National Hockey League owners officially approved a realignment and new playoff system Wednesday, which begins next season.

The league announced Thursday that its board of governors approved a realignment plan that will be put into effect next season and be enforced until the 2016 season, according to the AP. The NHL Players Association previously signed off on the new format.

The new NHL will feature two eight-team divisions in the Eastern Conference, and two seven-team divisions in the Western Conference.

The realignment moves Detroit Red Wings and the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Eastern Conference. In turn, the Winnipeg Jets move to the Western Conference.

Like the current format, eight teams from each conference will make the playoffs. The top three seeded teams in each division at the end of the regular-season automatically enter the postseason. The other two spots will be considered "wild card" teams.

Wild cards will be decided by which team earns the most points after the top three.

After those eight teams dwindle down to two, remaining teams from each conference will be reseeded, meaning there could be an east vs. east matchup and west vs. west matchup in the semifinal before reaching it to the Stanley Cup finals.

The Atlantic Division will keep all five teams who are currently in it. This Eastern Conference list includes the New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders. Joining these five teams will be the Washington Capitals, which will move from within the division. Also, the Columbus Blue Jackets move from the west to the east, capping the seven teams in the division.

Detroit joins the Central Division, along with the Boston Bruins, the Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadians, Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Over in the west, the two divisions break down into the Pacific and Mid-West. Playing in the Pacific will be the Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, Phoenix Coyotes, San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks.

In the Mid-West, the Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Starz, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets will be battling for the division.