Realignment and You. Uh oh. Now what?

“Here’s another fine mess you’ve gotten us into”. If you have an appreciation for very old school comedic, film you’ll recognize that quote from the old Laurel and Hardy films. This is how I can best express the current NHL realignment situation. Everything was resolved, not to my liking or that of many others, but it was resolved. Now there are media reports that have a Canadian based ownership group ready to buy the Phoenix Coyotes and relocating them to Quebec. Okay that’s not a problem. But how does this affect the realignment plan? Are they going to just have the Phoenix turned Quebec team just play in the “Pacific Division”? We just finally had the whole Winnipeg in the Southeast Division problem figured out. Now we have this before this season is up?

Mary Altaffer/Associated Press

You can’t tell me Gary Bettman, Bill Daly, and the rest of the NHL power brokers didn’t know anything about this possibility. The Phoenix Coyotes are currently owned by the NHL! I get not being able to divulge everything for business reasons, but don’t put out realignment plans, required for approval by several parties out there, without having certain backup plans for possible events that may arise. By the way, is it just me or could Bettman and Daly really pass for Laurel and Hardy? Well at least if they decided to go to a Halloween party together, they’d probably win if they went as the duo. I find that very strange indeed.

I thought I was done with this whole NHL realignment thing with the final installment of my NHL realignment trilogy: “The Return of the Nordique”. To quote another movie, “Just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in”. So here’s where we stand as of right now. The NHL realignment plan is as follows. Just click on the picture for a clear view.

If indeed the Phoenix Coyotes are sold to a Canadian based ownership group, and the plan is to move them to Quebec for the 2013-14 NHL season, a temporary alternate realignment plan must be adopted. Somebody will be upset, but I think the league, if they do adopt a new plan, will make it a very minor change until they expand to the thirty-two team NHL. The path of least resistance in this specific scenario to “not upset the apple cart” would simply be to swap the Colorado Avalanche out of “Division B” to “Division A” and put a new Quebec team into “Division B”.

Yes I am aware of where Quebec City is located. Of course I’d rather have them in “Division C” with Montreal, Toronto, Boston, “and the rest”, but this seems to be the easiest transition. I cannot see the NHL and and NHLPA adopting a whole brand new massive realignment before they even start with the already agreed upon plan. It took quite a while to agree on the last plan. Do you honestly think, all parties involved would welcome a whole new reboot after the last couple of years? Quebec is out of place in that more midwestern division, but it’s better than in a west coast arrangement. Colorado being in the mountain time zone, has the most flexibility to being in either division. That franchise still owes something to Quebec City for leaving, following the 1995 season. They could also allow the new Quebec franchise to adopt the the Nordiques name and uniforms. Their debt would then be paid back in full.

So this leaves the NHL realignment plan for the next couple of years. How will the Phoenix Coyotes move to Quebec work within that plan, and an inevitable post expansion thirty-two team NHL? Going by everything that has actually occurred, here are both scenarios that could work out in their alignment.

TEMPORARY PLAN 2013-14 UNTIL FLORIDA MOVES TO KANSAS CITY and EXPANSION.

Patrick: NYR, NJD, WASH, NYI, PHI, CAR, CBJ, PIT

Adams: BUF, DET, MTL, TOR, OTT, TB, FLA, BOS

Norris: NASH, MIN, WPG, STL, CHI, QUE(Phx), DAL

Smythe: ANA, LA, SJ, VAN, EDM, CGY, COL

As you can see I am not giving up on the name divisions. I am “old school” and proud of it. As you can also see I stand behind my previous assertion that the Florida Panthers will be moving. But now we need a thirty-two team NHL scenario. Lucky for all of us I just happen to have one right here in my back pocket. Here you go.

PERMANENT POST FLORIDA MOVE TO KANSAS CITY and EXPANSION.

Lemieux: NYR, NJD, WASH, NYI, PHI, CAR, TB, PIT

Orr: BUF, QUE(Phx), MTL, TOR, OTT, CBJ, BOS, DET

Howe: NASH, MIN, WPG, STL, CHI, DAL, KC(Fla), *HOU or *MIL

Gretzky: ANA, LA, SJ, VAN, EDM, CGY, COL, *SEA

Houston

There isn’t any surprise that I am holding on to my idea about the new names with “Hockey’s Holy Quadrinity”. No, it doesn’t make as much sense without a Detroit in the “Howe Division”, but the NHL has made their decision. You may also notice Houston and Milwaukee are both brand new candidates for expansion teams. Both are markets that have been mentioned in the past and would fit into a “Howe” division. Houston has been a prospective NHL market for a while. Houston has all three other major league sports with the Texans, Astros, and Rockets. The AHL’s Houston Aeros attendance has been growing the last few years. Their attendance went up over fifteen percent from last year. The Houston Aeros are currently ranked seventh in AHL average attendance. There would already be an in-state rivalry with the Dallas Stars. There is also a “Howe” connection with the city of Houston. Gordie Howe played for the Houston Aeros in the WHA from 1973 until 1977 after his first two year retirement.

John Maniaci — Wisconsin State Journal

Milwaukee

The state of Wisconsin has long been a hockey hotbed in the midwestern United States. Attendance is very good at Badger games. That’s college. The Milwaukee Admirals also do pretty well. Wisconsin is a traditional hockey market. Wisconsin also has all three other major league sports with the Packers, Brewers, and Bucks. Chicago and Milwaukee are both very close to one another and already have a regional rivalry. The question is which one? The league has to do the proper research and standard competition between both cities, and have a decision by the end of the 2014-15 season.

Phoenix stays in Phoenix?

There is of course the chance that the Phoenix Coyotes stay in Arizona. The league wants them to stay there. Their few loyal fans want them to stay. Even though it clearly hasn’t worked there is an ownership group that may have a chance to buy the team. In that remote possibility here is a scenario with the Phoenix Coyotes.

PERMANENT POST FLORIDA MOVE TO KANSAS CITY, PHOENIX COYOTES REMAIN, and EXPANSION.

Lemieux: NYR, NJD, WASH, NYI, PHI, CAR, TB, PIT

Orr: BUF, *QUE, MTL, TOR, OTT, CBJ, BOS, DET

Howe: NASH, MIN, WPG, STL, CHI, DAL, KC(Fla), COL

Gretzky: ANA, LA, SJ, VAN, EDM, CGY, PHX, *SEA

The End or just the Beginning?

So we will have to wait and see where this new development brings us as hockey fans. Some fans say they just want to watch hockey and don’t really care that much about what division their team is in or where other teams end up. But if one looks at a more global view of their teams place in the sports universe, a better managed, organized, and marketed league will bring more to each individual team in the long run and possibly reap many more benefits for the fans of this great game on and off the ice. Let’s all hope we all don’t find “ourselves in another fine mess” that the Laurel and Hardy of the NHL have gotten us into.

Chris Young/Canadian Press

NHL Realignment III: The Return of the Nordique.

When one goes to Dictionary.com and types in the word “moot”,  one would find a few definitons depending on the use of the word. When regarding the discussion of NHL realignment scenarios after the NHLPA has approved the proposed plan put forth by the NHL, the following would probably best apply.

moot (adjective): 1. of little or no practical value or meaning; purely academic. 2. Chiefly Law. not actual; theoretical; hypothetical.

So any scenario I came up with before, but now publish here is a rather moot point. Well, since it’s my blog and the whole reason I created it was to express what’s been going on inside me for a while, and it’s just plain fun to think “what if?” Of course I’m going to present my own NHL realignment plan. Like I’ve seen in another blog’s comments, ” if you’re not willing to come up with a better solution, don’t complain about it in the first place.” Or something to that effect. So here we go. Hang on, seatbelt, tray, upright position….You know the drill.

When trying to come up with my NHL realignment scenario I attempted to try and best address both the problems currently in the NHL and include expansion into cities of what the NHL has consistently expressed interest of establishing new franchises. These issues were the following…

1. Establishing a four division, thirty-two team NHL.

2. Moving Dallas out of the Pacific into a Central time zone division.

3. Moving Columbus out of the Central into an Eastern time zone division.

4. Moving Winnipeg into a division that makes much more sense than the current Southeast situation they are currently coping with.

5. Deal with the Phoenix and what will be Florida situations.

6. Establishing NHL hockey in Quebec, Seattle, Kansas City, and a second Toronto team.

7. Organize the schedule and divisions in a way that would lessen the travel in the regular season and playoffs.

8. Advance the NHL brand by putting more emphasis on intradivisional rivalries.

Goodbye Phoenix. Bonjour Quebec.

My NHL realignment plan is a two tier process. Why? Because of Seattle’s inability to currently have an NHL franchise until their arena is built. Plus any Florida relocation, which if you’ve seen my reasoning in my previous posts seems inevitable. Florida would still take a little time to smooth out so as not to be a surprise for the rest of the hockey world. First I move the Phoenix Coyotes to Quebec. Hockey in Phoenix has clearly failed. The NHL has spent the past few years owning the team. The most recent ownership group in Arizona has backed out. There is a group in Quebec ready to buy an NHL team and bring back hockey to the province. A move for the next season could be done because the new team could play in Le Colisee untl the new arena is ready in 2015.

Penguins migration. TEMPORARILY!

Before perusing the divisions I warn you there is a TEMPORARY move of Pittsburgh to what I will always refer to as the “Adams” Division. Yes, I am old school, but isn’t hockey really at its core? I want to clarify the fact, I do NOT want to move Pittsburgh out of the “Patrick” Division at all.  See I did it it again.  Frankly, Florida messes everything up. I understand the whole Pittsburgh versus Philadelphia rivalry and the rest of that division being preserved. The NHL had the same dilemma and chose to preserve the Flyers vs Pens’ regular battles. That is why Tampa and Florida are in their “Central” division. They didn’t want to move Pittsburgh to that division like they did back in the 1990s. So they basically put Tampa and Florida in a bad situation for the next two seasons. Which would also probably explain why Columbus is in their “Atlantic” division. Something tells me more change is coming for the NHL. They just can’t discuss those changes right now. It’s not good business to do so, until other situations in the league’s landscape are resolved. I want to reiterate the Pittsburgh move would be TEMPORARY. Yes I felt a need to CAPITALIZE AND BOLDEN those words to reassure those who might get upset at the thought of taking such an action.

“OLD SCHOOL” is now in session.

A big part of my plan is to go back to the roots of the NHL. Rename the divisions back  to the “old school” names in the temporary scenario. This is not only a nod of respect to the history of the game, but also to many of the NHL’s hardcore fans that keep coming back no matter how many times they take hockey away from us. The NHL is special. The NHL is different. The fans are different. This is not the NBA. Thank goodness for that.  No matter how much Gary Bettman seems to want it that way.  There is just an intangible quality to the league with the named divisions. There are so many fans that have never experienced the NHL with those names. The regional location division names are rather antiseptic and boring. It doesn’t have the “heart and soul” of those division names. Patrick, Adams, Norris, and Smythe. I get a warm spot in my heart just thinking about it. I’m okay. Sorry. I just had a moment. Here you go.

TEMPORARY PLAN 2013-14 until Florida Moves to Seattle.

Patrick: NYR, NJD, WASH, NYI, PHI, CAR, TB, FLA

Adams: BUF, QUE(Phx), MTL, TOR, OTT, CBJ, PIT, BOS

Norris: NASH, MIN, WPG, STL, CHI, DET, DAL

Smythe: ANA, LA, SJ, VAN, EDM, CGY, COL

“OLD SCHOOL” with a  “NEW SCHOOL” Twist.

The “Old School” division names would last until the permanent NHL realignment occurs. In an effort to continue respecting the great history of the NHL, but still signify the new era, I would change the division names to honor what I refer to as “Hockey’s Holy Quadrinity”. Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr, and Goride Howe. I came up with that term during the 2004 lockout. There was even a rhyme for it. “From Gretzky to Lemieux, from Howe to Orr. All behold the Immortal Four”. Yes, I may have an issue or two. Honestly it’s just done in fun. I have my personal faith. I respect all others as well. It was just something fun to do to show respect to those Hall of Famers. It’s like a type of Mt. Rushmore for hockey. Below is the second part of the plan and permanent NHL realignment scenario.

PERMANENT POST FLORIDA MOVE TO SEATTLE and EXPANSION.

Lemieux: NYR, NJD, WASH, NYI, PHI, CAR, TB, PIT
Orr: BUF, QUE(Phx), MTL, TOR, OTT, CBJ, BOS, *TOR(Markham)
Howe: NASH, MIN, WPG, STL, CHI, DET, DAL, *KC
Gretzky: ANA, LA, SJ, VAN, EDM, CGY, COL, SEA(Fla)

Detroit Red Wings Proposal to Remain in the Western Conference.

This plan gives the NHL 32 teams, a 2nd Toronto team, a team in Quebec, a Kansas City team, moving the problem franchises of Phoenix and Florida, and addresses many problems Columbus, Winnipeg,  and Dallas have been having. It also doesn’t move Tampa and Florida into the that “Central” Division. There are both short and long term plans. Detroit does not move to the east, but here are the details of a plan that might make an acceptable realignment option for Detroit staying in the Western Conference.

  Divisional playoffs

  This would eliminate the Red Wings’ concern about constantly playing Pacific teams every round. The only time that has a chance of occurring would be in the Conference Finals. The intra-division rivalries would become even more intense and give you a better on ice product to market the NHL brand. Listed below are two things. The first is how the schedule would look like for the Detroit Red Wings in a 30 team NHL. Following that is the breakdown of  how many games they would be playing in each specific time zone. This plan dramatically improves their travel and TV schedule. I vividly remember the Divisional Playoffs. The competition and rivalries were at such a fierce level that today’s Conference setup just seems to be missing. To this day I still cannot stand to hear the name of Dale Hunter for his hit on Pierre Turgeon. Unfortunately 1993 was the last time the Islanders got past the first round of the playoffs. Has it really been twenty years? Anyway, back to business.

Schedule

82 Game Season 30 Team NHL
36 Games: 6 games(3H, 3A) vs 6 “Norris” Division Rivals.
46 Games: 2 Games (1h,1a) vs 23 other NHL teams.

Regular Season Time Zone Breakdown

82 Game 30 NHL Team Season

57 games in the Eastern Time zone.

18 games in the Central time zone.

4 games in the Pacific time zone

3 games in the Mountain Time zone

The eighteen games within the Central Time Zone against their “Norris” Division rivals could start no later than 7:05 pm local time. Some of those would not all start that late. There are games normally played as matinees on weekends and holidays every year. I’m sure an arrangement could be made to minimize evening weekend games in the Central Time Zone for the Red Wings. So in reality, only a portion of those eighteen Central Time Zone games would end around 10:30pm in th Eastern Time Zone. Remember, I’m bending over backwards to convince the Red Wings to stay in that division, and they have already sacrificed so much.

Below are the same breakdowns for a thirty-two team NHL, eighty-three game regular season. Playing five games against a team’s seven intradivisional rivals requires a one game home advantage for every series. To address this situation they could alternate home ice advantage each year. To determine that first year they could flip a coin, use lottery balls, give it to the team with the better or worse record.

Schedule

83 Game Season 32 Team NHL

35 Games: 5 games(2H, 2A, 1TBD) vs 7 “Howe” Division Rivals.

48 Games: 2 Games (1h,1a) vs 24 other NHL teams.

Regular Season Time Zone Breakdown

83 Game 32 NHL Team Season

56 or 57 games in the Eastern Time zone.

17 or 18 games in the Central time zone.

5 games in the Pacific time zone

3 games in the Mountain Time zone

The Good Ol’ Hockey Game.

There is also a very interesting opportunity for the league as well. One of these “extra” games could be an outdoor game for every team. This makes that eighty-third game a very important game.. The potential financial, marketing, and philanthropic, bonanza would be off the charts. One idea that came to me is what I have named, “The Pennslyvania Puck Drop at Penn State”. The  Pittsburgh Penguins against the Philadelphia Flyers ever year from Beaver Stadium. Alternating home ice advantage. Besides the incredible economic gains with an event like this, a lot of good will can be accomplished. Charities such as Hockey Fights Cancer, Penn State’s “Thon” that benefits the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital, and child abuse prevention could benefit immeasurably. The huge statewide event promoting Pennsylvania pride from all corners of the commonwealth, would be enormous. This would also be a great chance to grow the image of not only the NHL and hockey in general, but a great chance for Penn State to regain its reputation following the disgusting Sandusky scandal. Something that has so much potential, it would be crazy not to do it. Now take something like that in one location, but now place it all over North America. Think about it.

Blue Jacket Image Makeover

Now this step may seem completely superficial, but in the business world, how one markets their product or service can be the deciding factor in success or failure. Same goes for professional sports teams. This is a very simple change. Officially change the name of the team from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Ohio Blue Jackets. Some may say why? When a non-hockey sports fan hears Columbus, they automatically smirk and give that, “why is there a a major league sports team in what sounds like a very minor league town?” Look, I’m sorry. I have to agree with that sentiment. I get Columbus, Ohio is the capital and largest city in the state of Ohio(if you include the surrounding metro area). Columbus is also the fifteenth most populous city in the United States. “The” Ohio State University is based out of there. Sorry, I don’t really care for college sports, but some may get offended if I don’t include “the”. But the simple truth is when someone hears Columbus, Ohio outside of the state of Ohio, people don’t think of this great metropolis. I know when I hear Columbus, I think of two things. Number one. The Columbus Clippers, the longtime triple-A  affiliate for the New York Yankees. I lived on Long Island for over thirty years, so that should probably explain that. Number two? The city that the 1980s sitcom “Family Ties” was based out of.

I’m not trying to disrespect the city at all. What I’m trying to do is better market the team. I think the team is on the right track. Historically speaking, they have been struggling on and off the ice. But I do feel once they do turn around their fortunes, which as of late may just be getting started, NHL hockey will be very succesful in Ohio. They placed the team in Columbus to bring all of Ohio together because it is the capital. It is in the center of the state. So fans from Cleveland and Cincinatti, usually very bitter enemies, would stand side-by-side, supporting Ohio’s team. They have the flag of Ohio on their chest! This point is to better market the team and the league. Nothing more. How hard of a change could that be?

Overtime

The overtime loss. The bane of many a hockey fan’s existence. I propose eliminating the awarding of a point for an overtime loss. The NHL has tried to reason it for years, but never making much sense to many people at all. Hypothetically a team could go 10-0-72-0 and get the same amount of points as two of last year’s playoff teams. The Washington Capitals and the Ottawa Senators. Read that again, a team could hypothetically lose SEVENTY-TWO games in overtime and have the same amount of points as two of last year’s playoff teams. Now I realize that is a big improbability, but the fact there is just a chance of happening completely delegitimizes the OTL. I was watching Colin Cowherd, something I don’t usually do, but he made a great point. “When a team loses in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals in overtime, they don’t get anything.” That rule should, but won’t be implemented at the start of the 2013-14 season. In conjunction with ditching the OTL point, I would extend the overtime period to ten minutes. If a team can get to the shootout after ten minutes, it truly was a stalemate. If you get to the shootout then you get the guaranteed point with an SOL in the standings. I find that many times a team can clamp down defensively in five minutes to get to the the shootut, which many argue is not a good representation of who actually won the game. It shows they have guys who are better at breakaways.

Epilogue

Now that the proposed NHL realignment seems well on its way for approval and reality for the next two seasons, all we can as fans do is hope the league takes the proper steps to have it all make sense and improves the NHL. I know, a chill just went up my spine too. I’m hesitant going by their track record, but there is a reason we love this great game. We argue point, counter point of what would work or not work. What matters is the game on the ice. Rooting our team on as they try and raise Hockey’s Holy Grail. (I’m an Islander fan so I have a whole other set of issues).  So let’s hope Tampa and Columbus do get switched. Hope that the Phoenix and Florida situations do get resolved. Hope they forget about a second Toronto team (since Detroit is in the East) and Las Vegas. Hope for an NHL team in Seattle. Hope for a better game. Hope for the triumphant ressurection of hockey in Quebec. The Return of the Nordique.

NHL Realignment: What are they doing? Part Deux. Post NHLPA Approval Edition.

BREAKING NEWS! The NHLPA has approved the realignment and playoff format proposal introduced by the NHL. There may be some thunder stealing occurring, but that’s fine. All that much more for Power Play Paradise to prognosticate about.

When we last left our author, he was talking about how the Eastern Conference in the NHL realignment plan having many more questions than answers. The big points being the Detroit defection, too many teams within the conference, what seems to be inevitable expansion, and relocation of franchises. Including a never mentioned before by the NHL, Florida Panthers move. Now we find him trying to tackle how the Detroit Red Wings move to the Eastern Conference not only causes numerous problems there, but leaves a terrible void in the balance of power between the conferences.

Like I’ve said in my previous post on this issue, I completely understand and respect the whole good soldier aspect, travel problems, playoffs, and time zone issues that the Red Wings have been forced to endure. A question that doesn’t seem to be raised, is what is left in the Western Conference if Detroit, Columbus (don’t laugh they are still an established franchise), and hypothetically a Phoenix move to Quebec(which has been rumored of late) all go east? Let’s say for argument’s sake the Florida Panthers are moved to Kansas City, Seattle, or Las Vegas. Ow! That hurts just to write down! Vegas. I feel cold all of a sudden. How does the trading of three established NHL franchises, including an Original Six team, conference and NHL powerhouse, winner of eleven Stanley Cups, four since the 1996-97 season, equate to getting the Florida Panthers and two expansion teams in return? Especially, when all  those possible towns have huge question marks about their viability as an NHL market. May seem to be just a “tad” lopsided. Yes the quotes are supposed to express sarcasm. Let’s take a look at these possible cities with a little history lesson of them as hockey markets.

Kansas City was awarded a franchise in 1972 and entered the league during the 1974-75 season, alongside the Washington Capitals. (Interestingly enough, the same year the NHL decided to go to the name divisions. That subject will be mentioned in future posts.) The Kansas City Scouts only survived for two seasons before they moved to Denver as the Colorado Rockies, which then moved in 1982 to become the New Jersey Devils. The Kansas City Scouts went 27-110-23 during their tenure and had very weak public support. It is nearly forty years later, and the city is hoping for another NHL franchise. The city so wanted a new NHL team to play there, they built and opened a state of the art arena, the Sprint Center in October 2007. There were plans early on when a local businessman was looking into buying the Nashville Predators and moving them to KC. That fell through. When the Penguins were negotiating for their new arena deal, they were flirting with Kansas City to gain leverage. The same with the Islanders, so much so,  New York even played a preseason game at the Sprint Center in 2009. Since 2008, with the exception of this preseason because of the lockout, the Sprint Center has hosted NHL preseason games. The most recent in 2011, a sellout between the Kings and Penguins. This may be the perfect time to try hockey again in Kansas City. Very different time, but with any venture like this, and the city’s history, there is a lot of risk.

Seattle’s hockey roots are very old  with the Seattle Metropolitans of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association from 1915-1924. The won the Stanley Cup in 1917 against the National Hockey Association’s Montreal Canadiens. The Metropolitans were the first U.S. based team in history to raise Hockey’s Holy Grail. They also played in the Stanley Cup Finals in 1919 but that series was cancelled due to an outbreak of the Spanish Flu. Over the years the city of Seattle has had many minor league and junior league teams. Since 1985 the Seattle Thunderbirds have been playing in the junior level Western Hockey League and have produced NHL players such as Patrick Marleau, Chris Osgood, and Brendan Witt. So history, geography, and support of an NHL squad should work in the market. There is also a newly approved arena for the city. The NHL has recently sent people there to scout the city. You may have heard of this one guy in that merry little band. Umm….Wayne Gretzky?. Some may say, just move an NHL team like the Coyotes there now. The problem is the old SuperSonics’  building , the Key Arena, does not work for hockey. So any move will have to wait until some time in the second half of the decade.  A wait I think the league will be more than willing to endure, for the greater good of the game.

                                

This leaves us with the most disturbing of the cities rumored to be a candidate for an NHL franchise. Las Vegas, Nevada. From the previous tone of this, one could probably figure out that I’m not a supporter of this idea. Has the NHL learned nothing from the lessons of Phoenix, Atlanta, and what may be Florida?  The current ECHL franchise based in Las Vegas is consistently just in the bottom half of attendance for the league. I get Las Vegas is fun. I’ve been there three times. It’s also a place many people get burned out after being there for a few days. The NHL has their awards show there now. I don’t have a problem with that. My concern is the long term feasibility of Las Vegas as an NHL city. It’s the middle of the desert. It’s a city based on tourism. Housing market has tanked there and the economy has been struggling, like many places across the nation these days. Saying all that, I do feel the city does have huge potential to engage in a very successful financial relationship with the NHL. Continue to have the NHL Awards show there. Have an annual NHL preseason game there. Possibly have an outdoor game there. (Don’t laugh. The Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers played there back on September 27, 1991 outside of Caesar’s Palace.) A neutral site regular season game might also work there every once in a while. The best chance for hockey in Las Vegas may be the AHL. The Los Angeles Kings’ top affiliate is all the way across the country in Manchester, New Hampshire. An affiliate in Las Vegas may work perfectly. They could just name them the Las Vegas Kings. Same uniforms, only difference would be a “V” instead of an “A” on the front of the jersey. L.A. King GM Dean Lombardi may want to give AHL President Dave Andrews a call. Just a thought.

I’m not trying to upset business. Just throwing some ideas out that may work, instead of what may be another misplaced NHL franchise. I adore the game of hockey and want to see the NHL succeed. Not only from an economic standpoint, but in the hearts and minds of sports fans everywhere. If you’re reading this blog, you know exactly what I’m talking about. The fact the NHL is considered fifth, sixth, or possibly seventh dog in the show, behind NFL, MLB, NBA(which really disgusts me), College football and basketball is beyond my ability to comprehend. That’s what these ideas are about. Yes hockey fans are not a huge group. But we are a very passionate group. Let’s show all those “non-believers” how amazing this game is. Broadening the horizons of the masses to try and make this world just a little bit better. Plus, I’m just tired of people giving me “that look” when I tell them that I like hockey.

So basically now that the NHL is definitely moving Detroit and Columbus to the Eastern Conference, the Western Conference will now have two less teams. When one looks at the histories and situations of the possible replacement cities to offset the loss of Detroit and Columbus, the Eastern Conference has clearly become the Alpha Dog in the forseeable future. Chicago and Anaheim are both having tremendous years, but will it be enough? St. Louis has something good “brewing”. But they have been just okay this year. L.A. is the defending Cup champs, but to take the mantle of Conference powerhouse? I’m not sure about that. Vancouver, always good in the regular season, but typical playoff collapse usually occurs. San Jose? Minnesota? We’re really starting to scrape the bottom of that proverbial barrel. What happens with Phoenix? Do they move to Quebec? Kansas City? Seattle when it’s ready? Or does the NHL continue to lose money in a failed experiment, just to prove Phoenix can work out of pure stubborness, or the fact they don’t have enough teams in the west? Are you beginning to see my point? This realignment plan is only good until the end of the 2014-15 season. Coincidentally enough, the same time Quebec’s arena opens and the New York Islanders move to Brooklyn. Imagine that? The real fun starts when the expansion and franchise relocation commences. To finalize this trilogy, Power Play Paradise will release the realignment and playoff scenario, that may have been a better option to what has been accepted. Coming soon to this blog …. NHL Realignment 3: The Return of the Nordique.

NHL Realignment: What are they doing?

The  NHL has released its newest version of league realignment, and it has met with mixed reviews. The plan basically providing more questions than answers.

It seems to try and address many teams complaints about scheduling, travel, and playoffs. But will it work?  Let’s take a look. The big move is Detroit to the Eastern Conference in what is being called the “Central” Division. Columbus also follows but they go to the “Atlantic”. Ohio, not a state well known for much beach front property on the Atlantic Ocean. They then move both teams based in Florida, the Panthers and Lightning, to the “Central”. Okayyyy…..

Detroit has been the good soldier by playing in the Western Conference for a very long time, to offset the balance of power between conferences. They’ve endured grueling travel,  though all the time zones, playing many late night west coast games, all to help the league out. I respect that and I am still hesitant about moving them. My reservation is still the balance of power between conferences. My other problem is with those two moves and the NHL’s future expansion and possible relocation plans, there will be too many teams in the Eastern Conference. They both go hand-in-hand. The league wants to have a thirty-two team league when everything is said and done. So this is what inspired the four division setup. Just like the “old days” that don’t seem all that long ago.

Over the course of the last few years the NHL has been speaking publicly about certain desires for the league’s divisional breakdown and what markets they want to include in their master plan. They have said they want….

• To reestablish NHL hockey back in Quebec.
• Introduce a second Toronto based team.
• Possibly expand to Seattle, Kansas City, and now the latest rumor Las Vegas.

Some of this seems to make sense, but there is some there that just doesn’t. Quebec, I’m all in. It was a sad day when the Quebec Nordiques packed up, moved to Denver, and emerged as the Colorado Avalanche. What made it even worse was the fact the first year in that city, they go on to win the Stanley Cup. Long time frustrated fans of a team with nothing but mediocrity for years, leaves town and raises Hockey’s Holy Grail. I have an old school, light blue Joe Sakic jersery hanging in my closet, about 10 feet away as I write this blog right now. It is the jewel of my collection. So that should illustrate how I feel about a new Quebec team. I suggest just bringing back the old name and jerseys. If you want to come up with a new updated look, that’s fine. Just as long as they remember the classics. Sorry about that tangent.

A second Toronto team?  I’m not sure how I feel about that. I know there is probably more than enough support for it in hockey crazy Toronto. The Toronto Maple Leafs are not enough? What about all the other cities out there that don’t have one hockey team? I know I’m an Islander fan and speaking about too many teams in one market. If you were from the region, with all those people in the New York metro area, you would understand. Many Long Islanders never supported the Rangers, feeling a disconnect from “the city”. Remember the Rangers were not the first New York team either. An almost forgotten but very important New York Americans team was there before the “Broadway Blueshirts”. But that’s a story for another day. I might be behind a second Toronto franchise if there wouldn’t be too many teams in the Eastern Conference.

Think about it. In their most recent scenario of realignment they have sixteen teams already in there. This means there will need to be relocation of franchises to different markets and expansion teams to have it all come together. This also means tough decisions are on the horizon for the NHL. Adding a Quebec and a second Toronto team will mean eighteen squads. A possible relocation of Florida to Quebec, Seattle, or Kansas City seems to be inevitable. I know there hasn’t been any mention of that. Look at the hard facts. Florida has been struggling on and off the ice in a non traditional hockey market. The state of Florida does have a successful team with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Many of their tickets sales the Panthers do get is because they sell many of their tickets well below normal value. That area of Florida has also been a notoriously fickle sports market.

I’ve heard rumblings of putting Columbus back into the Western Conference, but that doesn’t make much sense after only a couple of years of being in the east. They face the same issues Detroit has been complaining about for years, and it’s a much more tenuous situation due to the Blue Jackets’ on ice struggles and lagging support because of the team’s lack of success. My thought, in trying to channel my inner “Karnak”(Johnny Carson reference), is that the Florida Panthers are much more likely to relocate to Seattle or Kansas City, or please no, Las Vegas. My theory, for whatever that may be worth, is that the NHL may feel if they place an already established team in one of these cities, rather than an expansion team, there is a better chance for on ice success early on, and a better chance for hockey to stick in that market. They could then swap Columbus and Tampa and go without a second Toronto team. They could then make a Quebec expansion team, because it’s Canada. An expansion team will do just fine there. Here is a possible Eastern Conference configuration in that scenario I just hypothesized.

“Atlantic” Division: NYI, NYR, NJD, PHI, PIT, WASH, TB, CAR

“Central” Division: DET, TOR, BOS, MTL, BUF, OTT, CBJ, QUE

This alignment seems to work out nicely. But as you can see, there isn’t any Florida or second Toronto team in there. The NHL’s big decision? What do do they want more? Detroit in the Eastern Conference or a second Toronto team?

Just a theory.