A summary of the NHL re-alignment plan:
Here's how it came about:
http://kings.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=657773
After several seasons of wonky travel schedules and unbalanced playoff seeding, the NHL is finally trying to fix its conferences and put the best possible product out there for fans. There have been a lot of plans for the new NHL Conferences floated out on the internet, but The Royal Half has obtained the latest concept put forth to a vote by the NHL Board of Governors and the NHLPA. Let's take a look!
BECAUSE OF GRETZKY CONFERENCE
It's no secret that Gary Bettman and the NHL Board of Governors want to grow the game of hockey in non-traditional markets across the United States. So what better way to honor the current non-traditional markets than by creating a NHL Conference comprised of those teams!
Many people think the Sun Belt area of the United States earned its nickname because of the lack of labor unions and the prospect of cheap labor that attracted manufacturers to the Southeast in significant numbers after World War II. But this actually isn't correct. No, in fact what we call the Sun Belt today came to be known through the sport of hockey.
-Rather it was because Wayne Gretzky refused to wear a belt on the beach.
Every team in this new conference has been affected one way or another by Wayne Gretzky. The Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators and Carolina Hurricanes wouldn't exist as NHL franchises had Wayne Gretzky not been traded to the Los Angeles in 1988. And both the Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues share the strongest Wayne Gretzky connection of all... they both were unable to win the Stanley Cup with the world's greatest player. Although the San Jose Sharks did try to make this claim as well.
THE DON CHERRY CONFERENCE
This is a no-brainer. For years Don Cherry has been lambasting the United States and its lack of Ontario-born citizens. (As well as other countries.) And when it comes to the sport of ice hockey, Don Cherry seems to prefer Canadian based ice hockey teams. So why not make him and the 100s of people that live in Canada happy... by creating an All-Canada Conference!
The best part of this All-Canada Conference is that we've included the Buffalo Sabres... mainly because they are as close as you can get to being Canadian without the funny accent. And just when our neighbors to the north get comfortable with the concept that at least one Canadian team will make the playoffs on a yearly basis... the Sabres will win this Conference and keep those pesky Canadian teams from winning the Stanley Cup... something the Toronto Maple Leafs have been doing successfully since 1967!
THE DETROIT CONFERENCE
Over a year and a half ago, Detroit Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch was given a promise by Gary Bettman that his franchise would be moving to the Eastern Conference in order to ease the travel pains on the team. Well, here we are in 2013 and Gary Bettman's promise has gone unfulfilled. Since Ilitch is one of the more powerful NHL Owners, the league wants to make sure Mike Ilitch is happy and will continue to support one of the NHL's most decorated franchises. So how does the NHL accomplish that? By moving the Red Wings into a Conference that guarantees playoff revenues each season!
With placing the Detroit Red Wings into a conference with the Columbus Blue Jackets the NHL has now solved one of its biggest realignment issues of the past 10 years. Both the Red Wings and Blue Jackets have complained about the travel involved as a part of the Western Conference... so lets make things easier for them and have their game schedule be based around the 1 hour 5 minute flight between both cities. This Detroit Conference really is a win-win for NHL Traditionalists. The Red Wings make the playoffs each year and the Blue Jackets don't. It's like the NHL hasn't changed a thing!
RELOCATION CONFERENCE
Let's face it... the NHL is not on the best ground when it comes to its franchises turning a profit. So instead of sweeping it under the table... let's embrace the failure of the NHL and its expansion!
I think we all know that Contraction is really the answer to what's plaguing the NHL right now. But instead of dealing with the issue of its teams losing money, the NHL will continue to bury its head in the sand and get fans excited about things like... realignment! The beauty of this new Relocation Conference is that the NHL won't have to worry about realigninment once each of the 5 teams in this conference re-locates... as soon as next year.
NHL ON NBC SPORTS CONFERENCE
To be honest, I was surprised when I found out that a conference comprised solely of teams that are featured on NBC Sports regularly didn't already exist!
Thankfully the NHL is fixing this problem and creating a TV Ratings Super Conference because as we all know, Americans only want to watch Chicago, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York (Rangers) and the Boston Bruins. This is great for fans in the Because Of Gretzky Conference, so they can see how all of their former players are doing!!!
