With the addition of the 32nd team, the Seattle Kraken, entering the league in the 2021-22 season, the NHL will finally have balanced divisions with eight teams in each division. The Seattle Kraken will join the Pacific Division and the Arizona Coyotes will move to the Central Division. However, with an even 32 teams in the league, the NHL should try to get creative and look towards a new division format to help the league in several ways. Here is my proposed NHL Division Realignment:
Eastern Conference
Metropolitan Division: Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers
Atlantic Division: Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs
Great Lakes Division: Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins
Southeast Division: Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals
Western Conference
Central Division: Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, Winnipeg Jets
Southwest Division: Arizona Coyotes, Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators, St.Louis Blues
Northwest Division: Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Seattle Kraken, Vancouver Canucks
Pacific Division: Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights
Each team will play division opponents six times
Each team will play conference opponents four times
Each team will play opposing conference two times
Top eight teams in each conference make the playoffs and seeding is based on position ( 1vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, 4 vs 5)
Currently, the NHL has four divisions with eight teams in each division (once Kraken joins the league). However, increasing the number of divisions would help the NHL in growth and revenue. These new proposed divisions highlight rivalries by grouping them together. As rival teams play six times a season as opposed to 4-5 times, the games would be more intense and draw in more fans. Additionally, grouping teams based on locations/rivalries would help the teams save money with the cost of traveling due to closer locations. Altogether, this realignment would be a win-win for the NHL and fans by bringing in more attention with intense games and saving teams money, which is beneficial to the growth of the NHL.
For the previous playoff scenario post, on average, each year about 6 West teams, 4 Central teams, and 6 East teams will qualify for the playoffs. Place the Central teams as needed to fill in the remaining slots by best balancing the overall record strengths of each bracket.
What about the playoffs? Find top 16 teams in entire NHL. Use West Conf. & East Conf. brackets – 8 teams each. West Conf. teams can only enter West Conf. bracket., and East Conf. teams can only enter East Conf. bracket. But, Central Conf. teams may enter either West or East bracket(s), based on best way to balance overall strengths of each bracket. Stronger Central teams would tend to enter the weaker bracket, while weaker Central teams would tend to enter the stronger bracket, any amount of these teams to fill up the remaining 8 teams in each bracket. The usage of the Central teams is justified by their balanced East/West/Central season scheduling.
What about team scheduling? All 12 Western Conf. & all 12 Eastern Conf. teams – play 3 teams in own div. 4x each = 12 games, play 6 of 8 other teams in own conference 3x each = 18 games, play 2 of 8 remaining teams in own conf. 4x each = 8 games (rotate yearly or match up same seeded teams in other 2 divs from last year), play 4 of 8 teams in Central Conf. 3x each = 12 games, and play 4 of 8 remaining teams in Central Conf. 2x each = 8 games (rotate yearly), and play all 12 teams in opposite Conf. 2x each = 24 games. Grand total = 82 games. All 8 Central Conf. teams – play 3 teams in own div. 4x each = 12 games, play 14 of 28 other East/West/Central teams outside own div. 3x each = 42 games, and play 14 of 28 remaining East/West/Central teams outside own div. 2x each = 28 games (rotate yearly)(use balanced east/west scheduling for all Central conf. teams). Grand total = 82 games.
How about this? WESTERN CONF. (12 teams): Northwest Div.: Edm., Cgy., Van., Sea. Pacific Div.: SJS, LAK, Ana., VGK Frontier Div.: Wpg., Min., Col., Uta. CENTRAL CONF. (8 teams): Northern Div.: StL., Chi., Det., CBJ Southern Div.: Dal., Nsh., TBL, Fla. EASTERN CONF. (12 teams): Northeast Div.: Tor., Ott., Mtl., Bos. Metropolitan Div.: NYR, NYI, NJD, Buf. Atlantic Div.: Pit., Phi., Wsh., Car.
Just one comment about the division realignment. Geographically speaking wouldn’t it make more sense for the Sabres (being literally on 1-2 of the great lakes) to be in that division as opposed to the Flyers? Especially considering the Flyers are much more alike to the “Metropolitan” division both literally and culturally? I understand the wish to get a battle of PA rivalry going but likeeee
Correct me if I’m wrong, but that means every team has 96 Games in the Regular Season. That’s way to much.
Correct me if Im Wrong, but that means there will be 96 games in the Regular Season. That’s way to much.
Funny I thought the same thing as you and almost the exact same map. I just have a few differences on the map and a proposed change to playoffs.
So I would move kraken to pacific. Moving Vegas to south west and preds to central and jets to north.
This give an all Canadian division, an all pacific coast division a central where those teams can keep their rivalries and a relocation and new team division.
For the east I’d swap caps and jackets.
Keeps the caps pens flyers wings rivalries together then makes an expansion division…
So with this and to grow the game …
winner of each division gets in.
Next 2 highest in total points non division winners get in.
Next 4 highest go to a 3 game play in series, 7 vs 10 and 8 vs 9.
This means you guarantee playoffs for some regions where hockey is new to their market.
All 20 teams that make playin and playoffs are out of the draft lottery.
We need to grow the amount of teams that can get in.
In 1990 their was 21 teams and 16 teams made the playoffs.. now 16 teams won’t get there.
Also I’d keep your regular season matchup format.
What do you think about my changes ?
Hey Jammy DL,
I really like the changes you proposed. I considered all of these possibilities while making my list. I especially like the idea of having an all-Canadian division, that had a ton of excitement last year. There are a ton of different division combinations we could make.
I also really like the idea of the play in series, which was a ton of fun to watch in the 2020 bubble.
Appreciate your comment!
