State of the NHL

Ever since I asked MOL to marry me, she has pretty much had control of my notebook. Planning this, and looking up that in preparation for our wedding in September. Well, while watching the beloved Bruins get killed again, I challenged her for the notebook. We sized each other up in the living room. She started in hard with some overhand rights. I countered with some quick jabs, as I tried to get my footing. As I got a fist of Jersey, we both got square and really started throwing them. I would say we both threw and landed 15 punches each. I mean, think Peat/Stock part III. Finally we got tired, and she gave me the notebook. I call it a draw. We’ll go again. For those of you reading this in horror. I asked nicely. She gave it to me. Let’s get to the point shall we?

The State of the NHL. It looks pretty bleak to me right now. The TV deal is terrible. Case in point. The ratings for this year’s All Star Game were down 76% from ’04. No one knew it was on first of all, and if they did want to watch it, they may or may not get the channel. The new Jerseys next season are going to alienate an already pissed off fan base. I read the Hockey News. Good thing I read it in the shitter, as a lot of it makes me want to poop myself. In fact, I have renamed it the You’ve got to be Shitting me Times. Two issues get a lot of ink in the YGTBSMT.

Goals are down almost two goals from last season. Listen, I don’t want to see a 6-5 shootout every night. I like a hard fought game. The boys have figured out how to play in the new rules, and coaches have learned to coach in the new rules. It wouldn’t be a bad thing if there were more up and down hard hitting 2-1 games out there. You know, Old Time Hockey. YGTBSMT says there is a correlation between the drop in attendance, and the 1.6 less goals per game than last year. I don’t see it that way. Look, the honeymoon is over. People came back in droves last year because they missed the game. I think they are staying away in droves this year because the new NHL as it turns out isn’t all that interesting. People would rather have the ability to switch channels during a 7-6 parade to the penalty box new NHL game as opposed to paying a hundo for a decent seat, $25.00 to park, and whatever else to eat and drink.

The other issue in the NHL the YGTBSMT is the rise in head shots, and hard checks in open ice. So, let me get this straight. Guys aren’t allowed to hold anyone up coming out of the zone anymore, and there is virtually no hitting along the boards in the No Hitting League. So when guys get a head of steam coming out with their heads down, or looking back for a pass they get creamed by hard hitting defensemen there is an outcry against this sort of behavior? This is a violent game played by violent men correct? What did they think was going to happen when they took the physical slow up style out? Guys getting creamed never learned to play with their heads up. Ask Eric Lindros. He never had to learn to play with his head up because he was always so much bigger than everyone else. The kids playing now have played the North American style for a long time. To change to a more European style with the speed and less stick fouls is a big adjustment to a lot of these guys. I think the big hitters in the league like Dion Phaneuf should be allowed to play their game as much as the next guy. Hey, keep your head up.

Something needs to be done about Gary Bettman. This guy is systematically ruining the greatest game on Earth. Look around the NHL, AHL, ECHL and any other hockey league in the world. Who is always the fan favorite? That’s right, the goons, thugs, and enforcers. PJ Stock is a God in Boston, and he hasn’t played here in 4 years for Christ’s sake. I understand the guys that draw the advertising dollars are the skilled players, but by forcing fighting and rough hockey out of the game, he is inadvertently forcing out some of the games most popular players with the people that really count: The Fans. Hockey fans, these are very dark times. Hopefully we look on these times as a bump in the road on hockey’s return to a once very proud game, and not the beginning of the end of a game appeared destined for obliteration.