An all-Canadian division for the 2020-21 NHL season is a virtual certainty due to travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
That will lead to a temporary realignment of other divisions and result in a new set of division rivals for the Detroit Red Wings. They will be renewing old rivalries.
The league has not revealed any details about the upcoming season other than it continues to target a Jan. 1 start.
Based on geography, we can assume the Red Wings’ division will include Chicago, St. Louis, Nashville and Columbus – clubs that comprised the Central Division from 2000-01 to 2012-13 before Detroit moved to the Eastern Conference.
Chances are, it will also include Tampa Bay and Florida, current Atlantic Division rivals.
That leaves one spot for either Pittsburgh, Buffalo or Carolina.
By some accounts, the Penguins would join this “Central Division,” and that makes the most sense geographically.
In that case, the potential divisions for 2020-21 would look like this:
East: Boston, Buffalo, Carolina, Islanders, New Jersey, Rangers, Philadelphia, Washington.
Central: Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Florida, Nashville, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Tampa Bay.
West: Anaheim, Arizona, Colorado, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minnesota, San Jose, Vegas.
Canadian: Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg.
Based on the 2019-20 pandemic-shortened standings, the East would be the strongest division, with five of the top 11 teams (Boston, Washington, Philadelphia, Carolina and the Islanders). The West would be the weakest due to the California clubs finishing with three of the five worst records. But the West, with three of the top 10 teams from last season (Colorado, Vegas and Dallas), still would be better than the Canadian division, whose best team, Edmonton, finished 12th overall.
The Red Wings’ Central Division would include the past two Stanley Cup champions (Tampa Bay and St. Louis) and winners of five of the past six Cups (including Pittsburgh in 2016 and 2017 and Chicago in 2015).
One proposed playoff format would see the top four teams in each division qualify and play each other in the first two rounds, which would reduce travel and result in no border crossing until the conference finals.
But reality for the Red Wings is it doesn’t matter what the divisions look like, they are not going to compete for a playoff spot in 2021. They figure to be better, following a slew of offseason changes that should improve them in all areas and some internal growth. But they were 42 points out of the final playoff spot when the season paused on March 11 and that margin probably would have widened had the schedule been completed.
They can’t possibly erase that deficit in one season, regardless of the format that is implemented.
The hope for the Red Wings is they show significant progress from their 17-49-5 record and are competitive in more games. Most of all, it is vital for their young players to continue showing progress. That would be a big boost for the rebuild.
While the NHL and the NHL Players Association continue to negotiate financial terms related to what will be another unique season, it seems less likely that games will be played on or shortly after New Year’s Day. Anywhere from mid-January to Feb. 1 seems more plausible.
The NBA is planning a 72-game season from Dec. 22 to May 16, with the playoffs ending no later than July 22, a day before the start of the Summer Olympics.
The NHL would need to crown its Cup champion by then as well. By starting later than the NBA, the best-case scenario for the NHL is a 60-game season. At minimum, the league needs 48 games, like it had during lockout-shortened seasons in 1995 and 2013.
In a smart move, the NBA will release its first-half schedule and adjustment in the second half to include games inevitably postponed due to COVID-19. The NHL should do this, too.
Whatever the NHL does, time is running short. It must decide soon.
More: Jeff Blashill on Red Wings’ offseason changes and 2020-21 outlook
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November 30, 2020 at 06:01PM
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How temporary division realignment could impact Red Wings - MLive.com
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