NHL 2011-12 Season

[SandraC]

Interesting realignment. I read that Bettman now has to bring this to the NHLPA to get their input. Not sure exactly what that means. Can they vote it down (assuming they would even want to vote it down)? Not sure.

Also not sure how much I like the first two playoff rounds being in your conference year after year after year. You will be playing the same teams in the first two rounds every year. This used to be the case, and teams got away from it.

I do like the fact that every team will now play a home and home with every other team. Sorry Lou Lamoriello, we have to do what's best for the fans.


Sandra

 

[salsadancer7]

I know I am out of my element in this thread, but it is nice to see the Florida Panthers do well for a change.

 

[SandraC]

I know I am out of my element in this thread, but it is nice to see the Florida Panthers do well for a change.

They have a good GM. Dale Tallon knows what he's doing.


Sandra

 

[BillD1984]

Nice win for the Bruins in Pittsburgh last night (IMO, they're the two best teams in the East, and quite possibly the entire NHL). Bruins are now 14-0-1 over their last 15 games.

 

[salsadancer7]

They have a good GM. Dale Tallon knows what he's doing.


Sandra

That is what I have read and heard. That would be great for the franchise and the city of Ft. Lauderdale.

 

[BillD1984]

There will still be 16 playoff teams under the new format, but with a significant twist. The top four teams from each conference will make the playoffs, but teams will stay within their own conference.

Example:
Hypothetical Conference "B" Final Standings
1. Detroit
2. Chicago
3. Minnesota
4. St. Louis
5. Winnipeg
6. Columbus
7. Nashville

#1 Detroit would play #4 St. Louis and #2 Chicago would play #3 Minnesota in the first round. The winners of those series would meet for the "conference championship" That winner would then play the winner of "Conference A" for the right to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals vs. the winner of "Conference C" vs. "Conference D"

Not so fast.........WEEI Boston is reporting that the NHL BOG is considering going to a "re-seed" for the NHL Final Four.

So hypothetically, you could have a Bruins-Canucks, Rangers- Blackhawks or Penguins-Red Wings semifinal. You could also have a Bruins-Rangers, Penguins-Canadiens or Red Wings-Sharks STANLEY CUP FINAL.

 

[SandraC]

Not so fast.........WEEI Boston is reporting that the NHL BOG is considering going to a "re-seed" for the NHL Final Four.

So hypothetically, you could have a Bruins-Canucks, Rangers- Blackhawks or Penguins-Red Wings semifinal. You could also have a Bruins-Rangers, Penguins-Canadiens or Red Wings-Sharks STANLEY CUP FINAL.

True. This has not been decided yet.

Interesting, I heard an interview with Bettman last month. He was asked about the home team wearing their 'colors' at home, after spending so many years wearing their whites at home.

He said the board of governors is split almost exactly 50-50 on this, and never comes to an agreement!


Sandra

 

[BillD1984]

True. This has not been decided yet.

Interesting, I heard an interview with Bettman last month. He was asked about the home team wearing their 'colors' at home, after spending so many years wearing their whites at home.

He said the board of governors is split almost exactly 50-50 on this, and never comes to an agreement!


Sandra

To this day I get confused where the Bruins are when I see them wearing their black unis.

I grew up in the era when NHL teams wore white (or gold if you're the LA Kings) at home.

 

[BillD1984]

On National TV tonight:

Detroit at St. Louis-7:30pm ET on Versus

 

[SandraC]

To this day I get confused where the Bruins are when I see them wearing their black unis.

I grew up in the era when NHL teams wore white (or gold if you're the LA Kings) at home.

Yeah, me too, Bill. Since the lockout I have to think every time I turn on a game...and I turn on a lot of games!

I know the old guys like cosmo grew up with the home team wearing their colors (and no forward passing allowed), but I'm used to white at home!

I kid, cosmo, I kid.


Sandra

 

[Mr Tony]

I like the fact that you play everyone at home at least once. It will be nice to go to a game to see a marquee name or team from the East more than once every couple years

 

[SandraC]

Update...Bill Daly does not think the NHLPA will have any issues with the realignment. Re-seeding in the semifinals will be discussed at the next board of governors meeting in March, so we won't know anything about that until at least then.

After taking 24 hours to digest this, while I like all the intra-conference (and remember there will be FOUR conferences) games, and I REALLY like the fact that you play EVERY team twice a year, the realization comes that some intra-conference rivalries will be taking a back seat.

For example the New York Rangers will now play teams like the Canadians and Bruins twice a year...the amount of times they'll play the San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks.

Same for Red Wings-Avalanche, Calgary-Winnipeg, Kings-Stars, and all current conference matchups where the teams will wind up in different conferences.

Oh well, guess you can't have everything.


Sandra

 

[BillD1984]

On national TV tonght:

Phildelphia at Buffalo- 7:30pm on Versus

 

[Mr Tony]

After taking 24 hours to digest this, while I like all the intra-conference (and remember there will be FOUR conferences) games, and I REALLY like the fact that you play EVERY team twice a year, the realization comes that some intra-conference rivalries will be taking a back seat.

while that part may not be good in some folks minds I'd rather see Toronto/Montreal/Rangers/Boston etc (teams from the east) come to the Xcel Energy Center instead of seeing Edmonton, Vancouver etc 16 times a year (OK maybe that overboard but it seems like some weeks we see the same teams twice or even 3 times in a week). Old way was bad because some years you played a team once and it was on the road

 

[Jimbo]

Update...Bill Daly does not think the NHLPA will have any issues with the realignment. Re-seeding in the semifinals will be discussed at the next board of governors meeting in March, so we won't know anything about that until at least then.

After taking 24 hours to digest this, while I like all the intra-conference (and remember there will be FOUR conferences) games, and I REALLY like the fact that you play EVERY team twice a year, the realization comes that some intra-conference rivalries will be taking a back seat.

For example the New York Rangers will now play teams like the Canadians and Bruins twice a year...the amount of times they'll play the San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks.

Same for Red Wings-Avalanche, Calgary-Winnipeg, Kings-Stars, and all current conference matchups where the teams will wind up in different conferences.

Oh well, guess you can't have everything.


Sandra

So they've managed to take Rivalries out of the game .....

Way to go guy's, Mr. Bettman, are you related to Mr. Selig ?

 

[JAG72]

So they've managed to take Rivalries out of the game .....

Way to go guy's, Mr. Bettman, are you related to Mr. Selig ?

They didn't take them out of the game. They will still get to play twice a year and possibly more depending if they make it deep into the playoffs.

 

[JAG72]

After taking 24 hours to digest this, while I like all the intra-conference (and remember there will be FOUR conferences) games, and I REALLY like the fact that you play EVERY team twice a year, the realization comes that some intra-conference rivalries will be taking a back seat.

I like the move but then again I brought up the idea of playing everybody twice early in this thread.

 

[SandraC]

So they've managed to take Rivalries out of the game .....

Way to go guy's, Mr. Bettman, are you related to Mr. Selig ?

I don't get what you're saying here, Jimbo???

They are not taking rivalries out of the game...they're increasing the rivalries between the 7-8 teams in your conference. The fact that the first two rounds of the playoffs will ALWAYS be within your conference will ratchet up up the rivalries even higher.

And while it's always convenient to blame the commissioner for everything, whether you love the new alignment or hate it, the truth is that this has NOTHING to do with Bettman. This is COMPLETELY controlled and voted on by the board of governors...one member from each team. Bettman is a bystander here.

And you're blaming Selig for there being no rivalries in baseball when the Yankees play the Red Sox 19 times a year?


Sandra

 

[BillD1984]

On national TV tonight:

Pittsburgh at Philadelphia- 7:00pm ET on NHLN

 

[cybok0]

On national TV tonight:

Pittsburgh at Philadelphia- 7:00pm ET on NHLN

Sid out the next two games