NHL 2012 Division Realignment with Winnipeg

The word out of some media outlets is that Gary Bettman has put forward a plan with the League’s Board of Governors, to return to a 4 division format, with divisional playoff play, for the 2012/2013 season.

This is something I would support, along with White Uniforms at home and a return to "Named" Divisions.

If the plan is implemented, there would be two conferences, each with 1 seven, and 1 eight team division. Each team would play home and away against every other team in the league for the first time in over a decade. The new divisions would be the Pacific, Midwest, East, and South.

Detroit and Columbus are both being promised moves East. That would mean another team besides Winnipeg would have to head West. My guess is Toronto, which will reunite with some of its old Norris Division Rivals in the "Midwest."

Here is my breakdown as to how that would shake out geographically:

East
Montreal
Ottawa
Buffalo
Boston
New York
New York
New Jersey
Philadelphia

South
Washington
Columbus
Detroit
Carolina
Tampa Bay
Florida
Pittsburgh





Midwest
St. Louis
Winnipeg
Minnesota
Chicago
Edmonton
Calgary
Toronto
Nashville

Pacific
Vancouver
Colorado
Phoenix
Los Angeles
San Jose
Anaheim
Dallas

RIP Atlanta Thrashers 1999-2011

We were holding out hope for a struggling American Hockey Market with a piss poor ownership situation, having lived through such times ourselves. But it is now official; the Atlanta Thrashers will be bought by True North Sports and Entertainment with the intention of relocating the Franchise to Winnipeg.

A press conference has been schedule for 11:00 AM today (Winnipeg Time), and reports are that Gary Bettman is flying out to Winnipeg for the announcement. Something tells me he wouldn’t be going out to the prairies of Central Canada on the precipice of the Stanley Cup finals for a social engagement.

The league owners will have to vote on June 21st to confirm the purchase by True North and approve the move, but that is just a formality at this point. My regards to the true Atlanta Hockey fans and congratulations to the folks in Winnipeg. Check this out for my take on what division realignment may look like.

Realigned NHL Divisions with Winnipeg?

Realigned NHL Divisions with Winnipeg?
As I said here, don’t throw assume Atlanta is done yet.
But let’s just say for a moment that the deal between Atlanta Spirit and True North Entertainment does whisk away hockey back to the Manitoban Plains, how would the NHL adjust its divisions to accommodate such a move? Chances are we will either get a lame duck team in Atlanta this year, or have the absurdity of City on the same longitude of Lincoln, Nebraska being in the Southeast.
But starting in the 2012-13 season you have to imagine the NHL would alter its divisions for reduced travel cost and more natural geographic rivalries. What will such a league look like? Let’s take a stab at a few options here, just for fun.

The “Easy” Path
The most simple way to handle realignment would be to move Winnipeg into the Central Division of the Western Conference and switch Nashville into the empty spot from the Southeast. That would be geographical, logical and create the least amount of waves.

The “Traditionalist” Path
There was a time in hockey where each division sent 4 teams into the playoffs and the first two rounds were heated inter-divisional play. How could that work with 30 teams? Here is how I would see it happening with one 7 and one 8 team division in each conference. Playoff teams based on last years point totals are in bold. This setup would leave room for two more expansion teams (Quebec and Seattle anyone?)to eventually round the league off at four 8-team division, with exactly half making the playoffs. While going back to the traditional Conference titles, the league should also return to the home teams wearing white.

Wales Conference


Patrick Division
Washington Capitals
Philadelphia Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins
Nashville Predators
New York Rangers
Carolina Hurricanes
New Jersey Devils
New York Islanders



Adams Division
Boston Bruins
Tampa Bay Lightning
Montreal Canadians
Buffalo Sabres
Toronto Maple Leafs
Ottawa Senators
Florida Panthers




Campbell Conference

Norris Division
Detroit Redwings
Chicago Blackhawks
Dallas Stars
St. Louis Blues
Minnesota Wild
Columbus Blue Jackets
Winnipeg Jets


Smythe Division
Vancouver Canucks
San Jose Sharks
Anaheim Ducks
Phoenix Coyotes
Los Angeles Kings
Calgary Flames
Colorado Avalanche
Edmonton Oilers


A Truly Radical Approach
This would really shake things up quite a bit. It would make no sense in terms of the history of the game and a lot of traditional rivalries and Conference affiliations would be broken up, but it would certainly be something new and exciting.

Eastern Conference

Northeast
Boston Bruins
Montreal Canadians
New York Rangers
New Jersey Devils
New York Islanders

Great Lakes
Detroit Redwings
Chicago Blackhawks
Ottawa Senators
Buffalo Sabres
Toronto Maple Leafs

Mid-Atlantic
Washington Capitals
Philadelphia Flyers
Tampa Bay Lightning
Carolina Hurricanes
Florida Panthers

Western Conference

Central Division
Pittsburgh Penguins
Nashville Predators
Dallas Stars
St. Louis Blues
Columbus Blue Jackets

Northwest
Phoenix Coyotes
Calgary Flames
Minnesota Wild
Winnipeg Jets
Edmonton Oilers

Pacific Division
Vancouver Canucks
San Jose Sharks
Anaheim Ducks
Los Angeles Kings
Colorado Avalanche

Don’t Throw Dirt on Atlanta Just Yet

The reports of the demise of the Atlanta Thrasher’s hockey franchise may have been exaggerated. Upholding the always vigorous journalistic standards of Canadian sports media, Stephen Brunt of the Globe and Mail penned a piece of rubbish that sent jubilant Manitobans into the streets last night.

While the future of the Thrashers certainly does look bleak and full of questions, so did the long term survival of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville Predators, and Phoenix Coyotes within the past few seasons. It may very well be true that this is the end for Atlanta hockey, but it is just as likely that somebody will come along and save this situation from ‘the brink’.

The Canadian sports media loves to pile on about attendance problems in Southern US markets and stoke the fires of possible relocation and Northward migration of any team that appears vulnerable at the moment. None of the underlying factors have changed however in the past few days. The NHL is dedicated as it ever has been to keep as large of a US footprint as possible for corporate support and TV money.

Here are the two ‘big picture’ numbers that matter most to the league:
US Gross GDP, 14.119 Trillion
Canadian Gross GDP, 1.336 Trillion

I don’t doubt Winnipeg’s passion for hockey, not one bit. But they would, by far, be the smallest market in the league in terms of population, corporate base to draw from, and media market size. It is certainly a possible move for the league, but it is one that they will think long and hard about, as they should. Careful deliberation and not rampant fanboy speculation is what is going to drive this process going forward.

I would like to take this chance to also give a shout-out to one of my all time favorite hockey bloggers, The Falconer at Bird Watchers Anonymous at this time of uncertainty about the future of his beloved team. Trust me, I’ve been there before, and it sucks. I don’t wish this situation of your team possibly moving on anybody.

NHL Trade Deadline Update

Been a quiet morning for the NHL trade deadline day. Reports are that the General Managers who hold the rental players are asking way too much in return. I expect at least a few of those bottom dwelling teams blink and start dealing guys off in the afternoon. Biggest deal so far: Niclos Bergfors from the Atlanta Thrashers to the Florida Panthers for Radek Dvorak. Atlanta gave up too much there, imo. They got Bergfors as a center-piece to the deal for Ilya Kovalchuck with the New Jersey Devils last year and he has shown goal scoring promise. I don't see why they would give up on that potential they so coveted last year for a short term fill in, which is all Dvorak brings them. There is a reason this is a franchise yet to win a playoff game.
Biggest deal that WON'T happen: Brad Richards of the Dallas Stars to the New York Rangers for a king's ransom. Start with the Rangers 1st round pick, add in two of their young performing roster guys, and you may have a deal, but I don't think even Glenn Sather would gove up that much for the UFA to be. Then again... Its Sather.