If you were in charge with realignment, what teams would you put in each division?

Orr Division

Toronto

Montreal

Detroit

Boston

Rangers

Ottawa

Clarke Division

Chicago

Dallas

Los Angeles

Pittsburgh

St, Louis

Philadelphia

Bossy Division

Buffalo

Vancouver

Islanders

Calgary

Washington

New Jersey

Gretzky Division

Phoenix

Edmonton

Colorado

Carolina

San Jose

Anaheim

Thomson Division

Winnipeg

Columbus

Florida

Tampa Bay

Minnesota

Nashville

I've chosen to base my divisions based on when teams entered the League.

The names of the divisions were chosen based on a great name associated with one of those teams not already immortalized by the NHL. So, the original division is named after Orr because Richard has a trophy named after him. The 1967 division is named after Bobby Clarke because in a fight between Clarke and Lemieux......Clarke is the one who walks to the penalty box under his own steam. The 70s expansion teams in the Bossy Division, best goal scorer in NHL history, and the best career pts/game by a guy not named Gretzky/Lemieux. Then Gretzky division encompasses the WHA teams and first two teams from the 90s. Finally the Thomson Division is named after David Thomson who could be making people in Winnipeg happy this coming year.

Every team would play one another 3x for an 87 game balanced schedule, and the top 16 teams make the playoffs. The teams would then play a 15 game round robin for the firsat playoff round, and the top 2 teams that emerge from that would play a 7 game series for the Stanley Cup.

This would generate a lot of revenue because all playoff teams are guaranteed at least 7 home games.

Since I'm in charge, I'll take a simple East/West approach:

EAST

Boston Bruins

Buffalo Sabres

Carolina Hurricanes

Florida Panthers

Montreal Canadiens

Nashville Predators

New Jersey Devils

New York Islanders

New York Rangers

Ottawa Senators

Philadelphia Flyers

Pittsburgh Penguins

Tampa Bay Lightning

Toronto Maple Leafs

Washington Capitals

WEST

Anaheim Ducks

Calgary Flames

Chicago Blackhawks

Colorado Avalanche

Columbus Blue Jackets

Dallas Stars

Detroit Red Wings

Edmonton Oilers

Los Angeles Kings

Manitoba Blizzard

Minnesota Wild

Phoenix Coyotes

San Jose Sharks

St. Louis Blues

Vancouver Canucks

Divisions only mean a longer playoff tourney, and I think one round is plenty. Now, I realize why the current playoff tourneys are so long, but again, I like it simple.

I generally follow Pat H's idea, although as an alternative I would suggest putting Vancouver in the Pacific and leaving Colorado in the Northwest. This would avoid having the Canucks and Wild play each other six times a year while being two time zones apart.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

NORTHEAST

Montreal

Toronto

Boston

Ottawa

Buffalo

ATLANTIC

New York

New York

Philadelphia

Pittsburgh

New Jersey

SOUTHEAST

Washington

Carolina

Florida

Tampa Bay

Nashville***(from Central)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

CENTRAL

Chicago

Detroit

St. Louis

Columbus

Minnesota***(from Northwest)

NORTHWEST

Vancouver

Edmonton

Calgary

Colorado

Winnipeg***(from southeast as Atlanta)

PACIFIC

San Jose

Los Angeles

Anaheim

Pheonix

Dallas

Northeast:

Boston

Montreal

Toronto

Buffalo

Ottawa

Atlantic:

Philadelphia

New Jersey

New York Rangers

New York Islanders

Pittsburgh

Southeast:

Washington

Nashville (New)

Florida

Tampa Bay

Carolina

Central:

Detroit

Chicago

Columbus

St. Louis

Dallas (New)

Northwest:

Minnesota

Vancouver

Winnipeg (New)

Calgary

Edmonton

Pacific:

San Jose

Los Angeles

Anaheim

Phoenix

Colorado (New)

universal popular team- crimson Sox 2nd popular from the NL- Giants AL West- Mariners AL appropriate- Tigers AL East- crimson Sox (universal popular) NL West- Giants NL appropriate- Reds NL East- Marlins