Nhl Reform Thread

[optimus2861]

Re: Re: Re: Nhl Reform Thread

Originally posted by Tingkai
The problem is the lack of movement up around centre ice. When things get clogged there, you end up with a boring game.

I think the two situations are related. When a team has a great goaltender behind it, but not much for offensive ability, it becomes very very easy to fall into a trapping system, because even if the system breaks down on occasion and gives up the good scoring chance, the goaltender can bail it out. Thus the two complement each other. Break the hold of one component (either great goaltending or trapping), and the trapping teams won't enjoy as much success, thus hopefully leading to an increased emphasis on generating offense.

I don't see any rule change you could make to break the trap's success in a 30-team league (*), thus the goaltending supremacy needs to be dialled back a shade.

(*) - Throw 6-10 teams out of the league to concentrate the talent better and the trap's prevalence might recede on its own, but that's not in the cards for the short to medium term. Perhaps if we ever do see a complete NHL economic meltdown and the league has to withdraw from its weaker centres. The 2004 CBA fight will be bad, but I don't see it leading to team contractions.

[optimus2861]

Originally posted by The Vagabond
In this way, we could at last have all the best players at the World Championship, and we could finally find out which national team is REALLY the strongest in the world.

This little rant couldn't have anything to do with Canada currently holding both the World Championship and the Olympic gold medal, could it?

[Ben Kenobi]

GO CANADA!

Olympic Champions and World Champions.

As for the thread topic, I'll agree with the restrictions regarding the goalie equipment, as well as for the request for more divisional games.

I don't agree with the cherrypicking because this has an unintended effect. Suppose a team left one player by the opposing blueline and the rest in a trap? Look at how effective Minnesota's trap has been; removing the red line will increase the effectiveness of this form of defense.

Don't increase the size of the net.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

Fighting is the best part of hockey. If anything, I want to see more of it. This can turn a boring game where you team is losing 4 - 0 in the third to and exiting game: hey, if you cant win the game, at least win the fights.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Naw, fights are the most boring part. Should be automatic suspension for fighting. Get it out of the game.

[cinch]

Fighting is most definitely not the best part of the game. I don't favour auto-suspensions, but I don't think it should happen more often, either. I say leave the system how it is right now.

[optimus2861]

Originally posted by obiwan18
I don't agree with the cherrypicking because this has an unintended effect. Suppose a team left one player by the opposing blueline and the rest in a trap? Look at how effective Minnesota's trap has been; removing the red line will increase the effectiveness of this form of defense.

I think that the "cherry-picking" problem is vastly overstated. If you hang a player up by the opposing blue line waiting for the long bomb, then that player's not contributing to the team defence, effectively leading to a 'mini' power-play situation. I've watched a lot of international, college, and junior games without the two-line pass rule, and you just don't see the cherry-picking. It's one more weapon in the offensive arsenal, one more thing the defense has to watch for. No more, no less.

But, I will add, that if the NHL were to take the two-line pass rule out, at the same time it should add no-touch icing to instantly penalize the missed long-bombs with a faceoff back in the defensive zone.

Don't increase the size of the net.

If clamping down on goalie equipment sizes (a necessary first step) doesn't break the hold of the ultra-defensive styles, what else is there to do? I was steadfastly opposed to this as well when I first read it on Usenet. But I simply don't know what else you can do. Scoring's down to the point that teams look to squeak out 2-1 victories because they know damn well they can hold their opposition to 0/1/2 goals every night. The ultra-defensive styles have crushed the life out of this post-season; I for one have no intention of watching one bloody minute of an Anaheim/New Jersey final .

If you look at it from a GM's perspective: what's the point any more in acquiring players who can score goals? Anaheim & New Jersey each had just 3 20-goal scorers this year (Minnesota just 2), and only 1 60-point man between them. Clearly all you need to succeed any more, is a great goaltender, and a bunch of plumbers who can clog up the neutral zone all night . I fear that's exactly the type of team we'll see more of in the next few years as the lower echelon teams copy-cat this year's finalists .

[orange]

So I went to see a fight the other night, and a hockey game broke out!

yuk yuk...

[Imran Siddiqui]

I fear that's exactly the type of team we'll see more of in the next few years as the lower echelon teams copy-cat this year's finalists

Only problem is you need talent to do it. Florida played the trap and got to a finals, but since then has absolutely sucked. The Devils are the only team that has had sustained success with a great goaltender and great defense, with a not-so-hot offense (though for a few years they had some great offense).

It's not easy to do, so many teams that are in the playoffs don't play that way. They try to get stars on offense. It's just that this year, the no offense, all defense teams have gone far. That, and the fact that Marty and Jean-Sebastien have been GODS this playoffs.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

god, evertime i watch a hohcky game its alwys 'save giguere' , 'savev giguere' , 'save giguere' savepatrcikwaaaa' , 'save giguerer' how bout some more scoring

[Imran Siddiqui]

Some of us like great goaltender saves, LoA

[Sava]

oh please Imran... no fighting? so you want to see people hacking and slashing and getting injured? have you ever played the game? I mean... organized ice hockey? fighting and enforcers are like nuclear arsenals... they keep the order with the threat of Mutually Assured Destruction.

I'll just echo my original post:

Before the instigator penalty, there were less injuries do to carelessness and dirty play. You were held accountable for your actions. The players policed themselves. But now, there is too much dirty play. In the old days, if you were playing dirty, your opponent's enforcer would be allowed to stick up for his team. Now guys get game misconducts if their jerseys come off. The game has become pussified.

Regardless of this being a divisive issue, I'm glad to see most are in agreement with me. As with goalie interference... I'm talking about when a goalie goes out along the boards to play the puck. Not when he's like a foot or two outside the crease. The goalie should be treated like any other player. His job is to protect the net. If he wants to play the puck, he should be prepared for the consequences. And don't cry about injuries... when the rules were more relaxed in the 80's, 70's and 60's... injuries weren't a problem. The repeal of the instigator penalty would also keep roughing the goalie down. Not too many guys would be eager to hit a goalie if they know they'll have to answer to a 6'4'' 240lb. enforcer. I just remember watching Bob Probert in his prime with Detroit.

[MRT144]

id like ot see more scoring opportunities, not more scoring.

[monkspider]

I think anyone who wants to throw fighting out of hockey just is not being realistic. Fighting is one main things that attract people to hockey (if not the main thing) and making fighting penalties tougher would supremely cripple NHL's already dwindling fan-base.

Sava's rule changes all sound pretty good for the most part. NHL has dug itself into too deep of a whole. Last season the WNBA was more popular for pete's sake. I think it's only a matter of time before the whole league folds.

[Sava]

I'm flexible on the contraction part. If markets can compete, then fine... but I really don't think there should be a hockey franchise in Carolina... or Columbus...