2009-10 NHL Thread

[Absolutely Virtue]

Should hit teams harder for even having these guys in the first place. In addition to longer suspensions, should force the teams to keep that roster spot open instead of just calling someone up. Make it hurt the teams, the chemistry, the owners- everyone.

Or just switch to four on four, full time.

[Abraxas]

they should make it that instead of suspensions, the amount of time the player is injured, is the amount of time you sit out.

you cant play til the injured player can. that will stop this shit

[Sepukku]

they should make it that instead of suspensions, the amount of time the player is injured, is the amount of time you sit out.

you cant play til the injured player can. that will stop this shit

You're a flippin' idiot.

1.) Matt Cooke has every right to hit Savard there. It wasn't a late hit, he didn't use his elbow. It is clean by the rules. You have no proof he intended to injure him. Every check comes with the premise of intent to cause soreness and pain, but causing pain and causing injury are two totally different things. Until there's a rule that says players heads are completely off limits, hes fine to deliver that shoulder-check on a player, star player like Savard or not, who has the puck and is finishing his shot.

2.) Our league is Monday->Sunday numbnuts.

3.) I've already outlined the neccesary clauses and stipulations related to such a policy and why they are needed.

[Ishido]

You're a flippin' idiot.

1.) Matt Cooke has every right to hit Savard there. It wasn't a late hit, he didn't use his elbow. It is clean by the rules. You have no proof he intended to injure him. Every check comes with the premise of intent to cause soreness and pain, but causing pain and causing injury are two totally different things. Until there's a rule that says players heads are completely off limits, hes fine to deliver that shoulder-check on a player, star player like Savard or not, who has the puck and is finishing his shot.

2.) Our league is Monday->Sunday numbnuts.

3.) I've already outlined the neccesary clauses and stipulations related to such a policy and why they are needed.

The problem is the hit to the head, nothing else. The league has made it known that they dislike hits to the head and those types of hits can draw suspensions (despite some shit going unpunished like the hit on Booth).

Also there is a huge problem with suspending for injuring players, since a lot of people get injured on normal hockey plays. It would be nice to see slightly longer suspensions for people who make dumb or reckless plays that result in injuries though.

[Abraxas]

You're a flippin' idiot.

1.) Matt Cooke has every right to hit Savard there. It wasn't a late hit, he didn't use his elbow. It is clean by the rules. You have no proof he intended to injure him. Every check comes with the premise of intent to cause soreness and pain, but causing pain and causing injury are two totally different things. Until there's a rule that says players heads are completely off limits, hes fine to deliver that shoulder-check on a player, star player like Savard or not, who has the puck and is finishing his shot.

2.) Our league is Monday->Sunday numbnuts.

3.) I've already outlined the neccesary clauses and stipulations related to such a policy and why they are needed.

you wre originally saying the hits are the same, all i said was they're not. its not my fault you cant see that. you're just being stubborn again

[NynJa]

Instead of making rule changes, they should just change the size of the rink to the international size. That would help alleviate some of the problems by having more open ice to cover.

No they need to be more leniant on what D-men can do to forecheckers, namely: slow them down and protect their partner.

[Arnwulf]

No they need to be more leniant on what D-men can do to forecheckers, namely: slow them down and protect their partner.

Hey that's a good idea, lets slow down the game and undo the changes we made coming out of the lockout that's made the game generally faster and better.

[NynJa]

Hey that's a good idea, lets slow down the game and undo the changes we made coming out of the lockout that's made the game generally faster and better.

Ignorance is bliss my friend, but you cant have your cake and eat it too. You want an open game, you're going to have players flying down the ice at full speed, when this hits someone into the boards, its going to hurt, a lot.

Injuries are up the past 2 years for this very reason. The game is TOO fast, and if any player attempts to protect their teammates, they get penalized.

[Sepukku]

Ignorance is bliss my friend, but you cant have your cake and eat it too. You want an open game, you're going to have players flying down the ice at full speed, when this hits someone into the boards, its going to hurt, a lot.

Injuries are up the past 2 years for this very reason. The game is TOO fast, and if any player attempts to protect their teammates, they get penalized.

Your point would be good, except none of the big hits/head injuries that come to mind have resulted from D-men going back for a puck. Savard/Cooke, Richards/Booth, Bergeron/Jones, Downie/Mcammond, Ovechkin/fifty miscellaneous people, etc.

Interference penalties have made the game so much better.

[Alderaan]

Ignorance is bliss my friend, but you cant have your cake and eat it too.

Sure you can. The problem is there are way too many NHL teams and far too many scrub players that shouldn't even be in the league. Look how fantastic hockey was in the 80's. Fast paced, tons of scoring, wide open. Now look at the shitfest that was the Lemaire 90's, which i happen to see first hand many a time. Couple that with expansion and we had the league that eventually lead to a strike.

In short, get rid of Bettman and problem solved.

[Ishido]

Bettman has made a lot of dumb decisions and says a lot of stuff that pisses people off but in the overall running the league he hasn't done horribly. If he wasn't retarded on expansion teams, moving teams, the Olympics, and the TV contract he would pretty much be an ideal commissioner (sounds like a lot but he does do more than that). I still hate him though, like everyone else should.

Also I have to agree with Sep, most of the huge hits this year that have caused concussions and other injuries are not due to the lack of being able to slow down forecheckers, most of the biggest ones are just people lining up a hit on someone occupied with doing something else (receiving a pass, shooting, dumping the puck, trying to get around a defenseman who stands up and delivers a check, out of position player sticks his leg out and delivers a knee-to-knee).

A few rule changes desperately need to be made though, not even in regard to checking or speed of play. Refs have too much ability to influence a game and not enough can be done to mitigate that during a game. Also it seems very little is done to check their performance and make sure things are fairly equal through the league.

[NynJa]

Sure you can. The problem is there are way too many NHL teams and far too many scrub players that shouldn't even be in the league. Look how fantastic hockey was in the 80's. Fast paced, tons of scoring, wide open. Now look at the shitfest that was the Lemaire 90's, which i happen to see first hand many a time. Couple that with expansion and we had the league that eventually lead to a strike.

In short, get rid of Bettman and problem solved.

I've already made that comment, I got shat on for being an idiot because the teams I named struck too close to home for a couple people.

[Ishido]

If the league was to be reduced, you would need a lot of changes. Salary cap would need to be changed fairly drastically, which includes more than just arbitrarily tweaking numbers. A draft-type event would need to be held to move players from teams that no longer exist, and a lot would need to be done to placate owners who are essentially getting teams taken away from them. Also existing leases on arenas for vacating teams would need to be filled, in most instances I assume it would create some sort of economic problem in the areas vacated.

[Alderaan]

I've already made that comment, I got shat on for being an idiot because the teams I named struck too close to home for a couple people.

I'll hop in and name a few then.

Coyotes
Thrashers
Panthers
Predators

These teams have been on the bottom of the attendance list for the past 5 years. The obvious team missing is of course the Islanders and we all know you cant get rid of them because well, they're the Islanders.

Blackhawks were also at the bottom just a few short years ago. Funny how a good draft can change that around. Of course having a good draft is a lot more difficult now with so many teams watering down the league.

The NHL needs to get back on ESPN 2 where it can be promoted properly. I remember all those funny french Canadian goalie cab driver commercials from the mid 90's. The sport's popularity has gone downhill since, even though it's more exciting to watch now. That's a problem and Bettman is not the solution.

[Selamis]

The goalie commercials and the Bud Ice Penguin, were the greatest hockey commercials of all time. I've tried to find old goalie commercials on youtube many times and come up with nothing so far, it's like they don't even exist anymore. "Weak, weak, glove hand!"

[vagus]

Glowing Puck anyone?

[Alderaan]

Glowing Puck anyone?

We called that Foxpuck in my house.

And:

[Absolutely Virtue]

I'll hop in and name a few then.

Coyotes
Thrashers
Panthers
Predators

These teams have been on the bottom of the attendance list for the past 5 years. The obvious team missing is of course the Islanders and we all know you cant get rid of them because well, they're the Islanders.

Blackhawks were also at the bottom just a few short years ago. Funny how a good draft can change that around. Of course having a good draft is a lot more difficult now with so many teams watering down the league.

We've been over this before, you can't make these cuts based on attendance. In 2004, Pittsburgh was dead last in attendance. In 2006 and 2007, the Caps were near the bottom. Both buildings are 100% full for this season. I agree on too many teams, but you can't make that call on straight attendance- fans are too fickle.

[Alderaan]

I based it on them being terrible hockey towns and the fact that they were expansion teams not too long ago. You're absolutely right about attendance as Chicago has gone from the botton a decade ago to the top draw the last 2 years.

[Ishido]

I based it on them being terrible hockey towns and the fact that they were expansion teams not too long ago. You're absolutely right about attendance as Chicago has gone from the bottom 3 years ago to the top draw the last 2 years.

Fixed.

Also one of the problems is that the teams with low attendance aren't doing so horrendously that they get those top 5 draft picks in order to rejuvenate the team and fanbase.