NHL Realignment: What Does It Mean?

On December 6, 2011 NHL officials approved a new plan that completely changes the alignment of the league. The move of the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg forced the NHL to look at realignment plans and instead of simply switching few teams around the league decided to go bold. Instead of 6 divisions within 2 conferences, there are now 4 distinct conferences. The conferences are split into geographical alignments, while still keeping traditional rivalries intact. The NHL also approved a schedule change, each team will play a home and home with every team in the league, giving fans across the NHL the chance to see every team at least once.

Here are the four, yet-to-be named conferences:

Conference A: (Pacific/Northwest teams)
Anaheim Ducks
Calgary Flames
Colorado Avalanche
Edmonton Oilers
Los Angeles Kings
Phoenix Coyotes
San Jose Sharks
Vancouver Canucks

Conference B: (Midwest teams)

Chicago Blackhawks

Columbus Blue Jackets

Dallas Stars

Detroit Red Wings

Minnesota Wild

Nashville Predators

St. Louis Blues

Winnipeg Jets

Conference C: (Atlantic/Northeast teams)
Boston Bruins
Buffalo Sabres
Florida Panthers
Montreal Canadiens
Ottawa Senators
Tampa Bay Lightning
Toronto Maple Leafs






Conference D: (Mid-Atlantic teams)
Carolina Hurricanes
New Jersey Devils
New York Islanders
New York Rangers
Philadelphia Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins
Washington Capitals




The playoffs have also changed with the top 4 from each conference making the playoffs and then playing the first two rounds against each other. So, for example, let's say in Conference D the top 4 teams are the New York Rangers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Washington. The first round will be New York versus Washington and Pittsburgh versus Philadelphia. The second round will be the winners of the first match ups and then the winners of each conference will enter into the NHL semifinals.

At first glance, I like the plan. At second glance, I love it. The new plan gives teams the chance to play across the country, which is great for the fans. It also benefits teams in the middle of the country such as Dallas, Detroit, and Columbus, who in years past have had to fly all over the country to meet conference play requirements. The new alignment also gives a better chance for the hard-nosed rivalries of old to either reignite or develop, another win for the fans.

Furthermore, this shows that the NHL is no longer the bungling league that lost an entire season in 2004. The league has taken adversity in stride, and has emerged as a league that can thrive long-term. Hopefully, this move helps raise the league's profile even more and will usher in an era in which the NHL is considered as a top sports league with the MLB, NFL, and NBA.

Playoff Picks and Award Winners

Here is the final installment of the 2011-12 NHL Preview with Playoff picks and Award Winners.

Eastern Conference Seeds:
1. Washington Capitals
2. Boston Bruins
3. Philadelphia Flyers
4. Pittsburgh Penguins
5. Buffalo Sabres
6. Tampa Bay Lighning
7. New York Rangers
8. Montreal Canadiens

Quarterfinals
 (1) Washington over (8) Montreal
The reloaded Capitals will easily roll over an exhausted Montreal in 4 games.
 (2) Boston over (7) New York
 The defending champion Bruins get their repeat quest started right and dispose of the Rangers in 5 games
 (6) Tampa Bay over (3) Philadelphia
 The upstart Lightning's high power offense will overwhelm the Flyers in 7 games.
 (4) Pittsburgh over (5) Buffalo
 The Penguins will over power the Sabres in 5 games.

Semifinals
(1) Washington over (6) Tampa Bay
The Capitals are a different team this year and they will prove it by running by division rival Tampa Bay in 6 games.
(4) Pittsburgh over (2) Boston
The Penguins, led by their stars, will beat the defending champion Bruins in an epic series that goes all 7.

Eastern Conference Finals
(1) Washington versus (4) Pittsburgh
In the matchup we all want to see, Ovechkin and the Capitals take on Crosby and the Penguins. Both stars will put on a display and this series will go down as one of the greatest in recent memory. Capitals in 7.


Western Conference Seeds:
1. San Jose Sharks
2. Vancouver Canucks
3. Detroit Red Wings
4. Los Angeles Kings
5. Nashville Predators
6. Anaheim Ducks
7. Chicago Blackhawks
8. Calgary Flames

Quarterfinals
(1) Sharks over (8) Flames
The Sharks offense is too powerful for the Flames to handle. The Sharks extinguish the flames in 4
(2) Canucks over (7) Blackhawks
The Sedin twins and the rest of the Vancouver squad are hungry to get back to the Stanley Cup Finals and the Blackhawks will be no match for them. Canucks in 4.
(3) Red Wings over (6) Ducks
The Red Wings will benefit from a deeper team and the Ducks long regular season will hinder them in the later games. Red Wings in 7.
(4) Kings over (5) Predators
The Kings are the dark horse of the entire conference and have exceptionally high potential. The Predators will not be able to keep up. Kings in 5.

Semifinals
(4) Kings over (1) Sharks
The Sharks make their trademark playoff swoon and the Kings enter the series on fire. Kings in 6.
(2) Canucks over (3) Red Wings
Vancouver bests the Red Wings in the most entertaining matchup in the conference. Canucks in 7.

Western Conference Finals:
(2) Canucks versus (4) Kings
The reigning Western Conference champions are pitted against the upstart Kings. The series is high powered  with a lot of scoring, but eventually the Canucks superior talent wins out. Canucks in 7.

Stanley Cup Finals
Washington Capitals versus Vancouver Canucks
In a battle of East Coast versus West Coast, the Capitals and Canucks will look to remedy disappointments from years past. Both teams boast offensive stars (Ovechkin, Semin, Backstrom for the Capitals against the Sedin twins and Ryan Kesler for Vancouver) and a strong defense, but the Capitals have been revamped solely for the long grind of the playoffs and their off-season moves will pay off. Capitals in 6.

Award Watch
MVP: Alex Ovechkin, LW, Washington Capitals. The Capitals captain is expected to embrace an even more central role in the Capitals offense and with a stronger team behind him, expect Ovechkin to have a career year.

Veniza (top goaltender): Johnathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings. Quick posted great numbers last year (2.24 GAA, .918 save %) and is still young, only 25, and has nowhere to go but up.

Norris (top defenseman): Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks. Keith leads a stout defense that only allowed 2.68 goals per game last season and he is just entering into the prime of his career.

Selke (top defensive forward): Pavel Datsyuk, C, Detroit Red Wings. Datsyuk has won the award three times and looks to capture the trophy for a fourth time. Datsyuk is always clutch in late game situations and his defense has saved the Red Wings on more than a few occasions.

Coach: Dan Bylsma, Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins coach must guide the Penguins through the first month or so without star Sidney Crosby. The Penguins division is one of the toughest in the league so the task will not be easy, but Bylsma will prove up that he is up to the challenge.

Western Conference Preview

Here's the Western Conference portion of the NHL preview. Look for playoff picks and awards tomorrow.

Central: Detroit Red Wings
Following a 2010-11 season that saw the Wings post 104 points and win the Central Division. With talent returning at all positions, including centers Henrik Zetterburg (80 points) and Pavel Datsyuk (59 points, +11 rating). The defense will be once again anchored by Nicklas Lidstrom (46 assists, 23:28 ice time per game). Lidstrom is also a dangerous weapon on the power play assisting on 32 man up goals last season. The biggest concern for the Red Wings will be goaltender Jimmy Howard (2.79 GAA, .908 save %) who must stop more shots if the Red Wings want to win this high octane division. The 2009-10 Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks are once again dangerous as are the Nashville Predators, who are led by goaltender Pekka Rinne, (2.12 GAA, .930 save %). The Blue Jackets and Blues are both loaded with young talent and could make a surprise run to the playoffs, but the strength at the top of the division will prove to much to handle over the long 82 game season.

1. Red Wings
2. Predators
3. Blackhawks
4. Blues
5. Blue Jackets

Northwest: Vancouver Canucks
Although they fell in in the Stanley Cup Finals to the Boston Bruins, the Canucks are ready to make another deep run in the Western Conference. Behind twin brothers Henrik (75 assists) and Daniel Sedin (41 goals, 104 points) and veteran goaltender Robert Luongo (2.11 GAA, .928 save %), the Canucks are looking good in a weak Northwest Division. The Calgary Flames look to put some heat on the Canucks with perennial All-Star Jarome Iginla (43 goals, 86 points) leading an offense that scored 2.94 goals per game last season (7th in the NHL). The Wild and Avalanche are still a season or two away from seriously competing and the Oilers are even further away from a division crown.

1. Canucks
2. Flames
3. Wild
4. Avalanche
5. Oilers

Pacific: San Jose Sharks
The Sharks are loaded on offense with MVP candidate Patrick Marleau (73 points, 37 goals) leading the Sharks balanced offense (Five players with 60 plus points). Antti Niemi is the Sharks goaltender and he looks to build off the success of his 2010-11 campaign (2.38 GAA, .920 save %). Close behind are the Los Angles Kings. The Kings are ready to return to the top of the division, with rising stars Dustin Brown (28 goals) and Anze Kopitar (73 points) leading the offense and breakout star Johnathan Quick (2.24 GAA, .918 save %) in net, the Kings could ascend to the top of the Pacific Division. Anaheim returns reigning MVP Corey Perry (98 points, 50 goals) along with an arsenal of offensive firepower which includes Teemu Selanne (80 points) and Ryan Getzlaf (57 assists). The Ducks also have tough guy George Parros to protect their stars (171 penalty minutes) and goaltender Jonas Hiller (2.56 GAA, .924 save %) to anchor the back line. The Phoenix Coyotes have to place their hopes on right wing Shane Doan (60 points) if they want to challenge the top of the division. The Stars will have to hope that Loui Eriksson (73 points) can match his scoring output from last season to mask their defensive shortcomings.

1. Sharks
2. Kings
3. Ducks
4. Coyotes
5. Stars