The NHL's expansion into Houston and Atlanta is a fascinating development, but it raises questions about the league's future structure and how it will impact the Ottawa Senators and the rest of the league. With a potential 34-team league, the focus shifts to divisional realignments and the implications for the Senators.
One immediate consideration is the divisional structure. Placing Houston in the Central Division and Atlanta in the Atlantic Division would maintain conference balance but create an imbalanced divisional setup. To address this, the league could abolish the divisional format, merging into two 17-team conferences. However, the desire to expand further, possibly to a 36-team league, suggests a return to six divisions with five to six teams each.
The 2012-13 season provides a relevant precedent for this structure. The proposed division lineup includes the Northwest, Pacific, Central, Northeast, Atlantic, and Southeast divisions. This setup allows for a balanced schedule, with 2 games against 17 out-of-conference opponents and 3 games against 16 in-conference opponents, plus an extra game against division rivals, totaling 84 games.
The expansion draft process is another critical aspect. The last expansion draft in 2000 introduced Columbus and Minnesota. The protection list included 9 forwards, 5 defensemen, and 1 goaltender, which may be too lenient. The league is likely to retain the 7-3-1/4-4-1 format used in the Vegas and Seattle drafts.
For the Ottawa Senators, the projected protection list for an expansion draft includes players like Tim Stützle, William Eklund, and Jake Sanderson. However, the team may lose players like Tyler Kleven and an unspecified third-line forward due to the draft's impact. This hypothetical scenario highlights the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the Senators and the entire NHL as it continues to expand and evolve.
