NHL is back in Action

[redguru]

Almost makes me want to change affiliations

 

[Rex]

LEAFS SUCK

 

[bluepeter]

Don't get me wrong, I love hockey. I just hate the product the NHL trots out these days. Has nothing to do with scoring, as I already stated, a 2-1 game can be dynamite and a 6-5 game can be pure shit. They need to do something to fix a great game.

Option 1 - Take out the red line, make the goalie equipment slightly smaller, cut the rosters by 2-3 players, eliminate 10 teams and enforce the fucking rules. Nothing infuriates me more than when Joe Goon is allowed to bring superstars down to his anemic talent level by hooking and holding.

Option 2 - Change from 5 on 5 to 4 on 4.

I would like to see all these changes personally but I think 4 on 4 is the best change if they only do one thing.

 

[wootoom]

Don't get me wrong, I love hockey. I just hate the product the NHL trots out these days. Has nothing to do with scoring, as I already stated, a 2-1 game can be dynamite and a 6-5 game can be pure shit. They need to do something to fix a great game.

Option 1 - Take out the red line, make the goalie equipment slightly smaller, cut the rosters by 2-3 players, eliminate 10 teams and enforce the fucking rules. Nothing infuriates me more than when Joe Goon is allowed to bring superstars down to his anemic talent level by hooking and holding.

Option 2 - Change from 5 on 5 to 4 on 4.

I would like to see all these changes personally but I think 4 on 4 is the best change if they only do one thing.

are you kidding? taking the red line would make it just as fast 5 on 5

 

[bluepeter]

are you kidding? taking the red line would make it just as fast 5 on 5

Nope. You could still trap, the zone would just be bigger. In other words, it would open things and speed things up a bit but not enough.

4 on 4 is the ultimate solution because with one less body on each side, you no longer have the manpower to do the stupid trapping. You also have less opportunity for clutching and grabbing. 4 on 4 would also mean the rosters could be cut back a bit, getting rid of the last 3 or 4 no talent goons on the end of every bench that shouldn't be in the league anyway.

There is precedence for this too. Hockey wasn't always 5 on 5. It used to be 7 men a side. They changed back then because the game got faster and the players got bigger. They also changed because they were smart and knew their product needed to improve. Unfortunately, the current crop of idiots that make the decisions for the NHL inspire little confidence.

 

[wootoom]

a 5 on 4 power play is so good to watch, i could sit and watch 2 minutes of a Detroit power play and be satisfied about the end result. 4 on 4 would take some of the skill away.

 

[bluepeter]

a 5 on 4 power play is so good to watch, i could sit and watch 2 minutes of a Detroit power play and be satisfied about the end result. 4 on 4 would take some of the skill away.

How would 4 on 4 take any skill away? You are removing the impediment to skill that currently exists. Two less bodies on the ice and less no talent hacks on each roster would open the game right up. The highly skilled players would have the room to operate that they don't right now.

 

[wootoom]

How would 4 on 4 take any skill away? You are removing the impediment to skill that currently exists. Two less bodies on the ice and less no talent hacks on each roster would open the game right up. The highly skilled players would have the room to operate that they don't right now.

theres plenty of room. why do people like high scoring anyways? its not the 80s anymore so many rules have been changed,equipment has changed. 4 on 4 would be a huge rule change. way to many goals. taking the red line out would be a great move. everyone has there own opinion and i respect yours but 4 on 4 would be too much change.

 

[bluepeter]

theres plenty of room. why do people like high scoring anyways? its not the 80s anymore so many rules have been changed,equipment has changed. 4 on 4 would be a huge rule change. way to many goals. taking the red line out would be a great move. everyone has there own opinion and i respect yours but 4 on 4 would be too much change.

Nothing to do with scoring although open ice would obviously result in more skilled plays and more goals. What's wrong with that? As I said, the goal isn't strictly more scoring, it's to get the game out of the neutral zone and the corners. Create open ice and get some speed and flow back into the game. I did forget to mention the best option which would be to enlarge the ice surface. I didn't mention that because that would mean removing a few rows of seats in most arenas and we know that will never happen.

 

[H_T_]

the mistake is trying to get people who have never seen a fucking puck to like hockey.