ONE OF THE OLDEST RIVLARIES in sports
is coming to an end after this season. The rivalry between the Chicago
Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings has been going on since before the Great
Depression.
Two of the Original Six teams, both founded in 1926, have a deep-rooted
history intertwined with each other.
REALIGNMENT: The NHL is realigning the conferences and divisions to make them more time sensitive. Putting all the Eastern Time Zone teams together in the same conference, then putting all Central Time Zone and Mountain Time Zone Teams in the same Division, leaving the Pacific Time Zone teams together. This will result in less 10pm games for the East Coast teams. The Columbus Blue Jackets and the Detroit Red Wings are both going over to the Eastern Conference while the Winnipeg Jets are entering the Western Conference.
REALIGNMENT: The NHL is realigning the conferences and divisions to make them more time sensitive. Putting all the Eastern Time Zone teams together in the same conference, then putting all Central Time Zone and Mountain Time Zone Teams in the same Division, leaving the Pacific Time Zone teams together. This will result in less 10pm games for the East Coast teams. The Columbus Blue Jackets and the Detroit Red Wings are both going over to the Eastern Conference while the Winnipeg Jets are entering the Western Conference.
A QUICK HISTORY LESSON: From roughly 1942-1967 James Norris owned both the Red Wings, and the Blackhawks. During this time period the Red Wings were THE team, and if Norris didn't like you, or he disagreed with something about you, he would send you to the Blackhawks and you would spend the rest of your career there (it was a punishment to be sent from the Red Wings to the Blackhawks). The Blackhawks were the younger brother of the two and was filled in that manner. 
JUMP BACK TO 2013, the Red Wings and Blackhawks have played each other 879 times (counting playoffs) and the Red Wings are heading to the Eastern Conference on top of the series 436–358–85 (W-L-OTL) and the rivalry will only amount two games per year.NEW RIVALRIES WILL BE BORN, Detroit will be able stoke the Toronto rivalry again, while the Blackhawks will be able to start a new rivalry with the Winnipeg Jets.
CLEANING THE ICE: Though the new Conferences and Divisions are change and will be ending a long history of rivalries, it may not be all bad. The next NHL season looks hopeful and could possibly be even more competitive thanks to sending the Red Wings to the same conference as the Penguins and Bruins.
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