So who likes the new NHL rules?

dgbaseball

I, for one, think most of it is ridiculous and just pandering to the European style of play. While it should certainly open up the game a bit more, make if faster, more TV friendly/interesting to people who don't normally watch etc etc, I think ultimately many of the changes will alienate a lot of the traditional fans (like myself), who enjoyed the late 70s and 80s style of play the best - where the great players were truly great and the tough guys were truly tough. You couldn't tie up Gretzky against the boards on a breakaway, because he knew he had to get through that to score a goal, and he wouldn't slow down or give up. You couldn't grab Gretzky and hold him, because you knew McSorley would come and kick your a$$ if you did. Checks and balances...

The NHL (as a product) had the perfect balance of contact, confrontation, and free skating and scoring in the 80s, until the game ultimately started slowing down into the 90s, as more European players came to the league - they skated faster, but couldn't handle the physical game - typical checks turned into interference turned into grabs turned into slower play. They either didn't have the ability or desire (based on their style of play) to work through that. Whereas any of the great players from the 80s knew they had to be skillful enough to skate around (or through - Neely, Messier etc) a hipcheck to grab the puck off the boards for a scoring chance, the Europeans (having grown up with a different style of play) seem to skate right into checks, get pinned, stay there, complain about being held, and skate away.

I'm know I'm generalizing a lot, but I don't think I'm too far off.

Although as a huge fan of the college game, I do like the red line changes, which open up more opportunities for breakaways and will create a lot of exciting back and forth scoring plays, which is one thing that makes the college game so exciting for me.

Another thing I hate is the schedule changes, especially here in the NE. Trying to copy baseball and create (recreate?) "natural" rivalries between the division teams is silly given that 1. so many teams make the playoffs anyways, 2. some games are still played between the conferences anyways and 3. there's a difference between unbalancing a 162 game schedule and an 80 game schedule - in baseball you're forced to beat your division to win your division, by playing 19 games against each team in your division. In hockey, it's much easier to blow your division games and still easily make it to the playoffs. It just doesn't work, in my opinion, and only serves to keep me from seeing a lot of the western teams come to Boston that are often the most exciting - Dallas, Colorado, Pheonix etc

Thoughts? Or does anyone even care about the NHL anymore?

Brian48

<< <i>does anyone even care about the NHL anymore? >>



No.

Coinhusker1

The Zone trap, invented by the NJ Devils and copied by everyone now, make game very boring, so I think the changes were necessary. As long as Fox does not bring back the glowing puck, I think hockey should be better.

Also, pull those teams out of NASCAR country and put 'em back up North where they belong!!

Axtell

There are too many teams in the NHL. They were just like any business, they thought that overexpanding would make them more successful when in fact, it was the reverse.

They need to pull back to around 24 teams, get the riff raff out of the league, and that wll make the league exciting again.

euphoria18

I do like the rule changes, as the trap has killed the game. I also agree that there are too many teams. I love the game that it was "back in the day", but changes needed to be made.

It should be an exciting year... thats for sure

mercurynut

I would have been happy if the NHL never played another game!

euphoria18

<< <i>I would have been happy if the NHL never played another game! >>



And i would be happy if both MLB and NBA never played another game.

So suck it up princess and dont watch...lol.

JoeBanzai

I was a Minnesota North Star fan and got to watch Mike Modano struggle with the style of play and non calling of all the holding penalties. I would have LOVED to see what he could have done with a little open ice and no one allowed to grab his stick! Interference was never called!

Overall, I like the rule changes, but most were not necessary if the refs would have called the penalties. No red line should be interesting. The shootouts are not the way to determine a winner though.

JoeBanzai

baseballfanatic

If it aint broke, dont fix it. Hockey WAS the perfect game. They saw the increase in scoring in all the other leagues with increased attendance and revenues and wanted the same thing. Pretty soon every city in America will have a team, they won't even play a season and just start off going right into the Stanley Cup playoffs. Being up to 52 teams by 2009, they will have to divide the playoffs into a round robin tournament, they will impliment the 20 goal limit, and take the rings off of the Cup so the players can skate around the ice with it faster. Ridiculous.........

Knuckles

I like it all but the shootouts.. I especially like the downsizing of goalie equipment.

Onlypsahockey

< I would have been happy if the NHL never played another game! >


<< And i would be happy if both MLB and NBA never played another game. So suck it up princess and dont watch...lol. >>

MFAO

dirtmonkey

I think most of the changes will make the game more fluid, which is what the NHL had to do to get a larger fan base. The touch-up on the offsides is long overdue. I actually wasn't a huge fan of hockey in the 80's, as the pretty boys were allowed to figure-skate around similar to what they do in an All-Star game. I like a smoothly played game, but still like to see the skaters get knocked on the butts once in a while. I guess I'll always be a fan of the sport though no matter what changes they make. Mad that they took the year off, but glad it's back...