It’s been a very active day for the Tampa Bay Lightning, with player moves (goodbye, Blair Jones, Hello Brendan Mikkelson, and Piere-Cedric. Labrie), but it would seem a major, major item for the Lightning that has transpired wasn’t something their front office was an active participant in.
It’s breaking right now that the National Hockey League Players Association has voted against the NHL Realignment plan that was approved by the Board of Governors several weeks back.
The four conference system is not to be in place for 2012-13.
The Tampa Bay Lightning will not play the Maple Leafs, Senators, Canadiens, Sabres and Bruins as conference foes. They will continue playing the Panthers (as they would have), Capitals, Hurricanes and Winnipeg Jets until further notice.
This story is still in the breaking stages, but Greg Wyshynski of Puck Daddy did make an interesting statement on Twitter, pointing to NHLPA president Donald S. Fehr and how Fehr may be showing his own strength with this move.
