Four-conference realignment plan
December, 5, 2011
12/05/11
10:02
PM ET
By ESPN.com | ESPN.com
The NHL's board of governors approved a four-conference realignment plan Monday, creating two seven-team conferences and two eight-team conferences.
Under the format, every team would play every other team outside its conference twice -- once home, once away. Every team also would play every other team in its conference either five or six times.
The first two rounds of the playoffs will be played within the conferences, and the four conference winners will advance to play off for the Stanley Cup.
Conference A
Anaheim
Calgary
Colorado
Edmonton
Los Angeles
Phoenix
San Jose
Vancouver
Conference B
Chicago
Columbus
Dallas
Detroit
Minnesota
Nashville
St. Louis
Winnipeg
Conference C
Boston
Buffalo
Florida
Montreal
Ottawa
Tampa Bay
Toronto
Conference D
Carolina
New Jersey
N.Y. Islanders
N.Y. Rangers
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Washington
Under the format, every team would play every other team outside its conference twice -- once home, once away. Every team also would play every other team in its conference either five or six times.
The first two rounds of the playoffs will be played within the conferences, and the four conference winners will advance to play off for the Stanley Cup.
Conference A
Anaheim
Calgary
Colorado
Edmonton
Los Angeles
Phoenix
San Jose
Vancouver
Conference B
Chicago
Columbus
Dallas
Detroit
Minnesota
Nashville
St. Louis
Winnipeg
Conference C
Boston
Buffalo
Florida
Montreal
Ottawa
Tampa Bay
Toronto
Conference D
Carolina
New Jersey
N.Y. Islanders
N.Y. Rangers
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Washington
WHO'S DELIVERING THE CHECKS
Scott Burnside
Scott Burnside covers the NHL for ESPN.com. Before joining the website in 2005, he was a reporter for The Windsor Star and Toronto Sun. Burnside also co-authored the best-selling true crime book "Deadly Innocence."
• Follow on Twitter (@ESPN_Burnside)
Pierre LeBrun
Pierre LeBrun covers the NHL for ESPN.com, joining the website in Sept. 2008 after spending 13 years with The Canadian Press as its national hockey columnist. He is also a regular panelist for TSN of Canada.
• Follow on Twitter (@Real_ESPNLeBrun)
Craig Custance
Craig Custance joined ESPN in Sept. 2011 to cover the NHL for ESPN the Magazine, ESPN Insider and ESPN.com. Previously, he covered hockey for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Sporting News.
• Follow on Twitter (@CraigCustance)
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