Snider predicts total realignment for NHL

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TORONTO -- Flyers chairman Ed Snider believes the NHL needs total realignment and predicts it will happen.

Snider, speaking at the red carpet ceremony during the Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremonies on Monday night, said emphatically that the Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins will remain in the same grouping of teams regardless of how many divisionsconferences there are.

There has to be, Snider replied when asked where he stands on total realignment. But our traditional rivalries will always be with us no matter how it is realigned. Im pretty confident of that.

Multiple sources told CSNPhilly.com earlier this month that the Eastern Conference clubs want traditional rivalries to remain intact and that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman did not have the 20 votes necessary to approve a realignment plan that would see Pittsburgh and the Flyers split into different conferences (see blog post).

Sources said here there are numerous proposals that will be presented at the BOG.

The leagues Board of Governors will meet in December in Pebble Beach, Calif., to discuss the issue.

Well be together without question, if under a four conference set-up, Snider predicted of the Flyers-Penguins. We will have all our traditional rivals and some others in a four-conference setup.

Asked whether he feels the four-conference setup will win out, Snider hedged.

I dont think I should be commenting on that, he said, adding while laughing, I dont need any fines.

E-mail Tim Panaccio at tpanotch@comcast.net

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