NHL expects to scrap unbalanced schedule

The NHL’s board of governors on Tuesday took the first step toward doing away with the league’s often-criticized schedule format that is heavy on conference and divisional games.

“I think it’s clear that there will be a change,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman told the Canadian Press after the four-hour board of governors meeting in Chicago.

A vote is expected at the board’s next meeting, which takes place in Pebble Beach in late November.

Many fans, players and executives have criticized the current format that has each team playing eight games against divisional rivals and four against every other team in their conference.

The format gives each of the 30 teams only 10 out-of-conference games and no home-and-home series in the 82-game schedule.

Western-based teams have been among the strongest critics, often citing how they will see most valuable player Sidney Crosby or teams such as the New York Rangers in their buildings only once every three years.

For example, the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs will visit Southern California this season for the first time in four years. The current three-year schedule plan, which has been in place since the lockout, is set to expire after this season.

“From our standpoint, we think our fans deserve a chance to see every team,” said Luc Robitaille, the Kings’ president of business operations, who was at the meeting. “It’s the best thing for the league. We’d love to see Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin here. We should see the Montreal Canadiens every year.”

Ducks General Manager Brian Burke, also in Chicago, echoed Robitaille’s thoughts.

“I’m pleased from my perspective,” Burke said. “We put this to our season-ticket holders with an online survey. They made it clear they like the divisional rivalries but they’d like to see the other conference with greater frequency.

“I’m hopeful that we can come up with a schedule that will accomplish that.”

Changing the format requires a two-thirds majority vote and a new schedule would go into effect for the 2008-09 season. Likely changes include dropping the number of division games from eight to six in order to allow for more interconference play.

Meanwhile, expansion was touched on with no clear answer whether the league will add two more teams. AEG, which owns the Kings, has a stake in this, having been given the go-ahead to build a 20,000-seat arena in Las Vegas and with its Sprint Center set to open in Kansas City. Winnipeg and Seattle are two other cities seeking an NHL franchise.

Said Robitaille: “If anything’s going to happen, it’s going to be three or four years away.”

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eric.stephens@latimes.com