I know that there will be about nine different combinations to realign the divisions next season, and about 81 different opinions covering each option. I form my opinions (in any league) based strictly on geography, because that is the fairest way for everyone to get the best travel scenarios. I also like the idea of forming regional rivalries, which has turned out well so far in the NFL (with the exception of keeping Dallas in the NFC East).

Anyway, the best geographical option is to move Winnipeg to the Northwest, Minnesota to the Central, and Nashville to the Southeast...

Washington
Carolina
Nashville
Tampa Bay
Florida

Detroit
Chicago
Minnesota
Columbus
St. Louis

Vancouver
Calgary
Edmonton
Winnipeg
Colorado

I know Detroit really wants back in the East, but they fit too well where they are, and have no business in a "Southeast" division. Ilitch complains about playoff travel, but that's the same for every Western team. At least Detroit has a bunch of division teams within a short flight. Same can be said for Columbus and Dallas, who also would like to switch over, but Nashville is easily the closest to the Southeast. My opinion anyway, any others?

NE
Buffalo
Toronto
Ottawa
Montréal
Washington

ATL
Boston
New York
New York
New Jersey
Philadelphia

Southeast
Tampa Bay
Nashville
Florida
Carolina
Dallas

Central

Pittsburgh
Minnesota
Chicago
Columbus
Detroit

Northwest
Vancouver
Edmonton
Calgary
Winnipeg
San Jose

Pacific
St. Louis(yeah, you guys are fucked)
Los Angeles
Anaheim
Colorado
Phoenix

i did entire league. some teams are fucked, but thats how it works here

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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.

Move Nashville to SE, Minnesota to Central, Winnipeg to the NW.

Simple and involves the least possible teams.

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This is the idea I like best, also. However, there may be problems with Colorado being the only US team in the NW.
Actually, they may go with an even simpler idea, namely just swap Nashville and Winnipeg. Then only 2 teams are impacted (both positively).

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This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.
--Emerson

Bagboy, I think that will happen also. I read about the Colorado issue, but I wonder. What's the big deal about having one US team and four Canadian teams in a division? Why is that so different from the 2/3 in the NE?

The concern about Colorado is that attendance might go down a bit, because they will have fewer home games against American teams, and they don't have really deep, well established rivalries with any of the Canadian teams in their division (not yet anyway). Personally, I think there is some truth to that, but not much. Also, it would be great for these 4 Canadian teams to get back in the same division, like they were pre-Coyotes.

As for the NE, all those rivalries are so well established and the cities are so relatively
close to each other. I don't think the US/Canada distribution means a thing in the NE. Sabres fans, for example, LOVE going to Habs, Leafs and Sens games in Buffalo.

This was on TSN today:
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=377916

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This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.
--Emerson

PIT
PHI
NJD
NYR
NYI

BUF
BOS
OTT
TOR
MON

WAS
CAR
FLA
TBL
NAS

---

DET
CBJ
STL
CHI
MIN

VAN
WIN
EDM
CAL
COL

DAL
ANA
LAK
PHO
SJS

Simple, effective, rights this geographically and travel is decent.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Personally, if we're going to do something major, I'd add two teams, one to a good U.S. market (seattle), and one to a surefire canadian market (Quebec City). Then I'd go to a 2x8 in each conference.


New York Rangers
New York Islanders
Quebec City
Buffalo
Boston
Ottawa
Toronto
Montreal

New Jersey
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Washington
Carolina
Florida
Tampa Bay
Nashville

Detroit
St. Louis
Chicago
Minnesota
Columbus
Colorado
Dallas
Phoenix

Edmonton
Calgary
Vancouver
Winnipeg
Seattle
San Jose
Anaheim
Los Angeles

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Add 2 teams or contract 2, have all the teams sign 'contracts' stating they will stay the hell where they are for x years, and then make the divisions based off geography.

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"Call a cop he robbed Delmore blind!!!"
Rick Jeanerette after Marty Biron's diving save back in 2000.

"I'm going to go to the spa and have a hot tub and massage and relax," Miller said. "That's it, and it's back to work tomorrow." Ryan Miller after clinching the North East division.

I don't necessarily agree with that. The Avs have been in the same division with EDM,CGY,VAN for like 15 years...

I'm in with the 3-move crowd (NSH to SE, MIN to Central, and WPG to NW)

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"Let's just trap Sekera in the caverns underneath HSBC arena." -BlueandYellow

Reporter: "Steve, you guys now lead the league in defensive scoring."
Montador: "It's probably because of how good-looking we are."

To me this makes the most sense geographically.

My one friend is a Wings fan and he said the NHL wouldn't put the Wings in the East because they dominated, me and my other friend proceeded to laugh at that joke.

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I really don't get why Ilitch is politicking so much. He doesn't have a legit argument. Before 1993-94, when they were put into their current division under the "Western" Conference, they were in the old Norris division with basically the same teams. Two have changed but the travel distances are the same (Minnesota=Nashville, Toronto=Columbus). Either way, prior to 93-94 they were still going to the west coast on occassion during the playoffs, there's just more west coast teams now.

Nashville should go to the SE and maybe start to make that a competetive division for once, and Detroit can go cry me a river.

I've been championing the 3 move option (NSH to SE, MIN to Central, and WPG to NW) since this topic first came up when Atlanta was sold. It's the least disruptive overall.

A lot of people want them to blow it up and start over, but I'm not a fan of that either. Doesn't make sense to me when Phoenix and the Islanders could move within 5 years. Then you might be in the same boat.

Anyone who wants to take a stab at realignment needs to read this article first. This is more complicated than a Rubik's Cube.

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th' only knower of th' cosmic mysteries alive at this time

Ummm, Washington, Tampa, ans Carolina aren't competitive enough? Washington has won the East the last three years, Tampa is easily a playoff team and Carolina is a bubble team.

It's not the Southleast division anymore.

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Washington chokes, TB is good for the first time since 2004, and Carolina might be good for the first time since 2006. No it's not horrible, but...

I don't think Carolina is good. In a game where the Sabres did a shitty job of getting pucks on net and passed and dangled too much they still let up 42 shots on Ward. Had 0 threatening scoring chances that didn't come off Sabres miscues. Was horrible 5 on 5. One ward/staal/skinner injury from fighting snottawa for a lottery pick.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

its sounding more and more like detroit will join the south east division. just what its sounds like from here.

depends on what PHX does, cause i really believe this is their last season in the desert.

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Boo, give the east a shitty team. We want columbus! We want columbus!

This is all a giant conspiracy by bettman to inflate the southleast so he can say LOOK, three teams from the southleast made the playoffs! southern hockey works!

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Here is what I would do.

East Conf.
Northeast
1 Buffalo
2 Toronto
3 Boston
4 Montreal
5 Detroit
6 Pittsburgh
7 Ottawa

Atlantic
1 Tampa
2 Florida
3 Carolina
4 Washington
5 Philly
6 Rangers
7 Islanders
8 NJ

West Conf

Central
1 Chicago
2 Winnipeg
3 Nashville
4 St. Louis
5 Dallas
6 Minnesota
7 Columbus - thinking they might become Kanas City so its best to leave them here
8 Colorado

Pacific
1 Vancouver
2 Calgary
3 Edmonton
4 San Jose
5 LA
6 Anaheim
7 Phoenix -???????????????????

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just call me Brad

Twitter @BUrbanowicz13