With all this talk about the MLB possibly realigning and the NHL definitely realigning I thought it would be fun to realign all 4 sports for myself. Even though the NBA and NFL are fine the way it is, and the MLB is mostly fine with itself, I still wanted to mess around with it. So leggo!
NHL
The NHL is definitely realigning for the 2012-2013 season and it's mainly because of the new Winnipeg Jets which will move them to the West. The talk is that it might go to 4 divisions, Pacific, Midwest, South, and East. There is also talk that the Red Wings, Blue Jackets, and Predators all want to play in the East. If this happens the NHL would then go to 16-team East, with two 8-team divisions and a 14-team West, with two 7-team divisions. This is how I think it could look.
East (this is not a reflection of how I think the standings will be)
1. Boston Bruins
2. New Jersey Devils
3. New York Rangers
4. New York Islanders
5. Philadelphia Flyers
6. Pittsburgh Penguins
7. Toronto Maple Leafs
8. Montreal Canadiens
9. Washington Capitals
10. Carolina Hurricanes
11. Tampa Bay Lightning
12. Florida Panthers
13. Ottawa Senators
14. Buffalo Sabres
15. Columbus Blue Jackets
16. Detroit Red Wings
East Division
1. Boston Bruins
2. New York Islanders
3. New York Rangers
4. New Jersey Devils
5. Washington Capitals
6. Carolina Hurricanes
7. Tampa Bay Lightning
8. Florida Panthers
Midwest Division
1. Toronto Maple Leafs
2. Philadelphia Flyers
3. Pittsburgh Penguins
4. Ottawa Senators
5. Montreal Canadiens
6. Buffalo Sabres
7. Columbus Blue Jackets
8. Detroit Red Wings
West
1. Nashville Predators
2.Chicago Blackhawks
3. Minnesota Wild
4. Dallas Stars
5. Colorado Avalanche
6. St. Louis Blues
7. Phoenix Coyotes
8. San Jose Sharks
9. Los Angeles Kings
10. Anaheim Ducks
11. Vancouver Canucks
12. Calgary Flames
13. Edmonton Oilers
14. Winnipeg Jets
Central
1. Chicago Blackhawks
2. St. Louis Blues
3. Nashville Predators
4. Minnesota Wild
5. Dallas Stars
6. Colorado Avalanche
7. Winnipeg Jets
Pacific
1. Phoenix Coyotes
2. Anaheim Ducks
3. Los Angeles Coyotes
4. San Jose Sharks
5. Calgary Flames
6. Edmonton Oilers
7. Vancouver Canucks
MLB
The MLB has explored realignment but for now it's fine the way it is. I think the best way is just to take the Houston Astros to the American League West from the National League Central. It makes sense. NL Central has six teams AL West has 4. Everyone other division has 5. This evens it up and gives the Astros a natural rivalry with the Texas Rangers. They were also exploring eliminating divisions and going with two leagues again but I also think this involves the Astros moving to the American League. Beyond that I really enjoy the way the divisions are and I think that all in all there isn't even a better way to try and explore it. But what if they MLB tried what the NHL is doing. 4 divisions and keep the Leagues the same, 14 in the AL and 16 in the NL. How would that look? I'll show you.
American League East
Baltimore
Boston
Cleveland
Detroit
New York
Tampa Bay
Toronto
American League West
Chicago
Kansas City
Los Angeles
Minnesota
Oakland
Seattle
Texas
National League East
Atlanta
Chicago
Cincinnati
Florida
New York
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Washington
National League West
Arizona
Colorado
Houston
Los Angeles
Milwaukee
St. Louis
San Diego
San Francisco
NBA
I have actually thought about a little division change since Seattle moved to Oklahoma City. I think this would give it a more regional feel. As a Thunder fan though, when it comes to winning I love the division they are in. Every division, except for the Pacific, would move one team and get another, those five teams would be, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, Memphis, Washington, and Philadelphia. They would look like this.
Atlantic
Boston
New Jersey
New York
Toronto
Washington
Central
Chicago
Cleveland
Detroit
Indiana
Philadelphia
Southeast
Atlanta
Charlotte
Memphis
Miami
Orlando
Southwest
Dallas
Houston
New Orleans
Oklahoma City
San Antonio
Northwest
Denver
Milwaukee
Minnesota
Portland
Utah
NFL
The NFL is the only league where realignment never even crossed my mind. I think that the divisions are fine just the way they are and there is no need to change but I like to have fun and explore so I thought of new divisions. This may take away from rivalries but then again, it's never going to happen. This idea has to do with four 8-team divisions. It erases the AFC and NFC completely. Probably the worst idea ever , it simply combines the divisions of the east, north, south, and west. It would go like this.
NFL East
Buffalo
Dallas
Miami
New England
New York Giants
New York Jets
Philadelphia
Washington
NFL North
Baltimore
Chicago
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Detroit
Green Bay
Minnesota
Pittsburgh
NFL South
Atlanta
Carolina
Houston
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
New Orleans
Tampa Bay
Tennesee
NFL West
Arizona
Denver
Kansas City
Oakland
St. Louis
San Diego
San Francisco
Seattle
I'm not sure if taking the Bucks out of the East and putting them in the Northwest makes sense. They're about as central as it gets. However I know you needed to replace OKC from there. Though geographically it makes a little sense to take OKC out of the Northwest, I think they have to stay there. When a team moves cities, it can't really beg for anything different than what it originally had.
ReplyDeleteAlso I like the NFL how it is. It's perfect. No change needed IMO. How would they decide a Super Bowl then?
NBA and NFL are just fun things that I made up that will obviously never happen. I figure Minnesota was in the Northwest so why not get Milwaukee in there too. I actually wouldn't want this to happen because it would mean a tough road to the playoffs for OKC having to go against Dallas and San Antonio.
ReplyDeleteNFL-I agree, I just figured that I was doing the other sports that I might try something with football and to be honest this was the best I got because the way it is now is great. There would obviously be some kind of playoff. Top 3 from each division maybe. No matter how you look at it this doesn't make sense and would never happen but I thought why not try something. This was, IMO, the best. keeps a somewhat geographic tie and it keeps the now divisional rivalries intact but other than that. No chance. No need for change.
The NFL still needs to do something that prevents winners of the NFC West getting a first round home playoff game for beating other terrible teams. They could just change the playoff format, and do what the NBA does and rank the top six seeds according to record. This maintains rivalries, and prevents you from being 7-9 and in the playoffs and at home.
ReplyDelete