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Jim Mone / the associated press archives The Wild and Jets will become division rivals next season under the NHL�s realignment plan. (CP)

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Mark Chipman, chairman of the Winnipeg Jets True North Foundation, presents a $100,000 cheque to Major-General Alain Parent, Commander of 1 Canadian Air Division during a ceremony at the 1 Canadian Air Division headquarters. 120522 May 22, 2012 Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

WELCOME TO THE NEW NEIGHBOURHOOD

A look at how the NHL's realignment shakes down, beginning next season:

WESTERN CONFERENCEEASTERN CONFERENCE

Division ADivision BDivision CDivision D

AnaheimChicagoBostonCarolina

CalgaryColoradoBuffaloColumbus

EdmontonDallasDetroitNew Jersey

Los AngelesMinnesotaFloridaNY Islanders

PhoenixNashvilleMontrealNY Rangers

San JoseSt. LouisOttawaPhiladelphia

VancouverWinnipegTampa BayPittsburgh

TorontoWashington

HIGHLIGHTS:

-- Winnipeg moves to the Western Conference; Columbus and Detroit to the Eastern Conference.

-- The new format ensures that all 30 teams play in all 30 arenas at least once a season.

REGULAR-SEASON SCHEDULE:

WESTERN CONFERENCE (7-TEAM DIVISIONS)

WITHIN CONFERENCE

(DIVISION):

29 games: 5 games vs. five teams

(3 home/2 away vs. two teams,

2 home/3 away vs. three teams)

AND 4 games vs. one team (2 home/

2 away). Teams rotated on a yearly basis.

WITHIN CONFERENCE

(NON-DIVISION):

21 games: 3 games vs. each team

(2 home/1 away vs. four teams,

1 home/2 away vs. three teams). Teams rotated on a yearly basis.

NON-CONFERENCE:

32 games: 2 games vs. each team

(1 home/1 away)

(Exception: one team from each division plays one less game inside division

and one more game inside conference outside division)

EASTERN CONFERENCE (8-TEAM DIVISIONS)

WITHIN CONFERENCE

(DIVISION):

30 games: 5 games vs. two teams (3 home/2 away vs. one team, 2 home/3 away vs. one team) AND four games vs. five teams (2 home/2 away). Teams rotated on a yearly basis.

WITHIN CONFERENCE

(NON-DIVISION):

24 games: 3 games vs. each team

(2 home/1 away vs. four teams,

1 home/2 away vs. four teams). Teams rotated on a yearly basis.

NON-CONFERENCE:

28 games: 2 games vs. each team

(1 home/1 away)

NEW STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF FORMAT

-- Top three finishers in each division qualify for the first 12 spots and the first three seeds in each division.

-- Two additional wild card spots will be awarded in each conference to the next two highest-placed finishers in each conference, ranked on the basis of regular-season points and regardless of division.

-- The first-place finisher with the highest number of regular-season points in the conference will be matched against the wild-card team with the lowest number of regular-season points, and the first-place finisher with the second-highest number of regular-season points in the conference matched against the wild-card team with the second-lowest number of regular-season points.

PLAYOFF MATCHUPS:

* No. 1 vs. No. 4 / No. 2 vs. No. 3 with the winners playing each other for a berth in conference championship

* Conference Finals: Two advancing teams in the West and two advancing teams in the East meet in conference championship

* Eastern and Western Conference champions will meet in Stanley Cup final.

-- Tait

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 15, 2013 C2