We'll play 40% of our games against the East, anyway. I'm really not bothered at all.

is Detroit cowardishly running away from the big tough Blackhawks, or foolishly embracing the tougher road to the postseason?

Or just doing what's best for its fans. There's that.

The fans of Detroit will now need a new thing to play the victim card about. Because lord knows they can't just play hockey and shut up.

My brother's a Wings fan who lives in Detroit, and when they're not playing the Hawks I actually usually find myself rooting for them. Perhaps it's sympathy for decline of the city. I was simply responding to an obvious attempt to get in a barb against Chicago fans in a year where they're hard to come by.

I don't think anyone seriously thinks the Wings are "running away from Chicago", but I do think it could end up being a "be careful what you wish for" situation for Detroit. Perhaps not.

But with the expanded number of games across Conference lines, I don't see a lot of downside for the Hawks with this realignment. I see pretty much guaranteed playoff appearances lined up in front of us for the better part of the next decade.

this makes me very happy.

That Detroit lobbied for this because they're scared shitless of the Blackhawks?

They used to be red, but they've been washed so many times over so many years ...

once every 50 years.

as the Blackhawks have in their entire existence.

that the dynasty is crumbling.

Celebrating relegation to the lower division.

Since the 1994-1995 lockout the Cup has been awarded 17 times -- 7 times to the East, 6 times to the West, and 4 times to the Detroit Red Wings.

To be fair the President's Trophy is very different. It's been handed out 17 times too, of course, 8 to the West, 3 to the East, and 6 to the Detroit Red Wings. After Chicago wins this year we'll be all tied up.

"Lower division." Enjoy selling out your stadia.

since 1993.

Not counting Detroit or New Jersey, none of the new divisions have won more than four.

Play fair and take the "top" team for that period out of each division, and you get:

Conference 1 -- 3 (Pittsburgh, New York Rangers, Carolina)

Conference 2 -- 2 (Boston, Tampa Bay)

Conference 3 -- 2 (Dallas, Chicago)

Conference 4 -- 1 (taking away either Anaheim or LA)

That's cause only three teams have won the Cup twice or more since 1993.

of bitching about Detroit moving East.