After lengthy contract talks and the threat of a holdout, Wavesinair buckled under the pressure and gave the keeper of the Juraj Mikus jersey ADMIN POWERS! (Actually, he asked and I said yes, but that’s not dramatic). I started to type this on the Insider and thought this would make a nice first post here at DITK. I’m not leaving the Insider by any stretch, but Waves was kind enough to give me an opportunity to try my hand at blogging, so here goes…Next Stop, NHL REALIGNMENT:
The crux for me: The benefit of less travel for the Kings (and other Pacific teams) is an obvious plus, but this just seems to me like an excuse to expand the league to 32 teams and make a plausible excuse for it. 2 conferences with 7 teams and 2 with 8, each conference vies for 4 spots gives the 7 team conferences the edge in making the playoffs each year over the 8 team conferences. How easy will it be for Gary Bettman to bend over like the Coppertone girl with his hand over his mouth and say ‘Oops! That’s not fair, so we’ll add 2 teams to make each conference equal’.
Really…..it’s the first thing I thought of after reading the plan.
Think about it: Bettman has Jim Balsille just chomping at the bit to have an NHL team. Quebec City wants one too. Both happen to be on the east coast and which 2 divisions had 7 teams in the proposal? The NorthEast (Boston, Buffalo, Florida, Montreal, Ottawa, Tampa Bay and Toronto.) and The Atlantic (Carolina, New Jersey, the New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington).
Wow. Just put Quebec City in the Atlantic and Hamilton in the NorthEast. 32 teams. Can you see why 26 of 30 owners really wanted this realignment? (cough-cough revenue sharing cough). The Pacific teams really make out. Less travel = cost savings + extra revenue. Now don’t ask me to go all Quisp here, I’m being pretty layman about the thought but it just opens the eyes to the real agenda the NHL seems to have. I have the rogue thought that since Bettman took the job as commish, the goal has always been 32 teams. It’s worked pretty well for the NFL and I believe revenues did increase pretty nicely for owners after the NFL expanded to 32 teams back in 2002 when the Texans came in.
Extra games = Extra revenue.
Bettman can’t get anyone to buy the Yotes but they’re going to ratify an uneven realignment that just BEGS for 2 teams to be ADDED?!?!? Can anyone else see this? Makes me believe the NHL is doing pretty well for itself owning one of it’s teams for 2 years while plotting a bold realignment like this.
I’m all for realignment but I kind of enjoy all the potential disaster matchups you get in the current playoff system. The new system would eliminate 1/2 of the potential teams you could play in a 1st & 2nd round playoff matchup. Top 4 in each conference would make the dance and they are interseeded to play each other the first 2 rounds. The Kings wouldn’t see Detroit, Chicago or even Nashville potentially until the 3rd round. (Hell, maybe that’s a PLUS!) The playoffs would most likely be a little more predictable.
It’ll be interesting to see what the NHLPA has to say….
Nice post Cynic, I didn’t look at it that way. With that being said, I think that would be a horrible decision by Bettman. The league already has trouble drawing fans in Dallas, Phoenix, and Anaslime (unless they’re playing the Kings). They probably have trouble drawing in Florida and Tampa too, but I haven’t seen the Kings play there yet this year so that’s just a guess.
What you’re saying makes alot of sense in that it will probably happen because it seems as though Bettman has been trying to keep the team in Phoenix. Needless to say it’s alot easier to put an expansion team in Canada as opposed to the US.
Uh oh, I’ve created a monster!
Seriously though, awesome job Cynic. Thanks for taking me up and very glad to have you as the first blogger, other than myself, to post on DITK! At least (in fact the lowest of lows) you will always hold that honor. Congrats!
I hope this page dont have Awaiting thingy on my name :/
Nice post..
like the coppertone line…
this is one of those deals that has to be lived through for a few seasons before anyone really knows that if they got hosed or not…unless yr detroit, columbus or dallas…
however, i really don’t like uneven conferences…it’s hard for me to ever believe that under this proposed new alignment yr not gonna have teams in the west upset when they lose out on a playoff spot having more points than another team in a smaller eastern conference…
but everybody yesterday seemed to take on the big-picture perspective of thinking this will inevitably be better for the whole nhl…
i guarantee that, if approved, there will be a caveat to reopen the debate within 8 seasons, hopefully less…
great first topic and post, CYNIC…(!)
Yea very true.I really not going to like it because am going to be tired of seeing the Kings play the same teams most of the season and plus the playoffs.
It wont be a challenge at all just be like a repeat
re-aligment of commenters to bloggers on DITK, then re-alignment of the NHL…Coincidence?
I think not! LOL. What’s up Playa! Hope all’s well.
Very observant of you to LOCK your sights in on that nugget of misinformation. YOUR take is very interesting spin that could open the DOORS of thought that lead to nowhere. WE’RE of the thought that COMING TO ditk would be a great place to GET experience and have some fun. YOU are barking up the wrong tree, sir. Do you always read into things like that? I’ll bet you’re reading into this message right now!
What is it telling you?
(How you doin’?)