If the NHL goes to a four division league, then it will have to:

1) add two more teams to make the divisions equal

or

2) eliminate two teams to make the divisions equal

or

3) allow the eight best teams in each conference, regardless of their division, to make the playoffs (with a possible exception for the division winner).

Absent that, you are asking 16 team owners, whose teams will have a 50% chance of making the playoffs, to vote for 14 of their competitors to have a 57% chance of making the playoffs.

Why would any owner do that?

My guess is that re-alignment will consist only of swapping Winnipeg and Detroit.

problem solved due to precedent

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1995%E2%80%9396_NHL_season

Why not just swap Nashville and Winnipeg? Simple, Easy, Logical.

So, you think owners will vote to give their competitors an advantage?


The NHL (Bettman) promised Detroit that they would move them to the East. Both Nashville and Columbus want in the East, but Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch has more clout.

i was saying that your senario number 3 is EXACTLY what the league did the last time they had uneven divisons

TSNBobMcKenzie Bob McKenzie
New four conference format gets approval by NHL B of G.


im curious to see how this works out.

The biggest question I have is who gets the extra teams in their conference.

dunno how likely this is, but if this is the way it goes, i'd like buffalo's chances of making the playoffs consistantly.

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- The NHL's Board of Governors on Monday approved a radical realignment plan, according to multiple reports. The plan reportedly eliminates the current two-conference, six-division setup in favor of a configuration that features four conferences based on geography. Two conferences will have eight teams and the other two conferences will have seven teams, according to the report.

The vote, which required a two-thirds majority of the League's 30 governors, passed on the first of two days of meetings here at The Inn at Spanish Bay. The League's new structure will go into effect starting next season.

More details to come.

How are they going to do playoffs, four teams per conference? This really sucks because we'll have to watch the damn Tampa 1-3-1 more

yeah that's what i read how it'd be. first 2 rounds are within conference, winners then get reseeded.


i sure do feel awful for the islanders if that is the actual set up. they're really never going to make the playoffs again if this is the case.

Per Bob McKenzie:
ANA, LAK, SJS, PHX, COL, VAN, CGY, EDM in one 8-team conference. DAL, STL, CHI, MIN, WPG, NSH, DET, CBJ in other 8-team conference.

looks like the picture i posted could be right.. guess we're gonna be stuck with tampa and florida added into the north east division, or whatever they want to call it now.