I want to poll the group for their thoughts on the proposed realignment. Now that there is NHLPA approval, it looks like this is going to happen as long as the owners don't get in the way.
Certainly, this is good for the CBJ and the Arena District as it will establish more regional rivalries. As a Pens fan, I will be happy to have them visiting Columbus more often. The flip side for the CBJ is that in my opinion they will move into the toughest division top to bottom.
i think everything is ok except not having the jackets and redwings in the same division. that will be very dissapointing.i would say move the red wings south and put the islanders in the north. otherwise i think everything makes a lot of sense
I get your point but at least they will still both be in the Eastern Conference. If you put the Red Wings in the Atlantic Division and take out the Islanders the division would be crazy difficult.
I like the fact that everyone sees everyone twice. A few years ago, Alex Ovechkin came to Chicago-the Caps only play at the UC once every 2 years. I got tickets for my birthday and was beyond jacked because he's my favorite player in the NHL and wouldn't be back for another 2 years.
Alex promptly got ejected 8 minutes into the game so that sucked. My point is, fans get to see Towes, Kane, Ovie, Crosby, Stamkos, Quick, Gaborik, and so on at least once per year and that's cool.
I do wish the Hawks and Wings stayed together but Nashville is affectionately referred to as "Rashville" here in Chicago because they are such an annoying ass team to play against and the rivalry between those teams is budding-with that said nothing replaces original 6 matchups.
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
Interesting story about your attempt to see Ovie. I was living in Chicago about 5 years ago when the Pens came to town and was all jacked to see Crosby. Similarly, he ended up not playing due to injury but it was the first time I got to see Geno live. It ended up being a great game: OT, Toews hat-trick, Pens victory.
Ya, it was a great game too. Hawks got juiced up when Ovie pushed Campbell into the boards (ending his season). They shipped him off to the box before ejecting him. While he was sitting there, (I was 4 rows behind it) Dustin Byfuglien skated over to the box and tapped his stick at Ovie a few times, everyone in the building was hoping to see those two get together. Never happened because a few minutes later, the refs decided to toss Ovie. The penalty juiced up the Hawks but Washington ended up storming back from a 3 goal deficit to win in OT...effing Backstrom was out of his mind that night.
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
Love, love, love this alignment. Huge for the CBJ
Bruins fan. I love the opportunity to see Detroit on a regular basis. The more Original Six matchups, the better. However, putting the B's in a division called "Central" (as opposed to Northeast) is idiocy on par with Leaders/Legends.
Have to agree with that. They should obviously call it the Northeast Division + Those Florida Teams Nobody Cares About.
What do you think about them calling it the "Atlantique" Division?
Move the Panthers and Coyotes to Hartford and Quebec (I could care less who goes where). Welcome back, Adams Division.
Hartford can't support a team, and I think the NHL expands West with either Seattle or Kansas City, instead of adding a 17th team in Eastern North America.
since im moving to kansas city in a few months i would love nothing more than that.
The West makes perfect sense. What doesn't make sense is the Candian/Florida Eastern division, but whatever it's not that bad.
HUGE for the Jackets - you get Malkin, Crosby, Ovechkin, Nash, Gaborik, Giroux, etc. into NWA 3 times a year. Pittsburgh is a natural rival, but they'll always be bitter rivals with Philly.
It's not really that much more difficult of a division for the CBJ than their current one. All 4 of their current division opponents are in the top 8 in the West right now. With St. Louis and Chicago being turned around, there's 4 consistent playoff contenders every year.
I thought it was amazing to hear current CBJ players talk about how hard it is to play in Columbus because of how bad the travel is. Not just is there the actual travel, but you have to make that western coast trip and which means you can guarantee like 5-6 straight games away from home which can kill a hot streak or exaterbate a cold streak
"Who cares? Go Bucks." - Aaron Untch
Huge CAPS fan here. Excited for CBJ to be entering our division.
"Winter is coming" - Urban Meyer
As a Rangers fan, im probably indifferent. They maintained the Atlantic division rivalries (Rangers, Islanders, Devils, Flyers), which is important. I do think the concept makes some sense given the extended travel time that some teams had to endure.
I would have rather seen Buffalo or Boston join the Rangers division over Carolina, but they had to put Carolina somewhere. And I like getting the Caps in the Rangers division. Its certainly better for the Blue Jackets.
As a Red Wings fan I love the new plan. I hate to see us lose the Chicago rivalry but we do pick up Boston and two other Original 6 teams (Mon, Tor) in that NE division. If def makes travel and viewing of games easier. It is really tough to watch the Red Wings on weekdays when they go on one of their west coast trips. I wake up at 5am for radiation therapy clinical rotations at the hospital three days a week and it makes it almost impossible to watch any more than the first period of those games. Not to mention the playoff games that were in VAN, SJ, PHX, LA, CAL over the past few years.
For the Jackets, their division is very difficult right now but they do get to see some of the best players in the NHL more often. But with that being said, you never know how things will look in 2-3 years. Look at the NFC West just a few years ago getting a 7-9 team in the playoffs and now it's one of the toughest in the NFL with SF and SEA two of the best teams in the NFL.