Board Of Governors Approves NHL Realignment, Will Include Four Conferences

Published: 5^th Dec 11 8:47 pm

by Randy Holt
Randy Holt

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Board Of Governors Approves NHL Realignment, Will Include Four Conferences

Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE

There have been some pretty intense rumors circulating regarding a bunch of different scenarios for NHL realignment. While the panic that ensued over the different scenarios has been fun to watch, it looks as if we finally have a solution to the realignment issue.

The NHL Board of Governors met this week and voted to approve realignment, which will greatly change the face of how not only the regular season is played, but the postseason as well.

The current system includes two conferences, with three divisions in each conference. The realignment will feature four conferences, which are obviously geographically decided.

Each of the top four teams in their respective conferences will reach the postseason, with the first two rounds of the playoffs taking place within the conferences. As of right now, the word (from TSN’s Bob McKenzie) is that the four conference winners will be seeded when they reach that round, meaning that there could be an East v. East or a West v. West final. Not sure how I feel about that one.

Of course, the most important part is how the conferences will look. As of right now, the divisions should break down like this:

Pittsburgh, New York (Rangers & Islanders, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Carolina, and Washington
Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Boston, Buffalo, Florida, and Tampa Bay
Winnipeg, Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Nashville, Columbus, Dallas, and Minnesota
Vancouver, Calgary, Los Angeles, Edmonton, San Jose, Anaheim, Colorado, and

During the regular season, teams are expected to play a home-and-home with every other team in the league. There are still a lot of kinks to work out and details to be decided, but we have a good idea of what the NHL is going to look like in 2012-2013.

Stay tuned for more details.

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