NHL Realigns for 2012-13 Season
Of course the big news last night was the announcement of the NHL realignment for the 2012-13 season. Courtesy NHL.com, here's a look at the 4 new conferences and the elimination of divisions. I've also included a small breakdown of how the playoffs will work. Additionally, I've given new hypothetical names to the conferences.
I'm a big fan of this. I really love the idea of the first two rounds of the playoffs being within your conference. I look forward to the possibility of the Leafs playing the Habs 2, 3, 4, even possibly 5 years in a row in the playoffs!
Some people think that this method is bogus because a team will make the playoffs in a weak conference. While a strong team won't in a strong conference. Tough beans! If they were really worried about it they would abolish all conferences and divisions and just go one whole league and the top 16 make it into the playoffs.
Just an hour or two before the realignment news came out, Matt M. sent in his idea of how the league should be re-organized.
After a few adjustments he then conformed to what will be the case in the 2012-13 season. He has also added new names for the conferences and trophies for each conference winner in the playoffs. I think that they will continue to give out the Campbell Trophy and Wales Trophy to the teams that will advance to the Cup Final. I just think for example, the Campbell will always be given to the winner of 1 vs 4 semi-final and the Wales will go to the winner of 2 vs 3 semi-final. Either way, it will be very interesting to see how these changes effect all teams next season!
I was going to ask you guys to send in your ideas for realignment, but now that everything is official there is no point to that exercise.
I had always though this next template was in a link on the TEMPLATES page, but John T. pointed out to me that it wasn't. So, here is the old Reebok NHL practice jersey template.
Committee Members, here is a reminder of the votes ongoing and when they will be ending...
- COTW Nov 28-Dec 4 (ends Thursday @ 11:59pm EST)
- COTY-November (ends Thursday @ 11:59pm EST)
- DHL Brooklyn & Vancouver Top 5 voting (ends Sunday @ 11:59pm EST)
Tulsa Oilers concept (by Elias)
These are the Oilers of the Central Hockey League. Elias has changed their jerseys to match the NHL team of the same name. I can see Elias' work getting better, but there are some execution issues here. Loose pixels at the tip of the collar. Orange outline around the yoke on the front, but not on the back. Something is going on with the colouring at the bottom of the pants. This may not be an execution issue, but I don't understand why the hem is white. No other team does this when they already have hem stripes. Elias isn't the only person to do this.
Carolina Hurricanes concept (by David C.)
Again, we get a coloured hem when there are already hem stripes. I think that those hem stripes may also be a little too high on the jersey. The bottom of the stripes should start at the hem trim (that is coloured black on this concept). I like the idea of the Hurricanes getting a new look, but I think their current logo is pretty strong and shouldn't be abandoned. This University of Miami wordmark isn't doing it for me.
Team Mexico concept (by Jose)
Jose sends in a concept for his home country here. My favourite part is the snake and eagle on the end of the sleeves! Otherwise this is pretty much the Mexican sweater, but Jose has altered the collar. I'm also not entirely sold on the shade of green he has used.
Calgary Flames concepts (by Matt M.)
Matt sent in a similar set a week or so ago and it got a COTW nomination. He hopes with the adjustments that he has made here that it can now win the COTW. From the first concepts, he's re-coloured the shoulder patches. I liked them the way they were previously. He's also changed out a lot of the black on the home sweater for white. I do like that move! The shoulder patches from the first concept with these jerseys would be ace!
Buffalo Sabres concepts (by Kevin)
Cool logo that Kevin has found here, which he has cited where he got it from. If my memory serves me correctly, it may have originated on SabresNotSlugs.com. The uniforms don't extract and sort of reaction or feelings though. They just...are. Sorry Kevin, but I feel bored looking at them. Really nice execution though. No loose pixels, TV numbers are placed correctly and everything looks really clean!
New York Islanders concept (by HJC)
This Islanders stuff won't go away. Again, I tried to create and Islanders 3rd jersey using some form of the current 3rd jersey template. I kept the things that I like, such as the numbers and NOB font. I also really like how the jersey striping makes a diamond when combined with the pants stripes. I've even kept the arched wordmark and number underneath it. I've used the pre-Edge navy blue in combination with the current shade of blue. Better, worse, what do you think?
I'm a big fan of this. I really love the idea of the first two rounds of the playoffs being within your conference. I look forward to the possibility of the Leafs playing the Habs 2, 3, 4, even possibly 5 years in a row in the playoffs!Some people think that this method is bogus because a team will make the playoffs in a weak conference. While a strong team won't in a strong conference. Tough beans! If they were really worried about it they would abolish all conferences and divisions and just go one whole league and the top 16 make it into the playoffs.
Just an hour or two before the realignment news came out, Matt M. sent in his idea of how the league should be re-organized.
After a few adjustments he then conformed to what will be the case in the 2012-13 season. He has also added new names for the conferences and trophies for each conference winner in the playoffs. I think that they will continue to give out the Campbell Trophy and Wales Trophy to the teams that will advance to the Cup Final. I just think for example, the Campbell will always be given to the winner of 1 vs 4 semi-final and the Wales will go to the winner of 2 vs 3 semi-final. Either way, it will be very interesting to see how these changes effect all teams next season!I was going to ask you guys to send in your ideas for realignment, but now that everything is official there is no point to that exercise.
I had always though this next template was in a link on the TEMPLATES page, but John T. pointed out to me that it wasn't. So, here is the old Reebok NHL practice jersey template.
Committee Members, here is a reminder of the votes ongoing and when they will be ending...
- COTW Nov 28-Dec 4 (ends Thursday @ 11:59pm EST)
- COTY-November (ends Thursday @ 11:59pm EST)
- DHL Brooklyn & Vancouver Top 5 voting (ends Sunday @ 11:59pm EST)
Tulsa Oilers concept (by Elias)
These are the Oilers of the Central Hockey League. Elias has changed their jerseys to match the NHL team of the same name. I can see Elias' work getting better, but there are some execution issues here. Loose pixels at the tip of the collar. Orange outline around the yoke on the front, but not on the back. Something is going on with the colouring at the bottom of the pants. This may not be an execution issue, but I don't understand why the hem is white. No other team does this when they already have hem stripes. Elias isn't the only person to do this.Carolina Hurricanes concept (by David C.)
Again, we get a coloured hem when there are already hem stripes. I think that those hem stripes may also be a little too high on the jersey. The bottom of the stripes should start at the hem trim (that is coloured black on this concept). I like the idea of the Hurricanes getting a new look, but I think their current logo is pretty strong and shouldn't be abandoned. This University of Miami wordmark isn't doing it for me.Team Mexico concept (by Jose)
Jose sends in a concept for his home country here. My favourite part is the snake and eagle on the end of the sleeves! Otherwise this is pretty much the Mexican sweater, but Jose has altered the collar. I'm also not entirely sold on the shade of green he has used.Calgary Flames concepts (by Matt M.)
Matt sent in a similar set a week or so ago and it got a COTW nomination. He hopes with the adjustments that he has made here that it can now win the COTW. From the first concepts, he's re-coloured the shoulder patches. I liked them the way they were previously. He's also changed out a lot of the black on the home sweater for white. I do like that move! The shoulder patches from the first concept with these jerseys would be ace!Buffalo Sabres concepts (by Kevin)
Cool logo that Kevin has found here, which he has cited where he got it from. If my memory serves me correctly, it may have originated on SabresNotSlugs.com. The uniforms don't extract and sort of reaction or feelings though. They just...are. Sorry Kevin, but I feel bored looking at them. Really nice execution though. No loose pixels, TV numbers are placed correctly and everything looks really clean!New York Islanders concept (by HJC)
This Islanders stuff won't go away. Again, I tried to create and Islanders 3rd jersey using some form of the current 3rd jersey template. I kept the things that I like, such as the numbers and NOB font. I also really like how the jersey striping makes a diamond when combined with the pants stripes. I've even kept the arched wordmark and number underneath it. I've used the pre-Edge navy blue in combination with the current shade of blue. Better, worse, what do you think?
NHL Realigns for 2012-13 Season
Reviewed by Ryan
on
December 06, 2011
Rating:
Reviewed by Ryan
on
December 06, 2011
Rating:
8 comments:
I agree with you Ryan, I love the realignment. Being an Habs fan, the bought of seeing them play in the finals against such teams as the Leafs and the Bruins over and over again is a great Christmas gift for me! Long live Habs-Leafs and Habs-Bruins rivalries!
I wonder why they couldn't put florida and tampa bay in conference D. and Washington and Phialdelphia in conference C. (I don't want to break up the "New York Three"
Ryan's Isles concept for COTW! It looks really sharp.
ryans islanders seconded! 100% better than what they came up with
I dislike like the new conference realignments. What was wrong with east and west? It's much more simple the way it is now.
@brian: its not the simplicity that needed to be changed, it is the travel. these conferences are based on geography, which makes it a TON easier for the jackets, canucks, and jets. i like the idea of this realignment, but i still think the jackets got the shaft in terms of which teams are where. just look at the top 4 in the west! hahah they are all in the jackets conference next year. so long playoff hopes!
Thanks for the noms guys!
I'd rather put Lemieux than Howe for the name of your Conference D.
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