NHL 32 team future

[no name]

With Seattle coming on board, I was thinking of what a 32 team NHL would look like. There is possible realignment, playoff restructure and relocation that could take place.

What would your new NHL look like east west or 4 divisions or 6 divisions. There are still a lot of teams un happy with the playoff structure.

Should it change any??

[Pruezy11881]

My feelings on this, I'd like to see the 'Yotes move to Houston and the Panthers more to Quebec (sorry FLPF). Quebec would make more money for the league having a team than Florida. Houston would build a nice rivalry with Dallas and the Habs-Nords rivalry would be renewed. I also think that logically and geographically, Carolina and Detroit should probably switch divisions.

Pacific

Edmonton
Calgary
Seattle
Vancouver
LA
Anaheim
San Jose Vegas
Vegas

Central

Houston
Dallas
St. Louis
Chicago
Minnesota
Winnipeg
Colorado
Nashville

Metropolitan

Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Washington
Detroit
NY Rangers
NY Islanders
New Jersey
Columbus

Atlantic

Buffalo
Carolina
Montreal
Quebec
Tampa Bay
Ottawa
Toronto
Boston

For the playoff brackets, I personally would love to see it go back to the way it was. Top 8 teams from each conference get in, and the division winners get the 1 and 2 seeds.

[no name]

Totally agree on the relocations. I don't see a need for Det. Car to switch but I wouldn't complain if that happened. I would go with 4 confrences, each one being independent insead of divisions. no more East and West.

1 vs 4 2 vs 3, the team to come out of the confrences goes to the semi finals. then those 4 arranged by points. 1vs 4 etc. This would allow SCF match up like Boston vs Rangers for the cup or LA vs CHi for the cup. Something a bit different.

[DelPen]

We will see a double switch with Carolina going to Houston and Yotes moving to Quebec. Canes new owner seems intent on pulling a major League to relocate.

If no relocations it’s just adding Seattle to the Pacific and moving Arizona to the central. With relocation:

Pacific: Kings, Ducks, Knights, Sharks, Nucks, Seattle, Oilers, Flames
Central: Houston, Avs, Stars, Preds, Blues, Hawks, Wild, Jets

Northeast: Bruins, Habs, Quebec, Sens, Wings, Sabres, BJ’s, Leafs
Atlantic: Bolts, Panthers, Caps, Pens, Rags, Isles, Debs, Flyers

Kill the Metro name, dumbest thing ever. Also Change playoffs to 1-8 seeding and not really caring if division winners are 1 and 2. Just a straight seed and reseed after each round so top remaining plays worst remaining.

[pressure=9Pa]

I'm fine with keeping the divisions and keeping the schedule unbalanced - which is a big point of emphasis for western teams. However, the playoffs need to be the 2 division winners and the 6 other best records regardless of division.

[DelPen]

I'm fine with keeping the divisions and keeping the schedule unbalanced - which is a big point of emphasis for western teams. However, the playoffs need to be the 2 division winners and the 6 other best records regardless of division.

So that would have been this then:

Tampa vs NJ
Caps vs Columbus
Boston vs Flyers
Leafs vs Pens

Preds vs Avs
Vegas vs LA
Jets vs Sharks
Wild vs Ducks

Not too much different than what happened this year but I think the big thing would be reseed after the first round. If we had done that even just this year after the first round we would have had this:

Tampa vs Pens
Bruins vs Caps

Preds vs Sharks
Vegas vs Jets

It would help avoid those 1st and 2nd overall matchups until the conference finals.

[no name]

Would like the league go with a 83 game season.

5 games vs your 7 divisional opponents = 35
2 games vs the other 24 teams = 48
Total 83 games

41 home and 41 away, have one game played at a netural zone site. so there is no home and away imbalance.

Netural zone site could be a minor league arena or maybe a non NHL city KC, Quebec or Atlanta. Sell your product abroad. Even another country.

[pressure=9Pa]

Would like the league go with a 83 game season.

5 games vs your 7 divisional opponents = 35
2 games vs the other 24 teams = 48
Total 83 games

41 home and 41 away, have one game played at a netural zone site. so there is no home and away imbalance.

Netural zone site could be a minor league arena or maybe a non NHL city KC, Quebec or Atlanta. Sell your product abroad. Even another country.

Might be cool. Everyone opens against a divisional opponent on a neutral site.