Hawks’ Wirtz likes NHL’s new realignment
Blackhawks chairman Rocky Wirtz returned from the Board of Governors meetings in California on Tuesday night content with how realignment is going to affect his hockey club.
Wirtz was one of the 26 owners voting for the new four-conference format that was easily carried Monday night and expected to be put in place for the 2012-13 NHL season.
Under the new playoff format the first two rounds will be played inside the conference (formerly called divisions), which Wirtz strongly favored.
“It’s going to mean building rivalries like we used to have with the North Stars, Detroit, St. Louis and even Winnipeg,” Wirtz said. “I think we’ve lost a little bit of that over the years.”
The Hawks are part of the eight-team conference that also includes Detroit, Columbus, St. Louis, Nashville, Dallas, Winnipeg and Minnesota.
The conferences will be named at a later date with Wirtz saying he would support a return to the Norris, Smythe, Adams and Patrick.
From a Hawks perspective, realignment also means fewer late-starting road games on the West Coast, which translates into a reduction of travel expenses and better television ratings.
“I like the idea that we don’t have to go to the West Coast more than once,” Wirtz said. “Anytime you can cut down on the number of time zones you have to go through, it’s good, as far as I’m concerned. I know you guys are out there at the games, but sometimes I have a hard time staying awake for the third period.”
Another aspect of realignment that appeals to Wirtz is the fact that every team in the NHL will come through the United Center at least once a season.
That means Hawks fans can see Original Six teams Boston, Montreal, Toronto and the Rangers every season, as well as stars from the east such as Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Washington’s Alex Ovechkin.
From a competitive aspect it certainly looks as if it’s going to be easier for the Hawks to make the playoffs. They’ll have to finish top four out of eight instead of battling 15 teams for eight spots.
Wirtz isn’t so sure that’s going to be the case.
“If anything it might make it a little tougher to make the playoffs,” Wirtz said. “St. Louis, Minnesota, Detroit and Nashville — those are four pretty good teams. We’re going to have to stay on our toes.”
A downside of realignment for the Hawks is losing two regular-season games with Vancouver, presently their biggest rival.
But the reason the Hawks and the Canucks are such fierce rivals in the first place is because they have played 19 times in the playoffs over the last three seasons. Under realignment the Hawks have the opportunity to build more than one Canucks-type rivalry.
Wirtz was relieved the Hawks did not lose Detroit as a conference rival, which could have happened if another proposal for realignment had been adopted.
“For selfish reasons, I wanted Detroit to stay with us,” Wirtz said. “I think (the Red Wings) are happy. I know they didn’t want to keep going through all those time zones.”
Wirtz said the league still hasn’t finalized how the playoffs will work past the second round after four conference champions are crowned. It’s possible the four conference champs will be reseeded one through four based on points for the Stanley Cup semifinals.
If that happens it would be possible for the Hawks to play teams such as the Canucks and Sharks in the Stanley Cup Finals.
tsassone@dailyherald.com