The League has been re-aligned for this season. They have returned to four divisions: Pacific, Central, Atlantic and Metropolitan.
See: http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=678456
14 teams in the Western conference, 7 in each division, 16 in the Eastern conference, 8 in each division. I had hoped they'd revert back to Adams, Smythe, Norris and Patrick, as divisional names.
Been a tough summer here, following the epic failure of the Leafs against the Bruins, in Game 7 of their first round playoff match-up last season. Ouch!
Still wondering how things will go this season. I was reading an article a couple of weeks ago, pointing out it was 40 years ago a couple of Swedes arrived in Toronto. Inge Hammarstrom's NHL career did not go as well as Borje Salming's. Salming would become a fan favourite, playing on D and given the number 21, same as legendary Leaf Bob Baun who had retired. Salming would play 16 seasons in Toronto and one in Detroit. My main memory from the first Leaf game I went to, is a blast by Salming from just inside the blue line, into the top corner past the Penguins goalie, Nov. 1978 at Maple Leaf Gardens.
