The Winnipeg Jets are feeling the pinch in their first season NHL season since relocating to Phoenix in 1996.

The western-based hockey team is currently playing in the Eastern Conference due to the relocation of the Atlanta Thrashers last spring.

Because of this, the Winnipeg Jets are feeling the effects of travel. The Jets have to do the most travelling out of all the NHL teams because of their geographical location, and their spot in the Eastern Conference.

The NHL needs to realign, so the Jets will not have to suffer in the 2011-12 season.

The NHL and team General Managers voted on a new re-alignment plan during the winter GM meetings, only to be turned down by the NHLPA.

If the new re-alignment was accepted, the NHL would have been broken into four conferences next season, that would have consisted of:

Conference A - Anaheim, Calgary, Colorado, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Jose, and Vancouver.

Conference B - Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Minnesota, Nashville, St. Louis, Winnipeg.

Conference C - Boston, Buffalo, Florida, Montreal, Ottawa, Tampa Bay, Toronto.

Conference D - Carolina, New Jersey, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington.

So what does the NHL do for next season? They need to make minor tweaks to the alignment they already have in place.

There's no doubt that the Winnipeg Jets have to get moved over to the Western Conference.

However, a Western Conference team would have to move over to the Eastern Conference. The best team that would fit that move would be the Detroit Red Wings.

It is something the NHL needs to consider to be high on their priority list.

This should be one of the NHL's main goal for the upcoming 2011-12 season, for the sake of the Winnipeg Jets.