Woot
HOCKEY!
My wishlist for the NHL:
- Go back to the 16 team league
- Get rid of icing
- Lay off the checking and roughing penalties
- No tie games
- Stop instigating rules that make the game offense friendly. Defensive games make for better hockey.
- Old time hockey!
Let's play already.
Comments
Go back to the 16 team league
Islanders record against Nashville Predators: 3-6 . I can see why you feel that way!
Everything else I agree with.
BTW, they're adding a shootout after the 4-4 OT to eliminate ties. Can't decide if I like that yet.
Posted by: Slartibartfast | July 13, 2005 05:55 PM
Shootouts are GAY.
Posted by: michele | July 13, 2005 05:57 PM
Shootouts are GAY
HOMOPHOBE!
Posted by: Mark | July 13, 2005 06:03 PM
I'm more of a Shootoutaphobe.
I should have added not that there's anything wrong with that.
Posted by: michele | July 13, 2005 06:08 PM
I haven't seen the details, but if the salaries are tied to some percentage of league revenue, the players would be nuts signing that deal, since BS Bettmann and the owners will juggle their books with abandon to supress salaries.
Posted by: TC | July 13, 2005 06:32 PM
I kinda agree with you. I lost interest in hockey in the late 70's when it went from being a physical game of strategy, tactics, and skill to a moving team wrestling match on skates.
SNL said it best when they showed a boxing match that got out of hand and turned into a hockey game.
Posted by: JimK (No Relation) | July 13, 2005 06:37 PM
And getting rid of icing would be dumb, since then everyone would be playing "dump and run." But as a former goalie, I like the idea of no ties. "Let's just settle this right now" is far more appealing.
Posted by: TC@LeatherPenguin | July 13, 2005 06:38 PM
As long as the 16 team league includes my Tampa Bay Lighning.
By the way; What is "icing"?
Posted by: john | July 13, 2005 07:57 PM
I'd say contract 4 teams only. Atlanta, Florida, Nashville, and one other I can't think of.
Oh, and call obstruction.
Posted by: Shawn | July 13, 2005 08:29 PM
I agree with the earlier comment. Keep the icing, but make it automatic icing, not where they have to skate back to touch up.
Supposedly, they're going to get rid of the middle red line, so you won't have that two-line pass called anymore, which would do the same thing. But with the goalie equipment going to shrink to the size of a catcher's uniform, they're obviously trying to juice the scores.
Posted by: bryan | July 13, 2005 09:56 PM
Michele
I want you to know that the first time I saw that photo I thought " that could be my Alex" in a beautiful place. The picture is universal. Dream like. It made stop and study it.
Posted by: DianeK | July 13, 2005 10:02 PM
Shootouts are for sissies. First OT, 5 on 5: 2nd OT, 4 on 4; 3rd OT, 3 on 3, with no substitutions. Or, no goalies.
Posted by: MarkD | July 13, 2005 10:53 PM
POTVIN SUCKS!!!!!
Posted by: AimeeC | July 13, 2005 11:54 PM
If I could make one change to hockey it would be to eliminate the playoffs. I follow European soccer and the leagues there have no playoffs. There are 20 teams in a league, each team plays all the others twice, once at home and once away for 38 game schedule. The team that has most points when all the matches are played is declared champion. Every game counts and the best team over the year is the champion. It makes each game interestsing, not like North American sports where only the gamblers care about regular season. I would make the season longer then 38 games but the team with the most points at end would win the Stanley Cup.
Posted by: jwl | July 14, 2005 12:16 AM
If you know the Rangers suck, clap your hands...
Posted by: Brandon | July 14, 2005 12:26 AM
Now that Dodgeball is a televised sport, I want to see Broom Hockey as a professional sport.
Posted by: Gahrie | July 14, 2005 03:12 AM
Brandon: Clap, clap, clap-clap-clap!
Jeez, I hate them more than the Red Sox (but not nearly as much as the Mutts).
Posted by: TC@LeatherPenguin | July 14, 2005 08:21 AM
TC:
Unfortunately, the Rangers will most likely be able to buy out the contracts of some of their ... interesting signings (so long, Bobby Holik).
A buddy of mine and I play hockey on the PS2 every so often (Bs against Rangers), and it's always a fun time when I get the Tom Poti D lines out against my first two lines.....
Posted by: Mike | July 14, 2005 09:23 AM
I can see the team meeting they'll be holding in NJ if this deal gets done: players empty their pockets into a wheelbarrel, which is then placed in front of Marty Broduer.
"Please don't die!"
Posted by: TC | July 14, 2005 11:03 AM
It's time to stop protecting goalies outside of the crease.
There's something wrong with a goalie going behind the net, or worse - out to the circles - after a puck with totally immunity to being touched. The rule leans way too far in the goalie's favor.
If you're out of the crease or net - you're fair game for a solid check. Feel the need to collect that puck behind your net - BAM - you're on your ass and the puck is in the net.
They oughta change that rule. At least they're changing the rule about pad size. Some goalies were wearing billboards.
- An ECHL-champion Trenton Titans season ticket holder
Posted by: Mark | July 14, 2005 11:15 AM
Change the fighting rule from "3rd Man In" to "7th Man In" and I'll watch hockey on television.
Add an exemption so that any point during a fight the two goalies can skate unhindered to center ice and duke it out with each other, and I'll buy season tickets for myself and my two sons.
Posted by: BumperStickerist | July 14, 2005 12:12 PM
I like hockey but I'll never look forward to a hockey game the way I look forward to baseball games. Starting Tonight at 7:05 the Yankees will play 4 with the sox and move into the lead. I can't wait!
Posted by: nathan | July 14, 2005 12:26 PM
Dallas Stars, New York Islanders, and who else?
Posted by: David R. Block | July 14, 2005 01:10 PM
There's something wrong with a goalie going behind the net, or worse - out to the circles - after a puck with totally immunity to being touched. The rule leans way too far in the goalie's favor.
If you're out of the crease or net - you're fair game for a solid check. Feel the need to collect that puck behind your net - BAM - you're on your ass and the puck is in the net.
Okay. As long as the goalie gets to fight back. I'll take a blocker across the head to your hard check any day.
Honestly, "open season on goalies" isn't the solution to sorry teams playing sorry offense. It'll only take a couple of big injuries to the likes of Brodeur or Turco or the like before the league realizes what a STUPID idea that is.
Posted by: bryan | July 14, 2005 02:26 PM
"Get rid of icing" -- KEEP icing. No fast breaks in hockey. You want another NBA?
"Lay off the checking and roughing penalties" -- I like hockey, not rugby on ice. Keep the penalties as is.
"No tie games" -- What's so horrible about a tie?
"Stop instigating rules that make the game offense friendly. Defensive games make for better hockey." Absolutely correct.
One more -- Players in fights get the heave ho for the full game. If fight is in the 3rd, game penalty applies to the following game.
Posted by: Mark | July 15, 2005 11:52 AM
Can we get rid of the Blackhawks owner Bill Wirtz?
If you have not heard of Mr. Wirtz, please click the following.
http://www.careermisconduct.com/
Posted by: Mark | July 15, 2005 11:55 AM
Well if we are going to contract the league why stop at 16. if you recall, the NHL did fine for forty years with:
Montreal Canadiens
Toronto Maple Leafs
Boston Bruins
New York Rangers
Chicago Blackhawks
Detroit Red Wings
Those were the days where goalies such as Gumper Worsley didn't even wear a mask. Four out of the six teams played in the Stanley Cup finals and they were over by late April.
Posted by: bob | July 17, 2005 09:02 PM