New NHL

[Kreskin]

The NHL is turning into a touch hockey league. As soon as anyone is touched there's a penalty called. There are way too many BS calls to keep the channel changer out of my hand. I agree on taking out the hooking and holding but the league is overboard in this area.

 

[Just the Facts]

Absolutely agree. The most frustrating aspect is the inconsistancy. Wave at a guy with your stick, and it's a penalty. Paste him into the boards by hitting him right on the numbers, and odds are you'll get away with it.

You're bang on with the remote. I watched more of the World Series than Hockey last night, exactly for that reason. The irony is I love hockey and am only passively interested in baseball. Good work, NHL!

 

[Kreskin]

Hey JTF, same here. I also relegated the Canucks game to third choice behind baseball, which I never usually watch, and the worlds worst ever football game - BC and Hamilton.

 

[EastSideScotian]

The games are Faster and more high pace than before, Hitting is being used more defensivly and stragically. I like the way it is being played. I also dont see all these Peneltys you speak of, though I do see out of the peneltys being called alot of them are nonsense, but I dont see an increae in peneltys.

 

[#juan]

I've been complaining about this for months. If they keep it up, the game will slow down even more than it has already. I was at two of the final three games of the last world junior championships and I thought they were much faster than the NHL. Just MHO

 

[EastSideScotian]

I've been complaining about this for months. If they keep it up, the game will slow down even more than it has already. I was at two of the final three games of the last world junior championships and I thought they were much faster than the NHL. Just MHO

Really, I think the NHL is much faster then in previous years, alot of younger teams, more on the table because there is no real TEAM, anymore....It seems the Stanely cup is up for anyteam that can step up. And I am very impressed with the closeness of all the games, the magority seem to go into OT, or be very close in score.

Now as for the world Juniors, Slightly differant rules do alow for more action, I cant dissagree that it may be more fast pace, Young players all the best from their countries of course it may be more intense, the NHL has grown alot and all the talent is thinnly spread out so that could be a cause for the "slowness"

 

[Kreskin]

The referees are ruining the games imo. If I want to watch only fast skating I'd watch speed skating or figure skating. This is hockey and it's impossible to play it without some stick contact. Look at football. Pass interference and contacting the receiver aren't allowed in both leagues but they both have a 5-yard zone where contact is allowed. The leagues recognize that their sports can't be brought to a level of zero tolerance. They leave a reasonable level of contact in. In the NHL now if you miss on a breakaway the defender automatically gets a penalty. Or if someone falls down in the vicinity of an opponent the arm goes up. Only an assumption of possible interference is enough to create a call. The disconnect between phantom calls and what is actually is something they need to address.

 

[EastSideScotian]

Or if someone falls down in the vicinity of an opponent the arm goes up. Only an assumption of possible interference is enough to create a call. The disconnect between phantom calls and what is actually is something they need to address.

I can agree with that

 

[Kreskin]

This new NHL is like watching paint dry. One giant hackfest yawner.

Give me the NFL or CFL any day.

 

[catman]

This new NHL is like watching paint dry. One giant hackfest yawner.

Give me the NFL or CFL any day.

To each their own but you're definitely in the minoirty of hockey fans on this one.

If you like the more physical/violent aspects of the game I would suggest taking up a senior league hockey game at a local arena.

 

[TenPenny]

This new NHL is like watching paint dry. One giant hackfest yawner.

Give me the NFL or CFL any day.

I'm not sure what it is that you're missing from the NHL these days. There's fast play, good passes, great shots on net, wonderful saves....maybe what you're missing is a 250 lb, 6-4inch moron beating the crap out of someone? Or a player hacking at somebody's knees, trying to end their career? If so, boxing or UFC is your sport. Hockey is about puck handling, skating, and shooting. There's plenty of that in the current game.

Football? That sport where play goes on for 10 seconds, then everybody stops, and stands around trying to decide what to do next? Then, the coach tells them what to do, because none of the "players" are bright enough to do it on their own, then the play goes for another 10 seconds. Repeat ad naseum. About as exciting as watching someone put up wallpaper.

 

[Kreskin]

I'm waiting for dresses to become official hockey gear. Maybe Toller Cranston can play in the new NHL.

 

[#juan]

I'm waiting for dresses to become official hockey gear. Maybe Toller Cranston can play in the new NHL.

He does already. He plays defence for the canucks under an assumed name.

 

[Kreskin]

I'm not sure what it is that you're missing from the NHL these days. There's fast play, good passes, great shots on net, wonderful saves....maybe what you're missing is a 250 lb, 6-4inch moron beating the crap out of someone? Or a player hacking at somebody's knees, trying to end their career? If so, boxing or UFC is your sport. Hockey is about puck handling, skating, and shooting. There's plenty of that in the current game.

Football? That sport where play goes on for 10 seconds, then everybody stops, and stands around trying to decide what to do next? Then, the coach tells them what to do, because none of the "players" are bright enough to do it on their own, then the play goes for another 10 seconds. Repeat ad naseum. About as exciting as watching someone put up wallpaper.

Hockey is about cycling ad nauseum in the corners until the referee decides someone was touched.

He does already. He plays defence for the canucks under an assumed name.

It wasn't just my imagination.

 

[mabudon]

I kind of like the direction the NHL is taking, too, I have seen more exciting games so far this year than I recall having seen last year (tho being a team specific kind of fellow, the team I am enjoying might have a LOT to do with that)

It has come a long way from the frustrating clutch-and-grab, trap style hockey of the mid 90's, and even tho I can agree that there seem to be a lot of kinda bogus calls, I think tweaking from fan input should get us a pretty solid product in the next few years

 

[#juan]

It wasn't just my imagination.

No it wasn't. If Toller ever scores a goal, he will do a double axel and a long spiral around the rink while blowing kisses at the crowd.

 

[TenPenny]

Hockey is about cycling ad nauseum in the corners until the referee decides someone was touched.

I'm not sure what you're watching, then, because that doesn't describe any of the games I've seen.

 

[Kreskin]

Are they scoring more goals than they did 15 or 20 years ago? It doesn't seem like it. I don't see any 92-goal season like Gretzky had any time soon. Today a 50 goal scorer gets a tickertape parade. 20 goal scorers get multi-year multi-million dollar contracts. A guy who can effectively hack it around in the neutral zone playing the trap or chip it off the boards out his own blue line is a star player.

The game is too mechanical for me. I can't remember the last time a saw a play that brought me out of my seat. Individual brilliance doesn't exist. Most goals are garbage goals, not even decent passing plays. I don't care how fast a guy can skate to the corner to cycle the puck.

The uniforms suck too. Try to picture in your mind the logos of Columbus, Buffalo, Phoenix, Atlanta etc etc. You can't. No originality. No branding. Just crap that can be flipped every couple of years to sell more jerseys.

Give me football anyday. Guys who have to make plays against opponents. Guys who are required to pound it through an opponent to have a chance to win, not chip it off the boards to call it a great shift. The passion seems to be leaving the game of hockey. You can't even stick check a guy without getting called by the refs, and even with the continuous march to the penalty box nothing really happens.

 

[TenPenny]

Give me football anyday. Guys who have to make plays against opponents. Guys who are required to pound it through an opponent to have a chance to win, not chip it off the boards to call it a great shift.

I love football players: Big guys who can jump on each other, don't have to think on their feet, and get to stop every 10 or 20 seconds for a team conference. Man, them guys are true athletes. A coach to tell them what to do, and if you're lucky, in the Stooperbowl, only 20 percent of the players have felony charges or records. Them's my heroes, fer sure.

"see that guy out there? when he has the ball, chase him and jump on him"
"okay, coach. after that, tell me what to do again"

That said, to each his own. I'm sure there's something to football, but I don't know what it is. Even watching it live, it has no appeal. To me. I've tried. It's about as dull as watching golf.

Me? I prefer games with some flow, speed, and action. Hockey the way it's meant to be. The players have to understand the game and the flow, and anticipate where the puck is going and figure out, on the fly, what 9 other skaters are going to do. That's hockey. Thugs? They should be in jail. Bertuzzi, for example. Bobbi Clarke. All those morons. I have no use for players like that.

 

[Kreskin]

Football is 100% thinking. It's all about out smarting, out thinking the opponent. It's like a very physical game of chess. I can appreciate it isn't for everyone.

I never thought I'd see the day when basketball would out tough hockey, but that day has arrived. Most of the penalties in hockey wouldn't be fouls in basketball.