I do not like the new NHL. I like the idea of what they are trying to do with the new rules, but it has been taken too far. I saw a penalty called last night during the Red Wings game, where an opponent lifted the other guy’s stick to take the puck on the fore-check. He didn’t slash the guy, he didn’t trip him. Simply lifted the stick of the defenseman, and took the puck. Whistle. Hooking penalty. Pretty soon, I am going to stop watching.
Fighting it seems is way down as well. Although, there have been a few spotty fights, the numbers are way down. I don’t think it has as much to do with the game being too fast for the enforcer types to play, as it does with so many penalties being called, the teams are never 5 on 5. It looks like an All Star game every night, and it kind of bums me out. I hope it gets better as the season goes on, because this "new NHL" looks a little too European for my taste.
The AHL on the other hand, seems to have it down. They have opened up the game with the same rules package, but aren’t calling it nearly as tightly. Looking at the box scores over the weekend, it looks like there were 3 and 4 fights in a lot of games. Hell, Trevor Gillies even managed to score a goal! The American League has long been a testing ground for the NHL to see how rules may play, and the game can be improved. I think the NHL needs to look to its little brother and see how the game is being called so it may be taught a lesson on how to run the new rules game. The game is up tempo, and the fights are alive and well! Don’t do a thing AHL, you’re doing fine.
They wanna go? Let ’em go I say. The officials should concentrate more on all the stuff that they miss on a regular basis like..Eye gouging, Sticks in the face, Blindsiding, Boarding, Intent to injure. Get rid of the stupid instigator shit. Who cares who drops the gloves first! If they want people to keep watching it’s gonna take more than opening up the game and changing the blue and red lines. If you’ve never been into before, or are just starting to get into Hockey, I’m gonna say that chances are, you aren’t gonna give a shit how big the blue lines are or the trapezoid and all that. If the game is boring, you aren’t gonna keep watching. Next thing you know, the NHL will start putting Ad’s for Tide laundry soap and Kleenex tissues, Or Summer’s Eve douchebags on players sweaters, like Nascar did in the 90’s with racing, to attract housewives to racing. Sheesh.
I agree Foil. I want Old Time Hockey. Like Eddie Shore. I am hoping that once the players in the NHL figure out the rules, the rough stuff will come back.
Yes, Chris that’s exactly right. I grew up watching guys like Wayne Cashman, Terry O’Reilly, Brad Park, the Mahovolich’s and my all time fave, Stan Jonathan. Man, you knew when Frank Mahovolich got on the ice with Cashman, something was gonna happen. Even the later years with Nilan and Miller. Those were the days. All those guys are legends! I remember when the Bruins were playing, family members would come over and all crowd around the TV with a couple of six packs of Schlitz! Quality time at it’s best (well except for the schlitz maybe) But that to me, was Hockey. But as they say, you can never go home again, but maybe, they can make it mo better before they kill the sport with politcal correctness. One can only hope. Cheers!
Ken
Ken, You said it man. I remember back in the early eighties when a Bruins game on TV was an event. My dad would sit me down on the couch, and we’d watch the games on WSBK with Fred and Derek getting the call. I loved watching the Bruins and Nordiques games from Quebec. They used to have some real wars with them. And of course those were the days when the Boston and Montreal rivalry still meant something. I think if the NHL wants to build rivalries again, the schedule this year was a good start, but the passion and physical play needs to come back before those days will come again.
So Chris, You’re a local boy eh? I’m from Manchester NH and back in the day, WSBK was the best!! I remember being at a Monarchs game a couple of years ago and ol’ Fred walked right by me! I was like “Holy Crap”!! He’s friggin’ hockey royalty! His famous yell, “SCORE”!!!! was the best! Man, those were the days!
Peace Bro,
Ken
Ken, I am from Concord,MA originally. I loved the SBK Games with Derek Sanderson calling a fight. I swear, a Bruin could have his head ripped clean off, and in Derek’s eyes, the Bruin would still win the fight!