If the NHL adds more teams, what teams will switch conferences?

Question

For example, if Las Vegas or any other western teams get added, what teams will get moved to the Eastern Conference? It happened with Toronto, so will Detroit or St. Louis be next?

Answer 1

i think detroit would be put in the east first but idkk how they would do it. but the thing is if they add a new team to the western conference they will most likely have to add another team to the east so it would be balanced 16 & 16.

Answer 2

Well, when they do expand, they will likely bring in two teams at the same time, Kansas city and Vegas.  Since those are both in the West, Columbus and Detroit would move since they are the only two western conference teams in the eastern time zone.

The Wings have been complaining for a long time about being in the western conference and Bettman has told them that they will be switched when the opportunity comes.

Answer 3

The Quebec Nordiques will return to the eastern. Nashville will move to the East while the Winnipeg Jets will return to the West. People keep saying Toronto will return to the West :S

Answer 4

Probably Nashville or Columbus. They are probably the most east Western Conference teams!

Answer 5

i dont think any teams will be added in the near future, but if there was another Western team, i'd say Nashville or Columbus would move to the East. Geographically they should be now, plus they are the newest teams which potentially could move.

The NHL would not touch a team like Detroit, St. Louis, or Chicago when there are much newer teams with no history.

Answer 6

I completely agree with Plain Ol' Jeff, that would make a lot of sense because of the fact the Detroit has been in the West so long and has made a huge impact.

Answer 7

i heard they might make a north/south conferences

Answer 8

I would say the Predators.  They're in Tennessee.  St. Louis is too far West to move.  And I'll miss Detroit being in the West because they have to keep up the Avs/Wings rivalry!

Answer 9

Detroit, Columbus or Nashville. Columbus is probalby the best candidate because Detroit has a much deeper history in the west.

If they add two more western teams, Only one team switches.

It also depends on how they want to arrange the divisions. And the teams might lobby to go one way or the other.

Columbus is the furthest east western team. St. Louis is nowhere close to that.

Handy map:

http://www.rocktour.net/time_zone_map_2....

The NHL is also going to try and keep the East in the Eastern time zone if they can I would bet, it simplifies scheduling and TV. So that rules out Nashville.

So Detroit or Columbus would switch, probalby Columbus.

Answer 10

Colombus would actually be first, then detroit