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NHLPA approves realignment plan

 03.07.13 at 6:36 pm ET
By DJ Bean

The NHLPA has approved of the NHL’s realignment plan Thursday, with the Board of Governors next to vote to put the plan into action for next season.

In the proposed realignment, there would be two conferences comprised of four divisions (16 teams in the East, 14 teams in the West) instead of the current six-division system. The Bruins would be part of the new Central Division in the Eastern Conference along with the Red Wings, Sabres, Canadiens, Maple Leafs, Panthers, Lightning and Senators. The Atlantic Division would contain Carolina, Columbus, New Jersey, New York’s Rangers and Islanders, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington.

In the West, the new Pacific Division will feature Anaheim, Calgary, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Jose and Vancouver. Finally, the Midwest Division will be made up of Chicago, Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota, Nashville, St. Louis and Winnipeg.

Click here for more information on the realignment plan.

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  • Bruinman86

    Works for me.  Now they just need to move a few more teams to Canada and retract 2.

  • ILoveHockey

    I’d rather see them at two western Canada teams, than to see them take two away

  • FireGuyFrank

    I still want to see the Rangers and Islanders swap spots with the Lightning and Panthers.  It makes more sense regionally.

  • FireGuyFrank

    And one more adjustment — the northeast is not “central”.

  • Bruinman86

    WEll, my issue is that the league became too watered down when they went hog wild in expansion 15-20 years ago. Besides, the conferences aren’t even. 2 more teams in one vs. the other. Just my take. Same with the NBA. Retract a few teams and stop watering down the product.

  • old, fat and bald couch potato

    They should have east with a North and South Division and the same in the west. East North would have Canadiens, Leafs, Senators Sabres, Wings, Jackets, Isles and Bruins. South would be Rangers, Flyers, Pens, Canes, Lightning, Panthers, Devils, Caps.

    West North would be Vanc, Oilers, Flames,Jets, Wild,Hawks and Blues.
    South would be LA, Sharks, Ducks, Coyotes, Avs, Preds, Stars.

    makes more sense to me, but who cares.

  • EasthamMass

    Stupid realignment.  Not much in the way of long standing rivalry’s.   Bruins and Rangers not in the same division.  Red Wings and Black Hawks not in the same division. 

  • Greg Amano

    Actually what they could have done was a one division with the Red Wings,Maple Leafs,Penguins,Sabres,Blue Jackets,Senators,Flyers,and Capitals(this way keeps the Pens-Flyers-Caps rivalry in tack),and then the other division would be the Bruins,Canadiens,Islanders,Rangers,Devils,Hurricanes,Lightning,and Panthers(this way the Bruins still have their rivalry with the Canadiens,and add more games with the Rangers and Islanders.

  • Joey Gavin

    Actually this is the fairest way to do the realignment.It would look like this,but setting up the playoffs,would be the biggest problem.I guess if they went this way,they would just have to do it like they did in the old days and just see the whole league 1-16,and then re-seed in each round afterwards with highest seed always playing the lowest seed.

    Northeast Division
    Bruins
    Canadiens
    Rangers
    Islanders
    Devils

    Great Lakes Division
    Red Wings
    Blackhawks
    Maple Leafs
    Sabres
    Senators
     
    Mid-Atlantic Division
    Penguins
    Flyers
    Blue Jackets
    Capitals
    Hurricanes

    South  Division
    Blues
    Predators
    Stars
    Lightning
    Panthers

    Northwest Division
    Wild
    Canucks
    Oilers
    Flames
    Jets

    Pacific or West Divison
    Sharks
    Kings
    Ducks
    Avalanche
    Coyotes

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