|
The North American Hockey League's Board of Governors are
meeting today in Troy, Michigan to go over the state of the league.
One of the discussions is bound to be divisional alignment. The
following is more than an educated guess of what we are likely to see for
2013-2014.
South Division
After all the smoke,
mirrors, and commotion concerning the Rio Grande Valley and Laredo area,
progress in those two markets has come to a complete halt. What we see today is
likely to be exactly what we will see next season.
Amarillo Bulls
Corpus Christi IceRays
Odessa Jackalopes
Texas Tornado
Topeka RoadRunners
Wichita Falls Wildcats
Central Division
The Minnesota
Magicians join the party for 2013-2014 and there is a real possibility that the
Fresno Monsters may be looking at relocation into this division. Sources within
the league are suggesting that possibly is Dickinson. Combine that with the
need to find a new home for the two Alaska teams and we come up with this.
Aberdeen Wings
Bismarck Bobcats
Brookings Blizzard
Minnesota Magicians
Minot Minotauros
Dickinson (Fresno Monsters)
Mid-West Division
When trying to figure
out where to put the two Alaska teams, the first thing that needs to be
considered is travel distances and cost. Flying in and out of Chicago is less
expensive than trying to do the same thing with Dallas, Minneapolis, or
Detroit. Actually, today's airfares suggest that Dallas is less expensive, but
the bus miles quickly evaporate any savings from the flights. For all practical
purposes, Chicago is by far the most logical hub for the Alaska teams. For this
reason we are taking two teams each from the North and Central Divisions to
make up this new Mid-West Division.
Austin Bruins
Coulee Region Chill
Fairbanks Ice Dogs
Janesville Jets
Kenai River Brown Bears
Springfield Blues
North Division
With the loss of
Kalamazoo, Springfield, and Janesville, we are going to have to bring something
else to the table. How about moving the Wenatchee Wild's NAHL membership to
Detroit? Yea I know that major market NAHL teams have failed over and over
again. Detroit could be different if done right from the start. Something else
to consider, look at the geographical advantages a team in this market has in
relation to the rest of the division, in reality, it is just perfect.
Detroit (Wenatchee Wild)
Jamestown Ironmen (look for a rebranding)
Johnstown Tomahawks
Michigan Warriors
Port Huron Fighting Falcons
Soo Eagles
Six teams in each of four divisions would create some degree of
balance within the league. Now here is another concept I'd love to encourage
but know is well outside the scoop of reality for a lot of these knuckleheads.
A balanced schedule.
Nuts? Yea, I know, but let's talk about how it could work
anyway.
Each team plays every other team within the division four times
at home and four times away for a total of 40 games.
The Mid-West Exception:
The
Mid-West teams will be paired with their closest geographical rival to play
eight times at home and eight away (16 games). They will play the remaining
division teams three times at home and three away (24 games), for a total of 40
games within the division.
Pairings:
Fairbanks
and Kenai River
Coulee
Region and Austin
Janesville
and Springfield
Division
opponents would travel to Alaska only once per regular season and play six
games in eight days. Teams would fly to Alaska two at a time to reduce travel costs
and make sure that all four teams are playing the same number of games in the
same time period.
We are never going to get past the showcase, so add four more
games there.
Now this is where the idea is going to be very cool.
Teams would play half of the remaining 18 teams on the road, the
other half at home and rotate each year.
Division 20
home, 20 away
Division II 3 home,
3 away
Division III 3 home,
3 away
Division IV 3 home,
3 away
Showcase 4 Neutral
Site
The final game count would be 62. The league would have
something they have never had before, a real schedule where every team see the
others a minimum of once per year.
Hopefully this idea gives the BOG something to
think about today.
I have not asked this question in a long time...
what do YOU think?
JuniorHockey.com is the premier website dedicated to delivering the latest
news and developing stories from junior hockey across North America, as well as
providing online tools for junior hockey players and prospects. With over 330,000+
views in January, Juniorhockey.com has emerged as the internet's leading source
of junior hockey news and information.
Stephen Heisler resides in Puerto Penasco, Mexico with
his wife, Maria, and their two children, Sonia and Tomas. Tune in to his Mexico
based Classic Rock Station, GoPenasco Radio.
| 
