Why Hockey Is The Best Sport

[Imran Siddiqui]

This will just lead to more dump and run.

Indeed. We need less dump and chase, NOT more!

I would also love to see elimination of the two-line pass rule, no-touch icing, and no fighting.

Where were you a few months ago, when the Canadians were ripping on me for suggesting that hockey banned fighting?

[notyoueither]

He was hiding from the fight.

[Ben Kenobi]

Get rid of the instigator and 3rd-man-in rules and let 'er rip!

I wouldn't go that far. Leave fighting in, it's a part of the game.

[Asher]

Americans just don't appreciate combat.

[notyoueither]

Having watched Conan meet the Maple Leafs, it is assured that the Gods of hockey will never allow the Leafs to win another thing, EVAR!

[Tingkai]

You'll be eating your words in June when the Leafs win the cup. They've got a team this year that never gives up. Everything is in place to end the drought. Besides which, everyone knows the gods of hockey live in Toronto.

[Brundlefly]

w00t!

We beat NJ 4-1! Niittymaki makes 35 saves! Suddenly we're goalie-rich!

[Kontiki]

Originally posted by joncha

As for the goalie issue, just treat them as skaters if they chose to wander outside of the (expanded if necessary) crease. "Problem" solved.

jon.

That's the way it was until about 1991, and I agree that that's what it should return to. You leave the crease, you're fair game to get smoked with a bodycheck behind your net. I don't like the proposed "can't go behind the goal/icing line" at all.

Of course, you could also open up the game alot if you actually just called all the obstruction like they said they were going to. All of the proposed changes will do little to make the game more exciting if you can still practically jump on someone's back when they are taking it to the net.

[Imran Siddiqui]

You'll be eating your words in June when the Leafs win the cup.

Don't you say this every year

[Flubber]

The goalie behind the net rule is interesting and I think is designed so you don't have the situation where firing the puck into the end immediately results in the goaltender going back and firing it out.

IF this rule is to be implemented it had to be clarified since a goalie should always be able to handle the puck within a few feet of his net. If the puck is "behind" the goal by being 12 inches from the post, is the goalie just supposed to wait there ??? It may be better to draw a puck handling box OR simply say that a goalie cannot handle the puck within x feet of ther boards since I think the intent is to bring back the shoot-in as a viable strategy.

Other items

-- fatter blue lines -- huh ?? I don't see this making a big difference

-- Tighter goalie equipment rules-- GOOD
-- fighting -- no reason to take it out-- it really has little impact on the rest of the game-- seriously . .. its usually a sideshow among guys who know their job is to fight-- They do their thing and then the game continues

Visors-- should be a personal choice for players-- I do agree that there seems to be less concern by players to control their sticks now

3 point games-- mixed feelings-- I do feel that teams go ultraconservative sometimes late in regulation to preserve the point and go for the extra point in overtime-- AS for invalidating records versus other years, they did that already when they decided to give points for overtime losses-- Many games yield 3 points already.

Tag up offsides-- GOOD -- I never understood why they ended this

Redline-- I would eliminate the two line pass rule and make icing only applicable from beyond the far blue line

Sean Burke trade-- it appears to help both clubs-- Burke is not my choice among the top 5 goalies in the league BUT he solidifies them and I think gives them a legitimate shot to go far in the playoffs

Flames beating Atlanta with the return of Mikka between the pipes -- YES YES YES-- The flames had been dropping games to struggling teams of late and hopefully this heralds a return to some winning ways. Kiprisov was not superlative last night but he was good and did not give up any back-breaking weak goals as Turek does too often. If Mikka returns to his pre-injury form, he will steal some games and the Flames should make the playoffs for the first time in what seems like forever

[Ben Kenobi]

Yes, I'm pleased to see Calgary doing so well.

Now if those sad-sack oilers can ever get their act together...

Naw, the Leafs won't win.

They've got to get past the West, with Colorado, Detroit and Vancouver.

[Imran Siddiqui]

They've got to get past the West, with Colorado, Detroit and Vancouver.

Wasn't this said about the Devils last year . And they didn't even have to play any of those teams .

[Ben Kenobi]

And they didn't even have to play any of those teams.

And it will be the same thing this year.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi

They've got to get past the West, with Colorado, Detroit and Vancouver.

I know your comment was about the leafs but the 3 above-named teams are on tap for Calgary at the beginning and end of the long road trip they are about to start. 6 of 8 of their opponents are solidly in playoff positions

Feb 11 2004, Wed AWAY Canucks
Feb 13 2004, Fri HOME Mighty Ducks
Feb 15 2004, Sun AWAY Wild
Feb 19 2004, Thu AWAY Canadiens
Feb 21 2004, Sat AWAY Senators
Feb 22 2004, Sun AWAY Devils
Feb 24 2004, Tue AWAY Avalanche
Feb 26 2004, Thu HOME Red Wings

I surely hope they can take out the wild and Ducks since arguably they are facing 4 of the top teams in the league in this stretch and they could go on a losing streak even if playing fairly well

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
And it will be the same thing this year.

Wow... another Stanley Cup win without facing the Avs, Red Wings, or Canucks? Sweet .