Thursday, 03.07.2013 / 6:48 PM / News
By Dan Rosen - NHL.com Senior Writer
Comment
PrintThe National Hockey League will present its proposed realignment plan to the Board of Governors after receiving consent from the National Hockey League Players' Association on Thursday. If approved, the League's new realignment plan will go into effect starting with the 2013-14 season.
"The NHL Players' Association confirmed to us today that it has consented to a revised Plan for Realignment, effective for the 2013-14 season," NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement. "Our next step will be to bring the proposed Plan for Realignment to the NHL Board of Governors for its consideration. We will update the status of the process as future developments warrant."
The NHL worked in conjunction with the NHLPA to formulate this realignment plan.
"After discussions with the Executive Board, the NHLPA has given consent to realignment, to be re-evaluated following the 2014-15 season," NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr said in a statement.
Daly confirmed to NHL.com on Thursday that in the NHL's proposed plan the League will be broken into a two-conference, four-division set up with 16 teams in the Eastern Conference and 14 teams in the Western Conference. The Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets would move to the Eastern Conference and the Winnipeg Jets would move to the Western Conference.
Daly also confirmed that the Stanley Cup Playoffs reportedly will still consist of 16 teams, eight in each conference, but the League is proposing a wild-card system in which the top three teams in each division make the playoffs and the remaining spots are filled by the two teams in each conference with the next most points.
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NHLPA approves NHL realignment proposal
Mike Brehm, USA TODAY Sports7:53p.m. EST March 7, 2013
(Photo: Kathy Willens, AP)
Story Highlights
- League would go from six divisions to four and Detroit and Columbus would move east
- Realignment for this season fell apart because union didn't sign off
- Next step is to bring the plan to the NHL board of governors
The NHL's first major realignment since 1998-99 took one step closer to reality when the NHL Players' Association gave its blessing.
That is key because 14 months ago, a slightly different realignment setup fell through when the union didn't sign off by the league's deadline.
As with the old plan, the league will go from the current six-division alignment to four and the Winnipeg Jets would move to the Western Conference. The difference this time is that the Detroit Red Wings and the Columbus Blue Jackets would move to the Eastern Conference.
"Our next step will be to bring the proposed plan for realignment to the NHL board of governors for its consideration," deputy commissioner Bill Daly said. "We will update the status of the process as future developments warrant."
Realignment became necessary when the Atlanta Thrashers moved to Winnipeg in 2011. The Jets have been playing in the Southeast Division this season and last.
How the new plan would work:
Eastern Conference
Central
Detroit Red Wings,
Boston Bruins,
Buffalo Sabres,
Montreal Canadiens,
Toronto Maple Leafs,
Florida Panthers,
Tampa Bay Lightning
Ottawa Senators
Atlantic
Columbus Blue Jackets,
Carolina Hurricanes,
Washington Capitals,
Pittsburgh Penguins,
New Jersey Devils,
Philadelphia Flyers,
New York Rangers,
New York Islanders
Western Conference
Midwest
Winnipeg Jets,
Chicago Blackhawks,
Colorado Avalanche,
Dallas Stars,
Minnesota Wild,
Nashville Predators
St. Louis Blues in the Midwest.
Pacific
Anaheim Ducks,
Los Angeles Kings,
Phoenix Coyotes,
San Jose Sharks,
Calgary Flames,
Edmonton Oilers,
Vancouver Canucks
Under the playoff format, the top three teams from each division would make the playoffs. So would the next best two teams from each conference. Under the rejected format, the top four teams from each division made the playoffs.
Even with the new format, there is an uneven chance of making the playoffs because the Eastern Conference has 16 teams and the West has 14. That was a concern of the NHLPA in 2012.
But NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr said that the new alignment would be re-examined after the 2014-15 season, giving everyone two seasons to see how it works.
The move of the Red Wings and Blue Jackets is a selling point to those teams because they had some of the worst travel and road TV times as the lone Eastern Time Zone teams in the Western Conference. The Red Wings can also renew their rivalry with Original Six teams Montreal, Toronto and Boston, though they would play the Chicago Blackhawks fewer times.
The Stars also benefit because they move into a division with other Central Time teams.
