2011 NHL off-season thread

Here's a map. Good luck.

/kill the Atl for the Wpg

 

So they're basically going back to the format was in place about 25 years ago. Just with different names for the conferences & divisions.

 

A: Edm, Cal, Van, SJ, LA, Ana, Pho
B: Wpg, Min, Chi, CBJ, Nsh, StL, Dal, Col
C: Bos, Mtl, Ott, Tor, Buf, Pit, Det
D: NYR, NYI, NJ, Phi, Was, Car, TB, Fla

 

If they go four divisions, bring back the old names, or even new names -- Gretzky/Pacific, Howe/Midwest, Orr/East, Esposito(or something else, first four names off the top of my head)/South. I always loved the historical names, separated the league from every other pro league out there.

Or what they could do, if they are leaning to a balanced schedule, go two 15-team conferences, top eight form each make the playoffs. Maybe that's too simple for the NHL though.

 

I like the four division set-up at it requires a team to play division rivals in the first two rounds of the playoffs. Nothing builds hate like a string of hotly-contested playoff series between two teams.

 

You don't need divisions for teams to play each other multiple times in the playoffs. The Oilers and Stars met I believe it was six times in eight years in the post season despite two different divisions and the hatred was very real. Vancouver and Chicago the last three years falls into the same category.

The divisions are pointless as they are now out side of determining the top three seeds and making sure fans get an overdose of the other teams in their division.

 

The thing is, they should wait until the Phoenix situation is settled before they go ahead with this. If Phoenix moves to Quebec City the whole thing looks a lot different.

 

They have a year to worry about it. If it looks unsettled, they wait.

 

I think they want Phoenix to end up in Seattle, if anywhere, and second choice being Kansas City. Neither of those options present much of an issue.

 

Well if they want them in Seattle then they are waiting for a building, what four years away if they started the initial phases of planning and lobbying now? Meanwhile QC is one year away. If they want KC, which up until a couple of weeks ago I thought they did, then why did no one from there even up with even a rumoured offer or interest in the Thrashers?

 

I thought there was someone in Phoenix that was ready to take control and keep the team there.

Maybe it fell through, but I thought that's what I heard/read during the first round of the playoffs.

 

Matthew Hulsizer was going to take control, but the Goldwater Institute thought the deal was illegal and threatened to sue. Haven't heard any updates on that situation recently.......The only reason that team is still there is because the city paid $25 million to keep them there.