Flat out stealing this from HF Boards, thought it was pretty interesting.

Despite the fact it ridiculously finished a distant third in an HF users poll to the bias-heavy eastern conferences, the title of the thread is a true AINEC and I mean that objectively based on current team strength.

To counter one potential objection, it's too early to really say the schedule would impact the teams differently, as St. Louis plays teams like Detroit and Chicago six times now anyway, and Dallas and Minnesota four under the current system.

Dallas, which owns the 8th best winning percentage in the NHL after 12/15 games, would not even be currently holding a playoff spot if the teams were grouped by new conference.

The New Norris currently has FIVE of the NHL's top EIGHT teams. Nashville, its 6th place team (and NHL's 14th overall), would be the 4-seed in the two eastern conferences and the 3-seed in the New Smythe. Its 7th place team, Winnipeg, has an identical winning pct and ROW as LA, who would be the 4th place New Smythe team. LA only edges Winnipeg by 6 goals in goal differential at the moment.

Dallas, who would miss the playoffs, would be the TOP SEED in the New Smythe and be the 2d seed in the Boston conference. That would frighten even Stephen King, Dallas' new goalie.

Detroit is actually on the cusp of not making it, the current four-seed. (For some reason, St. Louis is incorrectly listed under them in NHL, ESPN and TSN standings despite owning the tiebreaker due to a H2H sweep after the non-shootout wins tie).

PERCENTAGE STANDINGS THRU 12/15

1. Philadelphia .717
2. Minnesota .688
3. Boston .683
4. Chicago .677
5. NYR .655
6. St. Louis .650, 18ROW, 4-0pts H2H vs. DET
7. Detroit .650, 18ROW, 0-4pts vs. STL
8. Dallas .617
9. Vancouver .613, 17ROW
10. Florida .613, 15ROW
11. Pittsburgh .613, 14ROW
12. San Jose .603
13. Toronto .583
14. Nashville .581
15. Phoenix .565
16. Washington .550, 15ROW
17. Buffalo .550, 13ROW
18. New Jersey .550, 9ROW
19. Los Angeles .516, 13ROW, no H2H vs. WPG, -4 goal diff.
20. Winnipeg .516, 13ROW, no H2H vs. LA, -10 goal diff.
21. Montreal .516, 12ROW
22. Calgary .500, 14ROW
23. Edmonton .500, 13ROW
24. Ottawa .500, 11ROW
25. Colorado .453
26. Tampa Bay .452
27. NYI .414
28. Anaheim .383
29. Carolina .379
30. Columbus .355

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Team Cutler.

I had to read that one twice

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team Mully & Hanley
team Meatpants