Jul 02 2010
My proposed CHL alignments
I have tried 1 million and one ways to go about the best way I thought possible to align the Conferences and Divisions. I found that no matter how its done, one division ends up with more travel than all the rest.
So what I did was cut a line across the map, in effect leaving 9 teams above and 9 teams below the line. Let’s call it the CHL version of the Mason-Dixon line.
It is setup with a Northern Conference – to include a Northeast Division and a Northwest Division. A Southern Conference – to include a Southeast Division and a Southwest Division. This how it will look with the 18 (so far) teams in place, as I predict anyway.
Northern Conference:
Northeast Division
Missouri Mavericks
Fort Wayne Komets
Dayton Gems
Evansville Icemen
Northwest Division
Bloomington Prairie Thunder
Quad City Mallards
Wichita Thunder
Rapid City Rush
Colorado Eagles
Southern Conference:
Southeast Division
Allen Americans
Texas Brahmas
Bossier Shreveport Mudbugs
Mississippi RiverKings
Tulsa Oilers
Southwest Division
Arizona Sundogs
Odessa Jackalopes
Laredo Bucks
Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
It has been reported that there may be 66 games this season, that is unconfirmed from the league as of yet. It seems more likely to me to have 70 games with the flexibility to adjust the amount of home games as to games on the road. Meaning if a set number of teams has a higher ratio of travel than other teams, it gets adjusted by the luxury of the flexibility of the schedule.
Teams will have no more than a 35/35 split, with some teams for example having a 40H/30A. Frankly I don’t care if teams do play more at home than away. Who cares? What’s really going to count is playoff time. Who is in and who is out.
My best guess at this point by the way things look according to my proposal. The Playoff scenario will be one up from the 5 in each Conference used last season to 6 to make a run at whatever the Cup or Bowl they come up with. For now we can just cal it the Championship. That leaves 3 teams in each Conference looking for tee time.
The bracket will consist of a Conference Champion with home ice advantage throughout the conference playoffs earning a bye. The #2 spot (or the other division winner) in the Conf. will also earn a bye, leaving the #3 and #6, #4 and #5 teams to square off in a 3-game round according to final placement in the conference.
The remaining teams from the first round would then be placed accordingly as to their original seeding finalized at the closing of the season where they will then will meet up with the bye teams in a 7 game series.
So in essence 2 bye teams per conf. leaving what will end up being a 4-4-2-1 for each conference. Whew that’s all I have, I sure hope this makes sense. But then again if it make too much sense it won’ be used.
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The only thing i would change is Bloomington for Missouri but honestly as long as their in the same conference it all works out!
“Your right as long as they are in the same conf.” Like I wrote the teams need to be above the imaginary north south line. There are a few tweaks some may want to pipe in on, so don’t be shy.
Well so much for Idea, new it was too good to be true. In my mind anyway.