nhl realignment

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How does Realignment Affect the Oilers

Alan Hull Feb 27 2013, 6:00a

The NHL formally announced their realignment plan earlier today. How will the new format impact the Oilers' quest to return to the post season in the years ahead?

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But what if the NHL did go to uneven conferences.... In the envisioned 16-team west, each team...

posted by Scott Reynolds, Jan 27, 2012

But what if the NHL did go to uneven conferences.... In the envisioned 16-team west, each team would make the playoffs in theory 50% of the time, whereas in a 14-team east, each team improves to 57% likelihood -- over time this imbalance will put more dollars and thus more spending power in the eastern conference, as there are fewer teams to distribute to.... If the NHL does move to an imbalanced-conference realignment, it really should include a revenue sharing program with it.

— That comes to you from Earl Sleek of the Battle of California. That site is usually golden because of cartoons and comedy, but in this case, it's golden because of Earl's thought-provoking work on some of the financial implications of the realignment proposed by the NHL.