Good news for Philadelphia Flyers fans hoping to preserve their rivalry with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The NHL Board of Governors on Monday (Dec. 5, 2011) approved a new conference realignment that will downsize the league from six conferences to four.
Here's what the new line-up looks like:
- Conference A: New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes.
- Conference B: Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.
- Conference C: Detroit Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, Chicago Blackhawks, Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars and Winnipeg Jets.
- Conference D: Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, Phoenix Coyotes, San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, and Colorado Avalanche.
The revised conferences are geographically based and designed to alleviate the difficult travel schedule imposed on some teams. The vote needed two-thirds majority of the League's 30 governors and passed on the first of two days of meetings.
From NHL.com:
In the seven-team conferences, teams would play six times -- three home, three away. In the eight-team Conferences, teams would play either five or six times in a season on a rotating basis; three teams would play each other six times and four teams would play each other five times. This process would reverse each season: An eight-team Conference member that plays an opponent six times in one season would play it five times the following season.
The top four teams in each Conference qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The first-place team would play the fourth-place team; the second-place team would play the third-place team. The four respective Conference champions would meet in the third round of the Playoffs, with the survivors playing for the Stanley Cup.
The four conference system, which has also been touted as bringing "balance" and a fan-friendly approach to match-ups, is expected to go into effect next season. Names for the individual conferences will be forthcoming.
Stay tuned to SB Nation Philly for more details on the NHL realignment as they become available.