What if the NHL Already Realigned?

By Vincent Witel

Special to NJDevsBlog.com

Witel

Here are the Current NHL standings under the current alignment. Just going by 1-15 and not by division. Division winners are automatically seeded 1,2,3. Top 8 teams qualify for the playoffs. These are the standings after games played on March 11.

       Eastern Conference

1. Montreal 38- Northeast
2. Pittsburgh 36- Atlantic
3. Carolina 29- Southeast
4. Boston 37
5. Toronto 31
6. Ottawa 30
7. New Jersey  29
8. New York Rangers 28
9. Winnipeg 26
10. New York Islanders 25
11. Philadelphia 25
12. Washington 21
13. Tampa Bay 21
14. Buffalo 21
15. Florida 20

       Western Conference

1. Chicago 45- Central
2. Anaheim 39- Pacific
3. Minnesota 28- Northwest
4. Los Angeles 30
5. Detroit 29
6. Vancouver 28
7. San Jose 28
8. St. Louis 28
9. Phoenix 27
10. Dallas 26
11. Nashville 26
12. Colorado 24
13. Columbus 24
14. Edmonton 23
15. Calgary 22

Now let’s see how the standings would look under the new realignment proposal. Instead of three divisions there will be two  divisions in each conference. Winnipeg will move to the Western Conference and Detroit and Columbus will move to the Eastern Conference.  Divisions in the Eastern Conference are Atlantic and Central. Western Conference Divisions will be Pacific and Midwest Atlantic Division teams will be Carolina, Columbus, New Jersey, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington. Central Division teams will be Boston, Buffalo, Detroit, Florida, Montreal, Ottawa, Tampa Bay and Toronto. Pacific Division teams: Anaheim, Calgary, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Jose and Vancouver. Midwest Division teams will be Chicago, Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota, Nashville, St. Louis and Winnipeg. 

Under this proposal for the playoff format, the top 3 teams from each division will clinch playoff berths and have the top 6 seeds while there will be 2 wildcards from each conference who will get the seventh- and eighth-seeds, meaning it’s possible to have five teams from one division while three teams from another. Here is show the standings would look under the new alignment with this season’s current point tallies. 

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

1. Pittsburgh 36*

2. Carolina 29*

3. New Jersey 29*

4. New York Rangers 28

5. New York Islanders 25

6. Philadelphia 25

7. Columbus 24

8. Washington 21

Central Division

1. Montreal 38*

2. Boston 37*

3. Toronto 31*

4. Ottawa 30 WC

5. Detroit 29 WC

6. Tampa Bay 21

7. Buffalo 21

8. Florida 20

Here is how the playoff would look like with the division leaders getting the 1 and 2 seeds

1. Montreal vs (8) Detroit
2. Pittsburgh vs (7) Ottawa
3. Boston vs (6) New Jersey
4. Toronto vs (5) Carolina

Western Conference

Pacific Division

1. Anaheim 39*

2. Los Angeles 30*

3. Vancouver 28*

4. San Jose 28 WC

5. Phoenix 27 WC

6. Edmonton 23

7. Calgary 22

Midwest Division

1. Chicago 45*

2. Minnesota 28*

3. St. Louis 28*

4. Dallas 26 

5. Nashville 26

6. Winnipeg 26

7. Colorado 24

Here is how the playoffs would look out west.

1. Chicago vs (8) Phoenix
2. Anaheim vs (7) San Jose
3. Los Angeles vs (6) St. Louis
4. Minnesota vs (5) Vancouver