Blackhawks Division Likely To Change

With the move from Atlanta to Winnipeg, it looks like the NHL divisions will look a little different starting in 2012. According to this article the three most likely teams to move East to make room for the Jets in the West are Detroit, Columbus and Nashville. This make sense as these are the three most eastern West conference teams and they all play in the Eastern Time Zone.

All three of these teams are in the Blackhawks division, so it appears change is on the horizon for them.

The Current Central Division is

Chicago
Columbus
Detroit
Nashville
St Louis

Personally, I think the following scenario makes the most sense. Winnipeg moves from the Southeast to the Northwest (to join with the 3 other Canadian teams in the Western Conference), Minnesota moves from the NW to the Central and Nashville moves from the central to the the Southeast.

Three moves that make geographic sense, and don't mess up too many teams. Saying that, I've already heard rumors that Colorado could be going to the pacific and Dallas could join the central. I hear if Detroit moves East, then the Penguins would move to the southeast. Then you start thinking of the different scenarios and your head hurts.

Bottom line is, the Central will not have the same teams in 2011-12 as they will in the 2012-13 season.