One way or another, it looks like NHL realignment is going to work to the Red Wings’ benefit.
John Shannon of Sportsnet reports the league is down to two possible ways to realign the NHL and if you’ve kept up with the theories tossed out there, you’re familiar with what’s at the top of the list. Shannon reports one of the choices involves simply swapping Detroit and Winnipeg, putting the Jets in the Central Division and the Wings in the Southeast.
The other format would see the conferences and six divisions go away, instead having four divisions and a balanced schedule. With those two options on the table, it’ll be up to next week’s Board of Governors meeting to decide if radical realignment or a quick fix is what they’re after.
Of course, Gary Bettman has said a realignment decision might not be finalized next week, and with two-thirds of the owners needed to approve anything, this could drag out a bit longer.
Either way, it’s shaping up that Detroit will have its travel woes eased and Mike Ilitch won’t have to harass Bettman any more about his “promise” to move them East. Either Detroit will come East, or it’ll have the same travel problems every other team has.