Hooray for the return of the Norris Division! Now just bring back the Prince of Wales and Campbell Conferences and everyone will be happy. We're all adults and can understand that LA is west of Detroit.
I'm not sure how the Florida teams ended up with the northeast teams - I know there was some finagling to ensure the Flyers and Penguins stayed in the same conference - but I'm VERY happy about the home-home scheduling for all non-conference opponents. Currently, East teams play West teams once a season, alternating locations each season. Now I'll have a chance to see the Bruins here in Calgary every year, rather than every second year.
the Florida teams sold out their own players (travel schedules) for the draw of the Bruins, Habs, and Leafs. Looking at the map, I think you could move Det, Chi, and Columbus into the Northeast division, push Buffalo into the midlantic division, and make a southern division with the Florida teams, Dallas, Carolina, Nashville, St.Louis, and the L.A. teams, with a northwestern division with the four western canada teams, Colorado, Minnesota, and San Jose. Phoenix can be, as it is, the odd team out with anticipation of an eventual move. Quebec City would be a good fit. I think part of the goal was to keep from recreating the current Southeast division, so all the non-trad hockey markets have more marquee draws. Det/Chi for Nashville; the Flyers and Pens for Carolina, and 3 original 6 teams for the floridians.
The roommate of my brother's girlfriend was named Adams. They lived in Adams Hall at Harvard. Her g'grandfather on one side built the Boston Garden and was the namesake of the Adams Division. I assume she was related to J and J Q Adams. i note this only to say that when I went out to visit BU senior year in high school, she casually asked if I wanted to go to a hockey game, she called someone and had the three of us a row from the glass to a Buffalo-Boston game (playoff, I think). First and only one of three NHL games ive been to. I miss the Adams Division.
As a Detroit fan, I was always irritated when the playoffs were Detroit vs. the west coast. I like the realignment as designed. I also like that I can go to Raleigh every year to see the Wings play the 'Canes. Good times.
Sold out? From Miami to Boston or Toronto is 1,200 miles. To Montreal or Ottawa is 1,400 miles. In this format, a hockey player in Miami (and let the absurdity of that descriptor sink in as you consider his plight) is looking at consistent travel times of 3 to 4 hours, and no jet lag.
Under the alternative plan, our poor Floridian hockey player sees 1/3 his travel in the 600-700 mile range (Nashville or Carolina), 1/3 his travel in the 1,100 mile range (STL, DAL), and1/3 his travel in the 2,300 mile range (LA). If I'm a hockey player in Miami, I'd rather have a consistent travel schedule with no jet lag issues, over a wildly varied schedule where some of my games don't start 'til 11pm by my body clock.
At least under the proposed plan, any 3- or 4-game road trip will involve really easy travel between venues, and those venues will be full of people who actually understand the game of hockey. Never mind that half of my "home" fans come from Boston or New York in the first place.
Now, you can say I'm biased because the proposed plan doesn't require me to stay up to the wee hours to see my Wild play in Vancover, and you'd be right. I'd counter with the fact that Minnesota already has sports rivalries with Chicago and Detroit, and just because the country considers us "one of those places where it's cold" doesn't mean it makes sense to put us with Edmonton instead of the Great Lakes markets we identify with.
I don't consider the Florida teams "sold out" in the least. When you're a hockey player in Miami, you really need to accept that you're going to have to travel.
putting all the teams that should be eliminated in the same conference would speed things along considerably. Maybe the Kings can stick around, 'cause they used to have Gretzky and Rob Blake.
Hooray for the return of the Norris Division! Now just bring back the Prince of Wales and Campbell Conferences and everyone will be happy. We're all adults and can understand that LA is west of Detroit.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how the Florida teams ended up with the northeast teams - I know there was some finagling to ensure the Flyers and Penguins stayed in the same conference - but I'm VERY happy about the home-home scheduling for all non-conference opponents. Currently, East teams play West teams once a season, alternating locations each season. Now I'll have a chance to see the Bruins here in Calgary every year, rather than every second year.
ReplyDeletethe Florida teams sold out their own players (travel schedules) for the draw of the Bruins, Habs, and Leafs. Looking at the map, I think you could move Det, Chi, and Columbus into the Northeast division, push Buffalo into the midlantic division, and make a southern division with the Florida teams, Dallas, Carolina, Nashville, St.Louis, and the L.A. teams, with a northwestern division with the four western canada teams, Colorado, Minnesota, and San Jose. Phoenix can be, as it is, the odd team out with anticipation of an eventual move. Quebec City would be a good fit. I think part of the goal was to keep from recreating the current Southeast division, so all the non-trad hockey markets have more marquee draws. Det/Chi for Nashville; the Flyers and Pens for Carolina, and 3 original 6 teams for the floridians.
ReplyDeleteI will miss the DET-COL matchups, but overall it makes a lot of sense.
ReplyDeleteThe roommate of my brother's girlfriend was named Adams. They lived in Adams Hall at Harvard. Her g'grandfather on one side built the Boston Garden and was the namesake of the Adams Division. I assume she was related to J and J Q Adams. i note this only to say that when I went out to visit BU senior year in high school, she casually asked if I wanted to go to a hockey game, she called someone and had the three of us a row from the glass to a Buffalo-Boston game (playoff, I think). First and only one of three NHL games ive been to. I miss the Adams Division.
ReplyDeleteAs a Detroit fan, I was always irritated when the playoffs were Detroit vs. the west coast. I like the realignment as designed. I also like that I can go to Raleigh every year to see the Wings play the 'Canes. Good times.
ReplyDeleteSold out? From Miami to Boston or Toronto is 1,200 miles. To Montreal or Ottawa is 1,400 miles. In this format, a hockey player in Miami (and let the absurdity of that descriptor sink in as you consider his plight) is looking at consistent travel times of 3 to 4 hours, and no jet lag.
ReplyDeleteUnder the alternative plan, our poor Floridian hockey player sees 1/3 his travel in the 600-700 mile range (Nashville or Carolina), 1/3 his travel in the 1,100 mile range (STL, DAL), and1/3 his travel in the 2,300 mile range (LA). If I'm a hockey player in Miami, I'd rather have a consistent travel schedule with no jet lag issues, over a wildly varied schedule where some of my games don't start 'til 11pm by my body clock.
At least under the proposed plan, any 3- or 4-game road trip will involve really easy travel between venues, and those venues will be full of people who actually understand the game of hockey. Never mind that half of my "home" fans come from Boston or New York in the first place.
Now, you can say I'm biased because the proposed plan doesn't require me to stay up to the wee hours to see my Wild play in Vancover, and you'd be right. I'd counter with the fact that Minnesota already has sports rivalries with Chicago and Detroit, and just because the country considers us "one of those places where it's cold" doesn't mean it makes sense to put us with Edmonton instead of the Great Lakes markets we identify with.
I don't consider the Florida teams "sold out" in the least. When you're a hockey player in Miami, you really need to accept that you're going to have to travel.
putting all the teams that should be eliminated in the same conference would speed things along considerably. Maybe the Kings can stick around, 'cause they used to have Gretzky and Rob Blake.
ReplyDelete