Thoughts after watching last nights Isles and Rangers game

Zlax45 · Post by **Zlax45** » Thu Sep 22, 2005 12:05 pm

pk500 wrote:I seriously question the long-term appeal of the game if 25 power plays take place every game. Yeah, the result may be higher scoring, but does any real hockey fan want to see a majority of the game spent on the power play or short-handed?

I sure as hell don't. I want to see end-to-end rushes, big hits, great passing, shooting and stickhandling on all areas of the ice, not a f*cking power-play clinic every night.

I hope the NHL players and coaches get accustomed to the tighter officiating and adjust their play accordingly very soon, because I will become bored as hell with the NHL quickly if this power-play procession continues.

For example, there were 31 minutes of power plays in the Carolina-Atlanta game last night. That's more than half of the game on the power play. There were 31 minutes of power plays in the Sabres-Capitals game, 29 minutes in the Calgary-Chicago game and 31 minutes in the Edmonton-Vancouver game. There were <b>44 penalties</b> called in the Edmonton-Vancouver game alone.

Sorry, boys, that's not exciting hockey, regardless of the final score. I want to watch hockey, not a special teams' exhibition that chops the game like a Ginsu knife into little segments with zero flow.

P.S.: You've got to dig the stats found on the Scores page at nhl.com: http://www.nhl.com/scores/index.html . Great stuff in there, really detailed. Love it!

Take care,
PK

Right on PK...THis is how College Hockey is at times.

laurenskye · Post by **laurenskye** » Thu Sep 22, 2005 12:30 pm

Well Monday the Wings had 11 penalties. Wed. they only had 3. Hopefully they are getting it. If the refs finally stick to thier guns and continue to call games like this it will be a VERY short time for the players to adjust when thier coach and teamates are screaming at them to learn the rules. No coach will tolerate 30 min. in penalties.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Sep 22, 2005 1:21 pm

I understand where PK is going and any true traditionalist hockey fan will say that so far there's been too many whistles. Well, that's what pre-season games are for, and as new as some of the new rules come to us, players and refs are also trying to feel what's "allowed" what not.

I really believe that the "clutching, grabbing, and holding" will be called this season no matter who you are, there's zero tolerance for that, the question is how "consistent' the refs will be. The Oilers-Cancuks game last nite was very physical, there's a rivalry going on and the 3rd period turned into a goon show which explains the 147 in penalty minutes.

However the flow of the game has improved ,and with a few more games for players to get adjusted, I am sure that we'll all see a better NHL product.

bjackets · Post by **bjackets** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 9:51 am

Players will adjust or they will be riding pine, plain and simple. The teams that adjust and play the game the way it's meant to be played will benefit, those that don't will be in for a long season. Coaches will lose jobs if their team can't adjust because they will always be playing short-handed and you just can't win that way.

We are finally going to see guys that actually have talent thrive in this sport, and guys that don't have real talent won't be in the NHL much longer. This has been needed forever. Hockey is the only sport that has handcuffed it's star players by letting the inmates run the asylum and let's face it, without superstars the sport has suffered financially.

Hockey at this level was meant to be played by the most skilled players in the world, not some 6'6" 265 lb lineman who can barely skate and handle a stick at the same time. This in itself should tell you doubters how much the sport has digressed.

I've acutually read numerous articles about guys playing professional hockey that are poor skaters, and announcers bring it up all the time. Poor skaters playing a professional sport played entirely on ice. What a joke? That's akin to having people with poor balance on the Olympic Balance Beam squad. I got news for you; If you can't skate there is only one way to play defense and it isn't by the rules. It's about time this cheating bullshit comes to end. I'm sick of it.

ohiost

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 10:14 am

Good post, jackets. When I moan about the excessive power plays, please don't interpret that as me wanting a return to clutch-and-grab, neutral zone trap hockey. Not for a second.

But I sure hope teams and coaches adapt to the new enforcement QUICKLY so the game isn't bogged down by whistles and uneven-strength situations at a time in which it desperately needs to reconnect with fans, especially those in the U.S.

Take care,
PK

bjackets · Post by **bjackets** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 10:37 am

PK,

I hear what you're saying and I know that you are a big supporter of the sport.

Consitency with officiating is what I believe will be the key. I think as long as we have that everything else will take care of itself. My concern is that the NHL has taken almost a WWF approach to enforcing it's rules for so long that sticking to their guns as the season progresses will prove to be difficult for them to say the least, and if they cave the slightest, all bets could be off as far as open ice hockey goes.

ohiost

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 12:22 pm

It's just like what the other beautiful game went through a few years back: Soccer. Fifa decided that the game was too slow, the talented players were doubled even tripled manned, there was no creation, no space for those guys to do their skills and the league cracked down on obstruction.

I see the same pattern here. Remember when M. Lemieux quit the game complaining that Hockey wasn't the same game some 5-6 years ago? It was promised that the grabbing and holding would fade (barely) and he returned. The Crosbys, Lemieux, Naslund, Sundins etc will finally show the fans what they are capable of and if you're a D-man with poor skating skills you're in BIG trouble.

What we use to identify as the neutral zone, I like to call it now the transition zone, look at some of the goals scored on pre-season games so far. A lot more slappers as soon as the player gets out of the transition zone, (also thank you no red line). The player has that extra space now to do so and if you got a big shot, why not try it? Could be a combination of the goalie' smaller pads whatever, but I have seen the skillfull players with more room to do their stuff.

Look at the scores we are seeing. A lot of 1 game goals deciding the outcome, the odd blowout and the exciting shootout. It may not mean much now in preseason, but as a fan when the points start counting, don't tell me that when it comes to shootouts, everyone will not be on pin and needles. That's excitment.

So far, the average penalty calls per team is 11-12 , hopefully those numbers will come down once the season start, but by then all players would or should know what's allowed, and what not. I'll say it again: If your team has speed, watch out!

James_E · Post by **James_E** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 1:28 pm

bjackets... are we sharing a brain? Wow.

I've never managed to type it out like that, thanks for doing that.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 2:18 pm

With about a week to go before the real games count and watching some more preseason games, I see the Senators as the team to beat this year, boy do they have a good skating team. With the elimination of the red line if the D doens't have good lateral movement, you'll be in trouble.

Ottawa not only has a young group but they are also FAST. They manhandled the Leafs so far. Another exciting team to watch: The Ducks.

JR as in J. Roenick suffered yet another concussion last night, you wonder how much he's got left in the tank. A blow for LA.

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 2:30 pm

10spro wrote:With about a week to go before the real games count and watching some more preseason games, I see the Senators as the team to beat this year, boy do they have a good skating team. With the elimination of the red line if the D doens't have good lateral movement, you'll be in trouble.

Ottawa not only has a young group but they are also FAST. They manhandled the Leafs so far. Another exciting team to watch: The Ducks.

JR as in J. Roenick suffered yet another concussion last night, you wonder how much he's got left in the tank. A blow for LA.

I'm getting pumped for hockey. I like the Coyotes, Flames, Sharks, and Canucks in the west. The east is going to be a little more competitive I think but the Senators and Flyers will be battling it out in the end. The Penguins and the Islanders may suprise as well.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 2:34 pm

Coyotes baby...even though they've looked terrible so far in the preseason.

James_E · Post by **James_E** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 2:36 pm

10spro wrote:With about a week to go before the real games count and watching some more preseason games, I see the Senators as the team to beat this year, boy do they have a good skating team. With the elimination of the red line if the D doens't have good lateral movement, you'll be in trouble.

Ottawa not only has a young group but they are also FAST. They manhandled the Leafs so far. Another exciting team to watch: The Ducks.

JR as in J. Roenick suffered yet another concussion last night, you wonder how much he's got left in the tank. A blow for LA.

Sens fan here. I'm psyched!

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 2:38 pm

I'm pumped for the Hawks. They're looking good in preseason and it's like a completely different team. Then again, there are 9 new faces since the last time they played a game. Here come the Hawks, the mighty Blackhawks!

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 2:44 pm

I think the Wild are going to stink.

Hopefully Lemaire has some tricks up his sleeves, but the 3rd and 4th lines seem to be mostly made of middling AHL youngsters who haven't shown a whole lot.

With their $$$ war chest, they could have really made an impact on the team this year, but instead chose to stick with their build-from-within plan (also known as inexpensive).

bjackets · Post by **bjackets** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 3:24 pm

James_E wrote:bjackets... are we sharing a brain? Wow.

I've never managed to type it out like that, thanks for doing that.

James_E,

Happy to hear it. I'm really looking forward to letting the "Big Dogs" hunt.

RallyMonkey · Post by **RallyMonkey** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 3:31 pm

Great posts from you guys here, fun reading. If you like college hockey then you'll like the new NHL. More movement in the neutral zone, better regrouping inside your own blue because wings and centers can swing and not worry about the 2-line pass, breakouts will be MUCH more exciting because off side wings will be making more cuts through center ice looking for breakaway passes or at least the start to an odd man rush. To whoever mentioned on the last page that the surface seems bigger, i hear ya. It's not bigger, but now there are areas to skate free that you couldn't before. All things that are going to make the serious fan (me and others here) return with a smile.....and i will even go so far to say that some casual observers will come back once they see how fast and fluid this great game can be.

And as far as the absurd amount of penalties. They may be hockey players and a little thick inside, but even those guys will start to learn what flies and what doesn't when it really matters.

As a Bruins fan, i for one am absolutely stoked they're back in business.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 6:20 pm

The good news for the NHL is that even though the fans have been without Hockey for more than a year, here in Canada (no surprise) attendance is great. So far the product is also exciting with many close games, many decided by shoot outs. I hope that fans all over the states will go back to the rinks and see the new rules for themselves. More chances for scoring and less obstruction. Just what the doctor ordered.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 6:40 pm

10spro wrote:I hope that fans all over the states will go back to the rinks and see the new rules for themselves. More chances for scoring and less obstruction. Just what the doctor ordered.

The only problem is that 90% of the league is in the United States...and we didn't go to the rink before the lockout. What makes everyone so sure we will be quick to go back? I mean, I will...but as a country, we prefer football and basketball to the frozen pond stuff.

Sully · Post by **Sully** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 6:50 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote:
10spro wrote:I hope that fans all over the states will go back to the rinks and see the new rules for themselves. More chances for scoring and less obstruction. Just what the doctor ordered.
The only problem is that 90% of the league is in the United States...and we didn't go to the rink before the lockout. What makes everyone so sure we will be quick to go back? I mean, I will...but as a country, we prefer football and basketball to the frozen pond stuff.

The NHL is more worried about the teams with a weak fan base, such as Atlanta, Florida, Nashville, Columbus, etc. The Flyers, Red Wings, and Avs will have no problem filling the seats.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 6:50 pm

I always thought NHL attendance was pretty good and on par with the NBA. I'm too lazy to search for the numbers, but I remember looking it up once during the classic "NBA sucks" threads and it was real close in both total attendance and percentage of capacity.

It's the TV ratings that kill the NHL in the US.

blueduke · Post by **blueduke** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 7:30 pm

Leebo33 wrote:I always thought NHL attendance was pretty good and on par with the NBA. I'm too lazy to search for the numbers, but I remember looking it up once during the classic "NBA sucks" threads and it was real close in both total attendance and percentage of capacity.

It's the TV ratings that kill the NHL in the US.

You're right about the tv ratings. Hockey more than any other sport has to be seen in public to be fully appreciated. For whatever reason tv just doesn't do a good job at presenting the sport to the casual watcher

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 10:45 pm

Agree with leebo, TV ratings for Hockey in the USA for the last decade has been abysmal. Also the schechule was horrible, I remember ABC broadcasting saturday matinee games while the whole nation was more interested in NCAA. With that type of exposure, how's the NHL to get any interest? Having said that, even though the league has gone with some important changes and salary reconstruction, I feel it's more of a culture thing too. Hockey in the US will always take a back seat to Football, Baseball and the NBA.