The NHL currently sits at 30 teams with 16 in the Eastern Conference and 14 in the Western Conference. Assuming the league scoops up their $500 million a piece from Quebec and Las Vegas, they would have to cross a geographical bridge.

For those of you are who red-blooded Americans, Quebec is in Canada, more specifically, eastern Canada, Like, really really eastern Canada (it’s almost in Maine.)

In other words, the dream of putting the two new teams in the Western Conference to even them out is pretty much dead.

The obvious idea would be to move a team (cough, Columbus, cough) and even it out that way, but our friends at the San Jose Mercury News pried this gem out of Gary Bettman.

Bettman has previously said that if a 16-14 split works, he doesn’t see a reason why a 17-15 split wouldn’t.” -John Wawrow AP Hockey Writer

How very rational of you Mr. Bettman.

Yeah, why wouldn’t it work?

Ok, good. One less thing to worry about. Now I can sleep at night.