Yeah, beat 3 other teams. You forget, Boston is in our "conference" so don't hold your breath that we'll be seeing much past the 2nd round anytime soon.

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They wanted to retain rivalries. Moving the NYR away from Philly for example, I guess would not make them happy. That is my guess.

So retaining some rivalries.

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--Scott

Splitting up the SE is the best thing they could have done.

Rivalries are great but I think it'll get old to have the same playoff series year after year in the conferences.
Philly - Pittsburgh, NY- Philly, Pittsburgh - NY and so on. It is great to have great rivalries but I wanna see different matchups from time to time.

Also, it excludes the possibility to have two rivals play a series for the stanley cup final. All the rivals will play each other in the conference playoff. I don't like it.

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My left brained personality really hates FL and TB in Buffalo's conference, but Nuthatch hit the nail on the head. The Florida hockey fans will pay more to see their old northern team, so it's about ticket revenue. I can get over it I guess.

I'd rather see the same set up, but as divisions under two conferences. I'm not sure why the NHL would want the possibility of having teams from random conferences battling it out in the final-four stage. Why not just have the same two "division" winners play for the conference title, and then the two conference champs play for the Cup?

The one good thing is something I've mentioned several times...home-and-home series. For teams within the east, they can bang out their back-to-backs this way without the unfair advantage of one team being rested. Same goes for the teams in the west. When east and west teams play each other, there might have to be an off day for travel, but it's a very fair way to get those games in.

My left brained personality really hates FL and TB in Buffalo's conference, but Nuthatch hit the nail on the head. The Florida hockey fans will pay more to see their old northern team, so it's about ticket revenue. I can get over it I guess.

I'd rather see the same set up, but as divisions under two conferences. I'm not sure why the NHL would want the possibility of having teams from random conferences battling it out in the final-four stage. Why not just have the same two "division" winners play for the conference title, and then the two conference champs play for the Cup? Or as others have posted, keep the divisions under the new plan, but have a conference based playoff format.

The one good thing is something I've mentioned several times...home-and-home series. For teams within the east, they can bang out their back-to-backs this way without the unfair advantage of one team being rested. Same goes for the teams in the west. When east and west teams play each other, there might have to be an off day for travel, but it's a very fair way to get those games in.

I really like this. The possibility of both of the best teams coming from the east or west is exactly the way it should be.

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I don't mind this move at all. The snow bird thing makes sense. I have wanted to play in the SE for years lol. Just sucks it came at a time where some teams are pulling their shit together.

Not definitely.. Look at the MLB.. One conference has 16 and the other has 14.. It definitely makes a better sitution for ther league if it wanted to expand or contract..

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Miller, Myers and Greir are sick, but not Jesus Christ..

KILL OTTAWA

Or move one team. From the West to the East. (The Coyotes)

Québec!

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LET'S GO BUFFALO!

^this

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"Are you ready Legion of Doom?! Here come the Buffalo Sabres!"

Actually, the MLB finally fixed that. The Astros are moving over to the AL.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

Quebec City is currently in the process of building an NHL compatible arena, but it won't be finished until the Fall of 2015.

ecept, with the way things were set up, they needed to have uneven leagues

leagues needed to have an even number of teams so that each team could play every day, because of the lack of interleague play(mostly)

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PSA: I am an overly sarcastic person. If you take me at my word, then i will most likely anger and offend you.

Yeah, but depending on the format the league adopts for the final four we could see two eastern teams play for the cup. Could be a better situation than an east vs west matchup.

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I am, you know I am. I am Canadian.
#1 Hockey Nation.

then the 98 point team has some work to do in the off season.

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not anymore. the astros are moving to the AL. also, they did it for interleague play. MLB insisted it wouldnt only work with those number of teams. dont ask me how.

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darren eliot now works for fox sports detroit and does the red wings post game show. last night after the game, they were talking about the realignment. they began to talk about phoenix. and keating asked eliot "next year, will the coyotes be in phoenix?" and eliot gave the most straight forward answer ive ever seen. it was just a flat out "NO. NO. NO." with his eyes closed and him shaking his head.

PHX is moving east, i just feel it.

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Interesting read from a few months ago on the prospect of Kansas City getting a team:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_d ... hl-wp11401