NHL Realignment Approved-Introducing The Blackhawks Division

NHL Realignment Map (Picture courtesy of NHL.com)

The NHL Board of Governors approved realignment yesterday and named each division pretty generically for the time being A,B,C, and D.  Technically the Hawks are in Division B but let’s be honest without an original 6 team in the Division or Conference let’s just name Division B the Chicago Blackhawks Division and be done with the naming process.

The Hawks division mates are officially St Louis, Minnesota, Colorado, Winnipeg, Dallas, and Nashville so you can see this being a Blackhawks dominated Division.  This feels like when Florida St joined the ACC and won the conference in its sleep for a decade.

This realignment has done one good thing even if it ends the Red Wings rivalry, it allows for every team to visit every NHL arena at least once every season.  This is great marketing for the NHL and great for the fans and season ticket holders who want to see the stars from the other Conference at least once a season live and in person.

The NHL also change the playoff structure with the top 3 teams in each division punching a ticket to the Stanley Cup playoffs and 2 wild cards per Conference added.  Meaning 5 teams could enter from one division and only 3 from the other division.  Also team 2 plays team 3 in the first round which is pretty exciting which will build up more rivalries quicker like the old days when it seemed like the Hawks played either the North Stars or the Blues in the first round of the playoffs every year.

A new division and some new rivalries will be born starting next season!

What do you think of realignment? Are you for it, against it or just want to take care of whoever the schedule says we play that night?

For more Blackhawks conversation follow us on Twitter @Blackhawk_Up or friend us on Facebook at Blackhawk Up