Comments on: Devils’ Kovalchuk not a fan of proposed realignment

By: basedrum777

basedrum777 — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 21:06:14 +0000

And what happens when they add teams or move PHX? Its not smart to realign when the team list isn’t stable yet….

By: clefty1

clefty1 — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 15:28:22 +0000

I guess it is easy to say what Kovalchuck said seeing as you can take bus rides to some of your games and your team for the most part NEVER leaves the eastern time zone, making it fair would have teams from the east do some travel west. Maybe Kovalchuck should try playing for the Wings or Jackets or better yet head back home to Russia. The realignment makes sense seeing as the Wings and Jackets have to make multiple trips to the western US and Canada and the rest of the teams in the eastern time zone do not. Having games starting at 10 or 10 30 for Wings or Jackets fans is not exactly fair either plus the games like last nights (San Jose) ended after 1 am Detroit time, lets see how fans of other teams in the east would enjoy that especially during the playoffs. The Wings have appeased the NHL long enough by staying in the west and they can renew rivalries with Toronto and Montreal plus the proposed division would have 4 of the original 6 teams in it and the Rangers would be in the same conference. The proposed plan would also help out Minnesota, Dallas and Winnipeg with a bit less travel and I am sure there are fans out west that would like to see some teams from the east come to town.

By: kevindunn21

kevindunn21 — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 13:46:37 +0000

These morons don’t understand that the answer is right in front of their face. Move Columbus to the Southeast, Winnipeg to Northwest, Dallas to Central and Colorado to Pacific. Change the matrix to the following:

-5 games vs. 4 divisional opponents (20 games)
-3 games vs. 10 intraconference opponents (Central teams will have to face a maximum of 8 road games vs. Pacific division opponents in a given year) (30 games)
-Home and Home with 15 interconference teams (30 games)

By: sportsfan69

sportsfan69 — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 13:03:23 +0000

Heir Blomfled,

Guten tag! OK, it just doesn’t make any sense. MLB is fixed this year. Great to hear from you comrade once again. Where were you, in Argentina hiding out? LOL!

By: comeonnowguys

comeonnowguys — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 11:35:50 +0000

You’re missing a team in that Norris Division

By: rgledz

rgledz — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 06:06:09 +0000

It’s pretty clear that the Eastern conference teams think the world revolves around them. The Wild are in the central time zone and are in the freaking Pacific division! Uneven conferences don’t make sense, but neither does a Minnesota team playing in a division with Vancouver. You can’t exactly road trip that. It makes complete sense for the rest of the League. Having Minnesota, Chicago, St. Louis, Dallas and Winnipeg in the same conference revitalizes the Norris division rivalries and is just good for the game.

By: blomfeld

blomfeld — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 05:11:50 +0000

ANYONE WHO DISAGREES WITH SPORTSFAN69 IS AN IDIOT !

and rest assured friends, they’ll be “dealt with” in due course ! … hello comrade, it’s really nice to hear from you … take it easy and we’ll be speaking further … comrade Blomfeld …

By: chanceoffleury1

chanceoffleury1 — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 05:04:00 +0000

If they are dead-set on this 4 division system, I think for right now they should just switch Columbus and Winnipeg and then do the realignment when they are also ready to immediately introduce 2 new franchises. It is not at all fair and none of the players in the east will ratify it if the divisions are uneven. They would be inheriting a historic playoff contender which makes it harder for them to make the playoffs and the west will both have less teams, and then also lose one of their most historic playoff regulars making it easier for them to get a playoff spot. And right now it looks like the 2 most logical expansions would be Seattle and Quebec City. Is Quebec gonna compete in the west?

By: chanceoffleury1

chanceoffleury1 — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 04:53:51 +0000

Nashville is in the central time zone, Detroit and Columbus are both eastern time zone cities. That’s why there is so much drama with where Detroit and Columbus should play.

By: macjacmccoy

macjacmccoy — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 04:00:31 +0000

The only division that has it worse then the Atlantic is the other Eastern division . The 2 western divisions each have 1 less team they have to compete with to make the playoffs. So I dont know why your complaining about. Id rather see the Flyers travel a little more then miss the playoffs because of how jam packed the East is now with really good teams while 2 or 3 lesser western teams make the playoffs based solely off of time zone.

By: sportsfan69

sportsfan69 — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 03:14:33 +0000

This proposed alignment is just plain stupid. How in the world is this fair and equatable for both conferences? Keep the current system, switch Columbus and Winnipeg from their current conferences and call it a day. Who’s the butt hole (idiot) that came up with 16 / 14 alignment? Wait until Seattle and Quebec is added, then switch to a four division format. What the hell is the urgency to have a four division format and uneven Conference format? Who’s the moron proposing this STUPID idea????

By: kingsforever

kingsforever — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 01:52:13 +0000

Look I don’t like the guy but he’s right. The MLB admitted their mistake of having uneven divisions and then fixed it. Why would the NHL go to uneven conferences?

By: therealjr

therealjr — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 01:31:44 +0000

Brilliant thinking, why consider anyone else besides yourself? But I guess when you are a fat cat you don’t have to be considerate of others. Your salary is a percentage of revenue, who cares if whatever is left is enough for a majority of teams to make a healthy profit. Coming this summer: Wall Street 3: Red Square.

By: blomfeld

blomfeld — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 01:16:34 +0000

FRANKLY KOVI, WE DON’T GIVE A DAMN WHAT YOU THINK !

Just a few months ago this guy was spouting off with hurtful threats about staying away permanently in the “gangster” KHL, causing untold stress and upset for both his employer and many loyal fans. Now today he has the nerve to start blabbing about what the NHL “should or shouldn’t” do in going forward? What a complete joke! The bottom line is that this idiot needs to “zip it” real good. And if he can’t manage that himself, then Bettman needs to bring in some specialists who will “assist” him in zipping it. Personally I would never have allowed turncoats like Kovalchuk to ever return to the NHL after the lockout was resolved. That was a serious mistake in my opinion, even though it’s understandable given Bettman’s kind and forgiving nature. Nonetheless, at the minimum there should now be a “gag order” on anyone who uttered threats of defection during the lockout, including the likes of Kovalchuk, Ovechkin, Bryzgalov, etc. Just one word of dissent from these people and they’re on the next Aeroflot flight back to Moscow, simple as that. I have no quarrel with someone like Kovalchuk the player, as his accomplishments are well known by all. However I do take issue with this complete lack of humility and unbridled narcissism.

This is what we expect to hear from those who uttered threats of defection last fall:

By: mclovinhockey

mclovinhockey — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 01:05:10 +0000

The other 3 conferences get it worse than the Atlantic as well. This makes every team have to travel so far for divisional games.

By: vanindeed

vanindeed — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 00:37:59 +0000

It doesn’t make any sense to change it seeing as I can take a bus to most away games and still be home in time the highlights.

By: phipfwe76

phipfwe76 — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 00:34:30 +0000

I like that idea, I’d also throw Nashville’s name in the hat, as they’d fit the best in that division.

By: chill1184

chill1184 — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 23:45:47 +0000

Just move Winnipeg to the West and flip a coin for either Detroit or Columbus to move to the East.