Silver Nuggets: Possible division realignment; Lehner future; Another trade scenario

With the whispers of the Atlanta Thrashers moving to Winnipeg getting louder and louder, there has been a lot of talk about division alignment. As Atlanta is an Eastern Conference club, and Winnipeg almost certainly be a Western Conference club, it would mean the conference and divisions would have to be realigned. Now yes I know, nothing is finalised, and if this sort of hypothetical talk bothers/annoys you, I apologise in advance. Anyway, if the Atlanta Thrashers move to the West in the form of Winnipeg, there are three realistic candidates to go the other way.

The first one is Detroit, who currently have a brutal travel schedule in the Western Conference, being in the eastern time zone. They also would have natural rivalries with many original six clubs in the east, especially Toronto. They would however lose Chicago as a divisional rival. Another problem with Detroit is that the two New York clubs and New Jersey likely have to be kept together, as do the two Pennsylvania clubs, so Detroit can't go in the Atlantic. This also means no one from the Northeast can go into the Atlantic, thus leaving the southeast as the only realistic option for a western club. I don't see the Red Wings being too happy with that prospect. Columbus is the other eastern time zone club in the West, and as they have no natural rivalries, they could easily jump in the southeast division. Nashville is also a possibility. If you consider breaking up some local groupings, you could move Pittsburgh into the Southeast for a Capitals rivalry, move Detroit into the Northeast and then Boston into the Atlantic.

My personal hypothetical solution is: move Winnipeg into Northwest, Colorado into Pacific, Dallas into Central and Columbus into Southeast.

Anyway, here are today's links:

General Sens News

• After yesterday's discussion on a Rick Nash, here is an analysis of trading for Devin Setoguchi. (The 6th Sens)
• James Gordon asks that if Binghamton goes on to win the Calder Cup, can Bryan Murray credibly convince Robin Lehner that he needs another year in the minors, while Bobby Butler, Zack Smith and Erik Condra get to play for Ottawa. (Sens Extra)
• Patrick Wiercioch returns to the Binghamton lineup tonight for Game Three. (Joy Lindsay)

More after the jump.

General Hockey News

• As mentioned, the Atlanta Thrashers are very close to moving as they have reportedly entered discussion to sell the club to True North Sports and Entertainment, who would then move the club to Winnipeg. (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
• The NHL has fined Fadl Issa, the owner of a Lebanese restaurant in Montreal, $89,000 for trademark infringement after the restaurant had a picture of a man slicing shawarma in a Montreal Canadiens jersey. On a side note, I love chicken shawarma. (Yahoo!)
• Here is an interview with Pekka Rinne. I don't know what it is with Dmitry Chesnokov, but players always seem to give very open and interesting interviews with him instead of the boring cliches. (Yahoo!)

If the Atlanta Thrashers were to move to Winnipeg, who would you like to move to the East?