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What would the other 3 divisions look like next year if there was a Canadian division?

Oct. 15, 2020 at 1:11 p.m.
#1
Hockey IQ
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The idea of a Canadian division next season had been kicked around by many and I feel it's a legitimate possibility because I doubt the Canadian government will allow the border to be open for a good while.

The proposed Canadian division would include the 7 Canadian teams: VAN, EDM, CGY, WPG, TOR, OTT, and MTL.
Not a boring team in the bunch, if you ask me. How would the other 3 divisions be aligned?

Another thought: Which conference would that Canadian division reside in?
For the playoffs, which division would they be fighting for the wild card spots?

There is alot to be worked out by the NHL before next season for sure.

What do you think about all of the above? How do you see the divisions shaking out?
Oct. 15, 2020 at 1:13 p.m.
#2
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Oct. 15, 2020 at 1:14 p.m.
#3
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It wont work once seattle comes in and makes it an even 8 in every division
Oct. 15, 2020 at 1:22 p.m.
#4
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Quoting: Ragsandbluesfan
It wont work once seattle comes in and makes it an even 8 in every division


I agree but maybe just a next season thing? unless the NHL wants to move a team to Quebec or something?
Oct. 15, 2020 at 1:23 p.m.
#5
LafreneiretoKravtsov
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Edited Oct. 15, 2020 at 6:02 p.m.
5 divisions.
3 playoff qualifiers from each division. All teams realigned for playoffs, 1 thru 16.
1 wild card team

West: 6
SJ
VGK
LA
Ducks
Yotes
Avs

South East: 6
TB
Florida
Carolina
Nashville
Dallas
St. Louis

North East: 6
Sabres
Rangers
Islanders
Flyers
Boston
Devils

Central: 6
Detroit
Minnesota
Columbus
Pittsburgh
Washington
Chicago
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Oct. 15, 2020 at 1:26 p.m.
#6
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Quoting: Josh
5 divisions.
3 playoff qualifiers from each division. All teams realigned for playoffs, 1 thru 16.
1 wild card team

West: 6
SJ
VGK
LA
Ducks
Yotes
Avs

South East: 6
TB
Florida
Carolina
Nashville
Dallas
St. Louis

North East: 6
Sabres
Rangers
Islanders
Flyers
Boston
Flyers

Central: 6
Detroit
Minnesota
Columbus
Pittsburgh
Washington
Chicago


wow interesting thought for sure. like it for PIT we'd beat up on that division in theory although MIN, CBJ and WSH would be tough opponents.

note: you put philly twice in the north east...I think you mean New Jersey there...

also how stacked would that south east division be???
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Oct. 15, 2020 at 1:28 p.m.
#7
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Just a thought, but if the border is closed let's scratch the table as we know it for the next year and make it a tad different with two different kind of conferences - The Northern conference and The Southern conference.

The Northern Conference would include all Canadian teams plus MIN, CHI, DET, BUF, NYR, NYI, NJ and BOS. The northern conference would be cut into two divisions: Canadian Division and the Northwest Division which involves all the mentioned teams that reside in US.

The Southern Conference would be cut into Southeast and Southwest conferences: southeast division would include FLA, TB, NSH, CAR, CBJ, PIT, PHI and WSH and the southwest division would include SJ, LA, VGK, ANA, ARI, COL, DAL and STL.

Basically this would last only one year and it'd cut the travelling issues since there's no crossing borders and the teams playing each other are probably as close as geographically possible...
Oct. 15, 2020 at 1:28 p.m.
#8
What in tarnation
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Quoting: Josh
5 divisions.
3 playoff qualifiers from each division. All teams realigned for playoffs, 1 thru 16.
1 wild card team

West: 6
SJ
VGK
LA
Ducks
Yotes
Avs

South East: 6
TB
Florida
Carolina
Nashville
Dallas
St. Louis

North East: 6
Sabres
Rangers
Islanders
Flyers
Boston
Flyers

Central: 6
Detroit
Minnesota
Columbus
Pittsburgh
Washington
Chicago


I dig this as well.
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Oct. 15, 2020 at 1:30 p.m.
#9
v5 CBJ GM
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no clue tbh
Oct. 15, 2020 at 1:34 p.m.
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Quoting: justaBoss
Just a thought, but if the border is closed let's scratch the table as we know it for the next year and make it a tad different with two different kind of conferences - The Northern conference and The Southern conference.

The Northern Conference would include all Canadian teams plus MIN, CHI, DET, BUF, NYR, NYI, NJ and BOS. The northern conference would be cut into two divisions: Canadian Division and the Northwest Division which involves all the mentioned teams that reside in US.

The Southern Conference would be cut into Southeast and Southwest conferences: southeast division would include FLA, TB, NSH, CAR, CBJ, PIT, PHI and WSH and the southwest division would include SJ, LA, VGK, ANA, ARI, COL, DAL and STL.

Basically this would last only one year and it'd cut the travelling issues since there's no crossing borders and the teams playing each other are probably as close as geographically possible...


@Josh

thanks for the ideas guys. I agree that cutting down traveling will be a high priority.
I also think they will want to keep certain "rivalries" or the "big" teams together if you know what I mean. like putting aside the Canadian rivalries which would be great ratings in CAN, things like PIT-PHI would prob be kept together. the competitive balance would have to be maintained.
I seriously wonder if they would do 24 team playoffs again just bc it will be another shortened crazy year and they need revenue.
Oct. 15, 2020 at 1:46 p.m.
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From what i've seen on the net it could look like :

Canadian :
Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Montreal, Winnipeg

Pacific/Central
San Jose, Anaheim, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Dallas, Colorado, Arizona, Las Vegas

Atlantic/Central
Boston, Tampa Bay, Buffalo, Florida, Detroit, Chicago, Nashville, St-Louis

Metropolitain
New York, New York, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Columbus, Washington, Carolina

Playoff rules doesn't change, except if they go for a 24 teams in playoff because of the short season.
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Oct. 15, 2020 at 1:49 p.m.
#12
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Quoting: Pens3lieve
@Josh

thanks for the ideas guys. I agree that cutting down traveling will be a high priority.
I also think they will want to keep certain "rivalries" or the "big" teams together if you know what I mean. like putting aside the Canadian rivalries which would be great ratings in CAN, things like PIT-PHI would prob be kept together. the competitive balance would have to be maintained.
I seriously wonder if they would do 24 team playoffs again just bc it will be another shortened crazy year and they need revenue.


Think it'll depend on two things.
1) how long regular season they're planning
2) when they actually are able to start playing

If they start in January, they could roll a 60 game regular season and normal playoffs, but if the season stars as late as February, then I don't see them rolling with that big regular season and just probably go with the 24 team playoff system again. At the end of the day it's a faster way to bring the season to a close.
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Oct. 15, 2020 at 2:03 p.m.
#13
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In terms of geographically where the closest teams are, the divisions would probably be:

Canadian
1. EDM
2. TOR
3. VAN
4. CGY
5. WPG
6. MTL
7. OTT

East
1. BOS
2. WSH
3. PHI
4. PIT
5. NYI
6. NYR
7. BUF
8. NJD

Central
1. TBL
2. CAR
3. CBJ
4. FLA
5. NSH
6. MIN
7. CHI
8. DET

Pacific
1. STL
2. COL
3. VGK
4. DAL
5. ARI
6. ANA
7. LAK
8. SJS

(The numbers are just the order of points percentage from this past year)
Oct. 15, 2020 at 2:15 p.m.
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I can't see a Canadian division due to the time zones, would be all for a reallignment of the divisions
Oct. 15, 2020 at 2:49 p.m.
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Quoting: Kotkaniemi15
In terms of geographically where the closest teams are, the divisions would probably be:

Canadian
1. EDM
2. TOR
3. VAN
4. CGY
5. WPG
6. MTL
7. OTT

East
1. BOS
2. WSH
3. PHI
4. PIT
5. NYI
6. NYR
7. BUF
8. NJD

Central
1. TBL
2. CAR
3. CBJ
4. FLA
5. NSH
6. MIN
7. CHI
8. DET

Pacific
1. STL
2. COL
3. VGK
4. DAL
5. ARI
6. ANA
7. LAK
8. SJS

(The numbers are just the order of points percentage from this past year)


the east would be brutal.
the central not so much
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Oct. 15, 2020 at 3:07 p.m.
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Probably an east central and west division
Oct. 15, 2020 at 5:37 p.m.
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I've thought they should go like the NFL and do 8 x 4 team divisions.

CGY, EDM, VAN, WIN
3 Cali teams. SEA
AZ, COL, DAL, LV
MN, CHI, STL, DET

TB, FLA, NSH, CAR
NYI, NYR, BOS, NJD
OTT, TOR, MTL, BUF (basically all Canada)
WSH, CBJ, PIT, PHI

4 Div winners + next 4 best records are the Playoff teams for East/West. Or 4 Div winners get a bye week, and there is the best of 3 (best of 5 takes too long) game Playin for the other 4 spots per Conference. It would be chaos (fun) that first week.

A 7 team all Canada Division is too much long travel and puts them at a disadvantage compared to a tightly packed location Division.
Oct. 16, 2020 at 12:53 a.m.
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this whole situation is just Fudgery.

Can you imagine the draft next year with no games from the CHL and the euro leagues stopping play.

I don't even think they can make this work currently Not after the VGK owners remarks.
He basically laid down the law, I think it's a clue to the TV networks. If you want hockey, pay up.
Because they can't afford to run a league.
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Oct. 16, 2020 at 1:04 a.m.
#19
NoWah49
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The NHL has to move on the fly considering what border regulations are at the time. Plus, the only Canadien team that's actually guaranteed to probably be bad are the Sens. It's just not fair for Canadien teams to face teams like Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton, etc. while in another division a team like the Bruins are constantly facing teams like Buffalo, Detroit, New Jersey, etc. There's already an uproar concerning the current playoff format, just imagine what it will be with this
Oct. 16, 2020 at 1:38 a.m.
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Quoting: pharrow
this whole situation is just Fudgery.

Can you imagine the draft next year with no games from the CHL and the euro leagues stopping play.

I don't even think they can make this work currently Not after the VGK owners remarks.
He basically laid down the law, I think it's a clue to the TV networks. If you want hockey, pay up.
Because they can't afford to run a league.


Viewership is down across all sports for last year, even with people staying home more. All the tv contracts are ready under contract (as far as I know). There is no reason for the networks to negotiate a higher paying deal.

The later the season start gets pushed back the less reason there is for the US networks to care much about hockey. MLB has spring training games in Feb, The NFL is in the Playoffs in Jan with Superbowl is in Feb. NASCAR starts in Feb. The Olympics are supposed to be this Summer. The NBA is trying to start around x-mas. MLS is planning to start in Feb. Filling the scheduled NHL time-blocks won't be too difficult for local or national stations.
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Oct. 16, 2020 at 1:52 a.m.
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Quoting: NoWah49
The NHL has to move on the fly considering what border regulations are at the time. Plus, the only Canadien team that's actually guaranteed to probably be bad are the Sens. It's just not fair for Canadien teams to face teams like Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton, etc. while in another division a team like the Bruins are constantly facing teams like Buffalo, Detroit, New Jersey, etc. There's already an uproar concerning the current playoff format, just imagine what it will be with this


The Central Division has dealt with that most every season since it was created. They've had 4 total teams with a sub .500 points total for the season in the 6 years these Divisions have been around, and only one of those four was a bottom-5 team (16-17 Avs).
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Oct. 16, 2020 at 2:48 a.m.
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Quoting: wabit
The Central Division has dealt with that most every season since it was created. They've had 4 total teams with a sub .500 points total for the season in the 6 years these Divisions have been around, and only one of those four was a bottom-5 team (16-17 Avs).


yes good point, meaning that is bad and we shouldn't have that lol.
Oct. 16, 2020 at 4:00 a.m.
#23
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Quoting: NoWah49
yes good point, meaning that is bad and we shouldn't have that lol.


Why? it's good hockey most every night, and really Canada doesn't have a powerhouse hockey team. It's not like we're talking about the BOS, TB, WSH, VGK, COL, STL, and PHI (all finished 1st, or 2nd last year) in the same Division.

The league standings from last year had the Canada teams:
-p%: 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 24, and 30.
-total points: 9, 12, 15, 17, 20, 24, 30.
-6 (3 in the Pacific and 3 in the Atlantic) of these 7 teams played in weak Divisions (3 teams sub .500).
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Oct. 16, 2020 at 6:11 a.m.
#24
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Quoting: wabit
Viewership is down across all sports for last year, even with people staying home more. All the tv contracts are ready under contract (as far as I know). There is no reason for the networks to negotiate a higher paying deal.

The later the season start gets pushed back the less reason there is for the US networks to care much about hockey. MLB has spring training games in Feb, The NFL is in the Playoffs in Jan with Superbowl is in Feb. NASCAR starts in Feb. The Olympics are supposed to be this Summer. The NBA is trying to start around x-mas. MLS is planning to start in Feb. Filling the scheduled NHL time-blocks won't be too difficult for local or national stations.


It doesn't matter if the contract is already signed. If they want games they are probably going to have to pay more. That is the basic message out of VGK owner.
You can try to justify it to yourself all day. But if you read between the lines of what he said, that's basically it.
He directly mentioned the TV deal as not cutting it for them to operate with no gate. Period.
I don't know why you are trying to argue it. He directly laid the issues out. None of this other stuff you went on a tangent about has anything to do with it.
The cost of operating a league, on their current TV deals isn't sustainable.
None of the owners want to take a loss.

On top of it, they have no idea how to actually do this with the border closed and not being able to bubble all 31 teams in any kind of reasonable way that anyone could agree too.

So keep going on about all of nothing there. But all these things are true.
Furthermore, the point on the draft still stands. If the prospects don't get to play, and they closed the Q after like 4 games. That's a massive blow to the league. Drafting without seeing these guys play the year before their draft is huge. So many guys move up draft boards in their -1 year. That's gone. The draft is gonna be a total mess.
No year to see them play. No combine again. That's just not sustainable year after year.
Oct. 16, 2020 at 4:47 p.m.
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Quoting: pharrow
It doesn't matter if the contract is already signed. If they want games they are probably going to have to pay more. That is the basic message out of VGK owner.
You can try to justify it to yourself all day. But if you read between the lines of what he said, that's basically it.
He directly mentioned the TV deal as not cutting it for them to operate with no gate. Period.
I don't know why you are trying to argue it. He directly laid the issues out. None of this other stuff you went on a tangent about has anything to do with it.
The cost of operating a league, on their current TV deals isn't sustainable.
None of the owners want to take a loss.

On top of it, they have no idea how to actually do this with the border closed and not being able to bubble all 31 teams in any kind of reasonable way that anyone could agree too.

So keep going on about all of nothing there. But all these things are true.
Furthermore, the point on the draft still stands. If the prospects don't get to play, and they closed the Q after like 4 games. That's a massive blow to the league. Drafting without seeing these guys play the year before their draft is huge. So many guys move up draft boards in their -1 year. That's gone. The draft is gonna be a total mess.
No year to see them play. No combine again. That's just not sustainable year after year.


The VGK owner is looking at the next tv contract, not the current one that expires at the end of the 20-21 season. Those talks will come after the NFL figures out their new deals. If NBC gets outbid for the next NHL contract to ESPN, Fox, or whoever; then what real cause do they have to pay more for a product that's leaving them anyways? The MLB just played a 60 game season without fans; NASCAR went without fans for most of their season, NFL has some fans in the but not anywhere near capacity. The NHL will do the same. The players and owners both take a hit. I'm not worried about the owners, they all just pocketed a chuck of cash from Vegas and are getting another one for Seattle. That money was exempt from the players 50/50 profit share also.

So what if the draft is a little more guesswork this year? Most teams will just go with the safer picks in the first couple of rounds and take their swings in the later rounds. The NHL could also extend the draft a couple of rounds with compensation picks if they wanted. Or worst case someone slips through the cracks and signs as a FA somewhere or goes back into the draft pool the next year. If anything it could make the TDL much more interesting with some teams punting on this year's draft and others stocking up to have as many chances as they can at getting a steal.
 
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