[simple simon]

Six club executives met in New York this week with commissioner Gary Bettman to discuss sweeping potential realignment and schedule changes for the National Hockey League that could take effect at the start of next season, according to a TSN of Canada report.

Team officials and Bettman are considering realigning the league from six divisions to four with an eight-team division and a seven-team division in both the Eastern and Western Conferences.

Under the new realignment proposal, the top two teams in each division would be guaranteed the top four conference playoff seeds with four wild card playoff berths going to the teams with the next highest point totals.

FOX Sports - NHL - NHL could realign for 2007-08 season

[simple simon]

is this a good idea ?

im not so sure giving a division winner a top seed is right

if youre in a weak division it isnt fair to those in a tough division

[EmpireWF]

I like the new idea. The top four teams in each division would get the high seeds and four more wild cards make it so it's not like any team would be losing out because of a weak/strong division scenario.

[candlejack]

I kinda like the idea. For instance, it would put my team, the Sharks, in the #3 position instead of the #4 position that they are in right now. I guess I would have to see the realignment in order to form a more definate opinion.

[ThePundit]

I don't know. The division idea is sort of half dozen of one, 6 of the other....

One thing I think they should do is have every team play teams from the other conference, twice each season. Now, in some cases they play only once. So some Eastern teams only visit an opposing Arena every other year.

[Nuke]

NHL= Pro Soccer in my view. Gets about as much attention as professional fly swatting. I like the NHL too but it did way to much to destroy itself and it looks like it succeeded.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Nuke

NHL= Pro Soccer in my view. Gets about as much attention as professional fly swatting. I like the NHL too but it did way to much to destroy itself and it looks like it succeeded.

Perhaps Steroids would help...no?...

The NHL is stretched thin with all the expansion they have had...the league can't sustain it...Lets not go bring back the original six, but...don't expand if you are having trouble with what you got.

[rmays06]

I'd love to see realignment but this is garbage! Put the orig 6 in a division and go with traditional rivalries. Get rid of 4 to 6 teams and get rid of the instigator rule. Stop screwing witht the game just because!

[sho nuff]

I love the idea of having 4 divisions. As long as there's a better schedule that comes with it. As a Hab fan, I wanna see the Sharks, Ducks, and other Western teams play Montreal more often.

[penguins87]

This is one of the worst ideas to come out of the NHL. Realignment I can deal with - well, maybe, sometimes - but this isn't want they need. Atlanta in the West? WTF?

They're taking away some of the best NHL rivalries also.