saying to expect an announcement that the NHL is expanding to Seattle and Quebec City. It doesn't really help the Detroit/Columbus situation though, as you'll still have one EST team in the west no matter what.

[DelPen]

If you are adding QC and Seattle, 2 conferences, 4 divisions, either do top two for divisional playoffs, division winners and 4 wild card or top 8 no matter what the record:

EAST
Atlantic: Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Philly, Columbus
Southeast: Florida, Tampa, Washington, Carolina
Northeast: NYR, NYI, NJ, Boston
Eastern Canada: Toronto, Montreal, QC, Ottawa

WEST
Pacific: LA, SJ, Anaheim, Seattle
Western Canada: Winnipeg, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary
Central: Minnesota, St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit
Midwest: Colorado, Dallas, Phoenix, Nashville

Pens division would be fun

[Idoit40fans]

Instead, call the Atlantic the Northeast and the Northest the Northereast.
Also seems to make more sense to add 2 teams and then just accept that Phoenix is moving and have them move in time to join the potential NBA Kings team in Seattle.

[no name]

Instead, call the Atlantic the Northeast and the Northest the Northereast.
Also seems to make more sense to add 2 teams and then just accept that Phoenix is moving and have them move in time to join the potential NBA Kings team in Seattle.

Quebec and Toronto #2 will get it. Seattle will get a team when Phoenix or another franchise has to relocate. What makes me beleive this is when the 1st alignment was out they just didn't add Detroit and Columbus to the East like logic would dictate. Eastern teams in the eastern time zones. Instead they gave the West more teams leaving the East open, for the only reason i can think of is expansion. Quebec is a obious choice. I would of thought they would of left a spot open in the Pacific division if Seattle was a choice.

[Steve Dave]

The NHL and the PA are very tight lipped on this, i mean what is so big about a "tweek" if that is all it is. Makes me wonder if they might also announce expansion when this is all settled. I just want to know what our confrence will look like and how the playoffs will be done.

Various insiders have been reporting the same thing for a month now. They're saying to expect an announcement that the NHL is expanding to Seattle and Quebec City. It doesn't really help the Detroit/Columbus situation though, as you'll still have one EST team in the west no matter what.

If this comes about, how would the expantion draft affect the Pens? I don't remember how the last one was except that the Pens lost one of my favs, Tyler Wright. Would the deep pool of D prospects be subject to being selected in the sraft. Would suck to lose a Harrington or Morrow for nothing.

[no name]

The NHL and the PA are very tight lipped on this, i mean what is so big about a "tweek" if that is all it is. Makes me wonder if they might also announce expansion when this is all settled. I just want to know what our confrence will look like and how the playoffs will be done.

Various insiders have been reporting the same thing for a month now. They're saying to expect an announcement that the NHL is expanding to Seattle and Quebec City. It doesn't really help the Detroit/Columbus situation though, as you'll still have one EST team in the west no matter what.

If this comes about, how would the expantion draft affect the Pens? I don't remember how the last one was except that the Pens lost one of my favs, Tyler Wright. Would the deep pool of D prospects be subject to being selected in the sraft. Would suck to lose a Harrington or Morrow for nothing.

I think last time anyone under 22 was not subjected to be drafted. You were allowed to protect 10 forwards and 5 defencemen. from your NHL roster. So there would be a pool of 60 NHL players for 2 teams to choose from. I doubt thoes teams would be confinded to cap rules for the first year. i honestly don't think these teams will be joining the league until 2015. I also was a big Tyler Wright fan!!!

[tfrizz]

According to Elliotte Friedman, the NHL and NHLPA have agreed on the following realigned divisions:


Carolina, Columbus, New Jersey, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington
Boston, Buffalo, Detroit, Florida, Montreal, Ottawa, Tampa Bay, Toronto

Chicago, Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota, Nashville, St Louis, Winnipeg
Anaheim, Calgary, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Jose, Vancouver


Pretty much what I figured, aside from 2 teams being swapped in the east.

[columbia]

I was only half paying attention...what was Friedman saying about a wild card?

[Kovy27]

Detroit can kiss my ass. Crybabies.

[no name]

I was only half paying attention...what was Friedman saying about a wild card?

I would have to guess you will have the top 4 from each division make the playoffs, unless the 5th place them has more points than the 4th place team from the other division. That 5th place team gets the playoff spot.

Wait not what i expected, i counted wrong, A and B have 8 teams??? The 2 east most confrences. Wild cards??? Detroit and Colombus gettting in the eastern time zones?? Wow i am shocked.

[columbia]

All of the above implies:

No team in QC
No 2nd team in Toronto

MLB went many years with imbalanced leagues and I can't say affected things too much.