Realignment Plan, what are your thoughts?
First, for those that aren't familiar with this can read up on it
HERE
Division A ---
Division B ---
Division C ---
Division D
Edmonton --- Winnipeg ---- Montreal ---- NY Islanders
Calgary ------ Minnesota --- Ottawa ----- NY Rangers
Vancouver --- Chicago ----- Toronto ----- New Jersey
San Jose ----- St. Louis ---- Detroit ------ Philadelphia
Los Angles --- Colorado ---- Buffalo ------ Pittsburgh
Anaheim ----- Nashville ---- Boston ------ Columbus
Phoenix ------ Dallas ------- Florida ------ Washington
------------------------------- Tampa ------ Carolina
(7 Teams) -- (7 Teams) --- (8 Teams) --- (8 Teams)
Likes
I like that the new divisions are based on time zones. From a TV perspective, it makes sense because a majority of the inter-conference games will be on in primetime for both cities. I think this is good for the casual fans and helps build rivalries. That said, there will still be games outside primetime.
I also like that each team will play every other team in the league at least twice (1 home, 1 away) each season. I think this is good for the league and fans.
Geographically I think moving Winnipeg to the West makes sense.
Dislikes
Moves: St. Louis and Detroit have had a great rivalry for years and going from playing them 8 times/yr as an inter-divisional rival to playing them 2 times/yr kinda sucks.
Playoff format: I have always hated that the top team in each division gets the top 3 conference spots. If the 3 best teams in the West Conf are in the Central Division, then they should be in 1st, 2nd & 3rd place. They are continuing this format by giving the top 3 teams in each of the (new) divisions a PO birth. The following 2 teams will be decided by wild card.
Maybe I'm just a little to simplistic, but I've always thought that the top 8 teams should be seeded in the playoffs by number of points, regardless of division.
Divisions: I don't like that there are only 14 teams in the West and 16 in the East. I think there should be 15 in each. I think Detroit should have stayed in the West, but moving Columbus to the East was good. Division C & D are absolutely moronic. Florida and Tampa Bay should be in Division D and the Rangers and Islanders should be in Division C. The only way this makes sense is if they are planning on moving the FLA teams to different cities, one in the East and the other in the West, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.
Bettman kept saying that nothing can be, or is going to be perfect. But, I think they could have done better than this. It's not horrible, but seems more like a first draft than a final draft. I guess we'll see how the next 3 years go...