NHL Realignment Plan Approved By Union

NHL Realignment Plan Approved By Union

The approval of the NHL realignment proposal by the NHL Players’ Association will allow it to push through once the Board Governors votes in favor of the plan.

Under the plan, a four-division, two-conference set-up will replace the six-division, two-conference setup that is currently being used. The teams will be arranged according to their location. The NHL realignment was in response to complaints by teams from the Western Conference of heavy travel.

The plan will result to 14 teams in the Western Conference and 16 teams in the Eastern Conference.

Detroit and Columbus will be transferred to the Eastern Conference under the plan, which will reduce travelling among Western teams. The Eastern Conference will group together the Devils, the Islanders, the Rangers, Carolina, Columbus, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington.

The Northeast division will include Boston, Buffalo, Detroit, Montreal, Florida, Ottawa, Tampa Bay and Toronto.

The Central division in the Western Conference will include Colorado, Minnesota, Chicago, Nashville, Dallas, Winnipeg and St. Louis. The Pacific division will be comprised of Anaheim, Los Angeles, Edmonton, Calgary, San Jose, Phoenix and Vancouver.

The NHL realignment plan will allow adjustments if teams such as the Coyotes will move to Quebec City and Seattle from Phoenix.

Union executive director Donald Fehr indicated that the NHLPA has approved the plan and will be reevaluated after the 2014-2015 season. Expansions will be taking into consideration in the NHL realignment plan. Sixteen teams are currently included in the postseason of the league.

The plan may allow the three top teams of each division earning automatic playoff berths. The last two spots will be given to the best teams based on a wild card selection.

A plan that was proposed in December 2011 was blocked by the union since there was no consultation on the competition and travel issues. The union and the league discussed the latest NHL realignment plan for over a month before the plan was finally approved.

Posted by Andre Monohan on Friday March 08 2013, 10:43 AM EST. Ref: NY Times. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0