NHL: 4 Reasons Why the Four-Division Realignment Proposal Works

Will the NHL use an old solution to solve a new problem? We’ll likely find out in a week.

The NHL Board of Governors will meet on December 5th and 6th to discuss realignment possibilities, which include a return to four divisions. The last time the NHL had four divisions was the 1992-1993 season.

Hockey Night in Canada’s Hotstove panel broke down the details of the four-division scenario on October 30^th. It entails two conferences of 15 teams. Each conference would have one division of seven teams and one division of eight teams. Teams would play home-and-home games against teams not in their own division, with the remainder of games played against division opponents.

The top four teams in each division would make the playoffs, with the No. 1 seed playing against the No. 4 seed and the No. 2 seed playing against the No. 3 seed in the first round. The teams would then be reseeded for the remainder of the playoffs.

The NHL is taking a utilitarian approach to realignment, as they are trying to appease the greatest number of teams. There are bound to be winners and losers in any realignment scenario.

As the old saying goes, you can’t make an omelette without cracking some eggs.

However, there are some benefits to a four-division NHL. Let's take a look.

Game Preparation Becomes Easier

Depending on whether it ends up in a seven-team or eight-team division, a given team would play either 36 or 38 games against division rivals in a four-division NHL—a significant increase from the 24 divisional games that each team currently plays.

Whether it’s getting the players to study game tape or work on specific plays in practice, or sending scouts to other arenas, the reality is that a four-division NHL would make game preparation easier for teams, since more games will be played against the same opponents.

There’s also a larger body of games for management to figure out how their team shapes up against others so that they can make the necessary adjustments.

Less Travel

The suggestion that realignment to four divisions would mean less travel for teams is a no-brainer, especially since travel time is the main reason why this conversation began in the first place.

But it’s still a good reason for it, especially with more games against division rivals.

This looks to be a win-win situation for owners, players and fans. Well, most of them at least. Hockey fans in Pennsylvania might disagree with me on this one at the moment.

The owners will sell more tickets from the division rivalries that will inevitably grow. The players will have a less taxing schedule, since there will be less travel across the continent. That is good news particularly for players with chronic injury problems. And as a result, a faster and more exciting level of hockey will be played to the benefit of the fans going to watch them.

More Stable Scheduling

“When is the game on tonight?”

That is a question that would become less relevant with four divisions, as more games would be played in the same time zone.

With a more consistent schedule, it is quite possible that more casual fans would be willing to take in more games during the regular season, which would help to line the pockets of the owners and players due to increased TV revenue.

That’s great, you say, but how does that help the common folk? Well, increased popularity (that can be quantified in dollars earned) provides stability for the NHL as a major sports league in North America. That’s huge for a league that is constantly questioning its value in the eyes of the public. A more stable NHL is good for everyone.

More Intense Rivalries

The proposed four division realignment means that more games will be played against division opponents, both in the regular season and the playoffs.

This was one of the greatest features of the last realignment that occurred in 1998, as six games are currently played against division opponents. Rivalries such as the Sens-Leafs, Avs-Oilers, Canucks-Flames, Bruins-Sabres and Rangers-Devils have increased in intensity since the change.

One of the greatest things about professional sports is that they allow for fans to transfer all of their aggression and anger and hate onto a team full of players, simply because they wear a different coloured shirt.

Better to do that than to break down store windows, set cars on fire and riot in the streets. Wait, they do that, too? My bad.