NHL rule changes

[Guynemer]

Originally posted by Asher
Because the impressionable Americans prefer not to see violence on TV?

And of course the same thing happens when a fight breaks out at Joe Louis Arena. Yeah, the fight might be exciting, but what does it have to do with HOCKEY?

[OzzyKP]

People watch hockey for fights, and NASCAR for crashes.

Sad, really.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Guy is right, fights are when people get up and cheer loudly in any arena, but that is what a lot of Americans, for instance, think of when they think of hockey. The old joke "I went to a fight last night but a hockey game broke out" should be retired as an anachronism.

[Ninot]

i like all the rule changes except for the limited puck handleing by goalies. let the goalie come out and play the puck, pass it out, speed up the game I figure.

Curious tho: What does everyone think of the "ice-girls" that help clean up the ice during commercials. We dont have them at the Bell Center, but I always think its pretty stupid to have cheerleaders skating around but only to be sweeping. I like it better how we have it here, they stand near the entrances and get the crowd into it all game long.

[Jon Shafer]

There's no way to turn a single-choice poll into a multiple-choice one... even admins can't do it.

[Imran Siddiqui]

What does everyone think of the "ice-girls" that help clean up the ice during commercials.

Whaa? Who has them? When I saw the Devils home games and the Thrashers home games they didn't have them.

[Ninot]

forget which cities. But i know i've seen them. Might have been Florida or Dallas or somethin.

[Guynemer]

Originally posted by Trip
There's no way to turn a single-choice poll into a multiple-choice one... even admins can't do it.

Blast!

And shouldn't you be hard at work?

[Dis]

get rid of fighting. Until that happens, it will never be a legitimate game. It will be as legitimate as boxing (not at all)

[Asher]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Guy is right, fights are when people get up and cheer loudly in any arena, but that is what a lot of Americans, for instance, think of when they think of hockey. The old joke "I went to a fight last night but a hockey game broke out" should be retired as an anachronism.

The last thing we need is Americans taking our sport an Americanizing it like the "shoot-me-now-this-is-boring" sports of American Football, Baseball, and Basketball...

Make your own damn league, you hippies!

[Imran Siddiqui]

Intelligent Canadians realize they can't make the NHL work in this era without the US market, especially with salaries the way they are, even after the salary cap clamping down.

[Ben Kenobi]

Intelligent Canadians realize they can't make the NHL work in this era without the US market, especially with salaries the way they are, even after the salary cap clamping down.

You are gambling that American hockey fans need these changes in order to cheer for hockey. I'm not sure that is at all the case. I mean, look at Bobby Orr. People cheer for players that come from the areas where they are from, and Americans will cheer for American born players.

Right now, the cornerpiece for league revenues outside the box office is in Canada. If Canadians turn off this americanised sport, then that's not doing your bottom line any good.

By adding a shootout, you are betting for fewer Canadians to stop watching hockey than the number of Americans to start.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Intelligent Canadians realize they can't make the NHL work in this era without the US market, especially with salaries the way they are, even after the salary cap clamping down.

I'd be happy watching WHL even, over an overamericanzed NHL.

The NHL doesn't need Americans. I'd be happy if it was basically a CFL-style club with only Canadian cities.

[Imran Siddiqui]

If Canadians turn off this americanised sport

I doubt Canadians would leave if fighting was eliminated from the game. They may grumble, but they'd watch just the same.

By adding a shootout, you are betting for fewer Canadians to stop watching hockey than the number of Americans to start.

The shootout is a bad idea, but I don't see any evidence that it was meant to appeal to the US market. It's a way, just like expanding the offensive zone to increase offense to bring back hockey fans who miss the 80s.

[Ben Kenobi]

I doubt Canadians would leave if fighting was eliminated from the game. They may grumble, but they'd watch just the same.

Well, we all know how popular major junior hockey is, which has fights, and you can afford to take the whole family. It isn't going to be a draw for the fans, if they pay all that money for an inferior product.

The shootout is a bad idea, but I don't see any evidence that it was meant to appeal to the US market. It's a way, just like expanding the offensive zone to increase offense to bring back hockey fans who miss the 80s.

We've been told over and over again, that Americans don't like ties.