[retired_google]

Originally posted by Juni:
cue the Winnipeg shouts again...and again...and again

They should just move the Coyotes back there. :thup:

[retired_deljo]

Sabres 7-2 win in Nashville, Scott Nichol gets a 9 game suspension for this

also,

The NHL has been trying for weeks to tinker with its schedule configuration, but is now considering a significant overhaul of the face of the league that includes realignment and a reduction in the number of divisions from six to four.

Nothing is carved in stone at this point, but the NHL is floating an aggressive trial balloon to its governors for consideration. Earlier this week, six club executives, (a mix of governors, teams presidents and GMs), representing the six current divisions met in New York with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and brainstormed to produce a new-look alignment and schedule that they're taking back to other clubs in their respective divisions for feedback.

If there's enough support for it - 20 of the 30 governors would have to approve it - the changes that would take effect next season could be approved at a board meeting during the NHL All-Star Game festivities in Dallas in late January.

Sources tell TSN the proposal includes the following:

* A reduction in the number of divisions from six to four. There would still be an Eastern Conference and a Western Conference, but there would one eight-team division and one seven-team division in each conference.
* The top two teams in each division would be guaranteed the top four playoff seeds within the conference with four wild card playoff berths going to the teams with the next highest point totals.
* The four new divisions would be configured primarily along the lines of time zones. The theory is not only would this benefit teams in terms of travel, but could also boost TV ratings because game times in the same time zone would be more favorable.
* The current Northeast Division (Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Buffalo and Boston) would remain intact and add two other teams to form a seven-team division. Sources say Pittsburgh is one of those teams that would join the Northeast teams.
* The current Atlantic Division (the three New York area teams plus Philadelphia) would be melded together with four teams from the current Southeast Division (all but one of Washington, Carolina, Atlanta, Tampa Bay and Florida).
* The eight-team division in the Western Conference would feature all teams in Pacific or Mountain time zones (Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Jose, Colorado and Phoenix).
* The seven-team division in the Western Conference would feature teams that are in either the Central or Eastern time zones.
* As for the schedule, it is said to be a little more complicated than it currently is, because of the uneven number of teams in the divisions, but each team will apparently play its division rivals six times each and its conference rivals either three or four times each and non-conference teams once each.
* The discussion paper teams received today includes Columbus flipping conferences with the Atlanta Thrashers.
* Columbus would join the Penguins in the Northeast with Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Boston and Buffalo.
* Atlanta would leap over to West and take the Blue Jackets place among those in the Central.

The theory is there will be some reduction in travel because of the geographic alignment by time zone, but every team will see every team at least once over the course of the season.

It will be interesting to see what feedback is provided by the various clubs as the schedule has become a hot-button issue with many teams.

"We have not yet been approached by anyone associated with the league regarding switching divisions and conferences," Thrashers GM Don Waddell said in a statement. "Therefore, we'll defer to the league and will not comment until the appropriate time.

"I will say that our organization is pleased with the current situation and our alignment in the Eastern Conference."

So probably

West: Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Colorado, San Jose, Los Angeles, Anaheim, Phoenix

Central: Detroit, St.Louis, Chicago, Nashville, Minnesota, Dallas, Atlanta

North East: Columbus, Montreal, Buffalo, Ottawa, Toronto, Boston, Pittsburgh*

East: New Jersey, Islanders, Rangers, Washington, Philadelphia, Florida, Tampa Bay, Carolina

[retired_Pantora]

anybody else watch the oilers game other day when they went down 7-6, great entertainment

meanwhile in UK ice hockey time for the MK lightning verus the peterbough phantoms derby game at MK this week \0/

[retired_imnotiger]

Juni, I got a letter from NTL saying they've finally got a Setanta package starting February 1st, so you'll be able to get NASN 2.

[Shermanez]

Tied at 3 heading into the third, Flyers Vs Sens I was hopeful. Final score: Sens 6 - Flyers 3

Losing streak now a club record nine games. Dreadful :thdn:

[retired_imnotiger]

Don Cherry bitching about Rory Fitzpatrick perhaps getting to the all star game. He was busy saying people where laughing at him and they were making the all star game a joke (aye cause it's completely competitive and serious now).

[retired_google]

Originally posted by Juni:
<BLOCKQUOTE>
The NHL has been trying for weeks to tinker with its schedule configuration, but is now considering a significant overhaul of the face of the league that includes realignment and a reduction in the number of divisions from six to four.

Nothing is carved in stone at this point, but the NHL is floating an aggressive trial balloon to its governors for consideration. Earlier this week, six club executives, (a mix of governors, teams presidents and GMs), representing the six current divisions met in New York with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and brainstormed to produce a new-look alignment and schedule that they're taking back to other clubs in their respective divisions for feedback.

If there's enough support for it - 20 of the 30 governors would have to approve it - the changes that would take effect next season could be approved at a board meeting during the NHL All-Star Game festivities in Dallas in late January.

Sources tell TSN the proposal includes the following:

* A reduction in the number of divisions from six to four. There would still be an Eastern Conference and a Western Conference, but there would one eight-team division and one seven-team division in each conference.
* The top two teams in each division would be guaranteed the top four playoff seeds within the conference with four wild card playoff berths going to the teams with the next highest point totals.
* The four new divisions would be configured primarily along the lines of time zones. The theory is not only would this benefit teams in terms of travel, but could also boost TV ratings because game times in the same time zone would be more favorable.
* The current Northeast Division (Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Buffalo and Boston) would remain intact and add two other teams to form a seven-team division. Sources say Pittsburgh is one of those teams that would join the Northeast teams.
* The current Atlantic Division (the three New York area teams plus Philadelphia) would be melded together with four teams from the current Southeast Division (all but one of Washington, Carolina, Atlanta, Tampa Bay and Florida).
* The eight-team division in the Western Conference would feature all teams in Pacific or Mountain time zones (Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Jose, Colorado and Phoenix).
* The seven-team division in the Western Conference would feature teams that are in either the Central or Eastern time zones.
* As for the schedule, it is said to be a little more complicated than it currently is, because of the uneven number of teams in the divisions, but each team will apparently play its division rivals six times each and its conference rivals either three or four times each and non-conference teams once each.
* The discussion paper teams received today includes Columbus flipping conferences with the Atlanta Thrashers.
* Columbus would join the Penguins in the Northeast with Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Boston and Buffalo.
* Atlanta would leap over to West and take the Blue Jackets place among those in the Central.

The theory is there will be some reduction in travel because of the geographic alignment by time zone, but every team will see every team at least once over the course of the season.

It will be interesting to see what feedback is provided by the various clubs as the schedule has become a hot-button issue with many teams.

"We have not yet been approached by anyone associated with the league regarding switching divisions and conferences," Thrashers GM Don Waddell said in a statement. "Therefore, we'll defer to the league and will not comment until the appropriate time.

"I will say that our organization is pleased with the current situation and our alignment in the Eastern Conference."

</BLOCKQUOTE>

Bettman almost as useless as Blatter.