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"I had nothing against the existing format, and but for the move to Winnipeg we wouldn't be looking to change it," Bettman said. "It wasn't a question of being dissatisfied, but we had a number of clubs that were unhappy with the current state of affairs, and in the context of having to make a change anyway felt it was important for their needs and their concerns and their issues to be recognized. It was intended to be as much a global solution as possible."
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It’s stupid Columbus has been in the west. Good move at least for Columbus.
Will they keep the scheme where they play thousands of games only to eliminate eight teams from the post-season? What a farce.
Great, the Stars finally get to play most of their games in their own time zone....playing all of those games on the West Coast was killing this team.
Tried posting a comment much earlier, but apparently FR is still having server problems...
I think the realignment will reduce travel expenses for many teams. Dallas has been in the West Division for years, requiring travel to Anaheim, L.A., Phoenix, etc., in the Pacific time zone; and those teams have to travel to Texas in the Central time zone. .....Same situation exists for other divisions, as well.
The new arrangement is not just significant from a geographic standpoint, but is also putting the divisions in common time zones and that will draw more viewership on TV. I often have not been able to watch the Dallas Stars games on the West Coast because they don’t begin until 9pm Central.
The NFL and MLB should also consider similar changes, to reduce travel expenses within divisions. The Cowboys, for instance, are in a division with the Eagles, Giants and Redskins... all being in the North and East and Eastern time zone. I know all four teams have long-established rivalries, but the costs associated with the travel are very high. ........Wow! Can’t believe I just said that, because I LOVE the rivalries with those three teams.
And, like everything Gary Bettman touches, it will crash and burn. I hope I’m wrong because I love the NHL but he’s about as unimpressive a commissioner as I’ve ever seen.
Here’s a vote for going back to the way the NHL used to do things and name the conferences after people. That made the NHL distinctive back in the day but in Bettman’s never ending quest to make the NHL just like the failing NBA in everything except getting his league on a television network people actually watch, I won’t hold my breath.
WTF...Strange Conference set up... (unless the Florida Panthers becomes the Hartford Whalers).
Boston, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa and Buffalo should be together, but Tampa Bay (who should stay in Tampa, and will) and Florida (who would need players from Cuba, Jamica, Columbia and Haiti to get people in the seats) shouldn't be in that conference.
Bettman screwed up the NHL...with his sunbelt strategy, now with this setup... he really is smoking something funky...
Cons: unequal chances at making playoffs in the 8 team vs. 7 team conferences, and imperfect placements of FLA & TB. But at least those teams will boost their attendances by playing several games vs. BOS, TOR, MTL rather than Washington or Carolina.
Sounds great!
Here’s my 1st-round suggestion for Conference names, in the same order as in the article:
the Incomprehensible Fans Con., the Snow and Sun Con., the We’re a Long Way From the Ocean Con., and the Surf and Turf Con.
Clever throwing the Fla teams in with the E. Canada teams for the snowbirds. On the whole an improvement.
Who will move when Phoenix goes to Quebec City?