So, this happened:
The new alignment also enables the NHL to create a balanced schedule in which all teams will play each other at least twice every season, once at home and once on the road, giving fans a chance to see every team and superstar in the League. The remaining games will be played within the conferences.
In the seven-team conferences, teams would play six times — three home, three away. In the eight-team Conferences, teams would play either five or six times in a season on a rotating basis; three teams would play each other six times and four teams would play each other five times. This process would reverse each season: An eight-team Conference member that plays an opponent six times in one season would play it five times the following season.
The top four teams in each conference will make the playoffs. See the full breakdown after the jump.
16 Responses
Clearly they are planning on the Florida teams getting contracted or moving.
Well that sucks. It’s entirely inequitable. All the best markets are separated into conference and the historically shit teams will have it easier. First liked the idea until I saw how the teams were aligned. It gives teams in say, the Bruins conference who are typically bad, an unfair competitive advantage to be the top four team in that fake conference and would often leave typically better teams from the Flyers conference OUT.
yeah i noticed that too about florida that something is up with that cause they’re the only teams extremely far away from everyone else in their conference….
The Florida teams are in the Northeast because they didn’t fit anywhere else. Flyers, Devils, Penguins, Islanders, Rangers had to stay together for rivalry purposes and the Capitals have been historically grouped there also. The Florida teams actually preferred this alignment because so many northerners live in Florida and they need the ticket sales.
the 1-4 making the playoffs is stupid, it should be 1-8, with 1&2 going to the conference(really divsion) winners. Though right now the other East conference is super weak compared to the Flyer’s. Otherwise it diminishes the regular season…
Loooks like the NHLPA still has to sign off, so maybe they’ll change the playoff format first…
So Brian let me get this straight….in your opinion youre saying toronto buffalo boston montreal florida and tampa bay suck? ill give you ottawa. but right now florida leads their division. the habs are the habs. boston is the defending champs. toronto is awesome this year not to mention schenn lupul phaneuf and kessel. buffalo is always good. and as long as tampa has steven stamkos, they will be competitive. nice try on your analysis. but the conferences are fine. provided theyre called patrick, norris, smythe, and campbell conferences
The playoff format is a disaster. What the hell does the 3rd round mean and what of the trophies that no one wants to touch for winning the east/west? What is on the locker room hat after winning the 3rd round and advancing to the SCF, “Stanley Cup Finalist”? Yeah, real exciting.
Here’s hoping the league has a better playoff plan because killing the 1-8 seeding is going to piss off a lot of people and confuse the average fan.
great playoff format, gives meaning to all the playoff rounds.
First 2 rounds serve as regional playoffs and award a champ midway through. The rivalries are going to be so intense and have ratings up for the first two rounds.
The last 2 rounds determine the champion out of the finalists. And it’s great that we could have like a Flyers-Bruins cup final or Flyers-Canadiens cup final and so forth.
the current format is awful with 8 seeds in each conference. the nba needs to do something with their format as well.
Hey you youngsters, learn some history. This is basically the same system that existed from 1982-93, which was probably the best era in NHL history. The “conference champions” title will be a big deal and the third round winners will be “Stanley Cup finalists”. This only increases the intensity of rivalries. Old school hockey fans have been screaming for a return to this setup since before the lockout.
I like it. I like the Flyers going to every city every year- and every team coming to Philly. Maybe we’ll know more than 3 names on the Oilers, Flames and Avalanche since we’ll see them more.
They have to make the playoff structure more clear. I’m sure they are figuring that out now, and if it doesn’t blatantly put teams at a disadvantage, it gets my approval.
There is also a large amount of Canadians who travel and/or live in Florida. They are banking on that group going to see their hometown team.
They better be called: Patrick, Norris, Smythe, and Adams Conferences… like the old days. That would be a nice throwback.
I’m not a huge fan of change for change sake, but I could get used to this. They only real issue I have is that they haven’t decided what will happen after the 2nd round of the playoffs. Will they crossover? reseed? or just have A play D and B play C or whatever? Since there isn’t really a East or West anymore – depending on how they do the 3rd and Final round – it could end up, an all West/Midwest Final. That would be horrendous for ratings.
Stupid question probably, so I’ll brace for insults…But I thought both games in a home and home series were played consecutively…So does that mean that we’ll have a long string of games where we play the same teams twice in a row? Or will they be split up, so if we play Detroit in November we could play them again in january?
home and home series don’t generally exist in the NHL. it happens every now and then, but its not typical. this reorganization isn’t setting up home and home series’, just allowing every team to play in every city at least once.
i love the fact that this opens up opponent possibilities for stanley cup series.
home and home series used to be very typical until the last expansion. I remember plenty of home and homes (consecutive games against the same team in two nights) back in the 90s. I would lvoe to see more of that. builds great animosity.
i don’t see how anyone could HATE this. i’m not saying i love it, but it’s not bad. i think it’ll be interesting. and if i’m reading this right, this means we could play buffalo, montreal or boston for the cup, and thats fine with me
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