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Just the Facts

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I wasn't meaning to sound like bettman. it's just something that I wanted and hoped others would want. eg. remember how excited everyone was when we hoped Toronto would play montreal in the Stanley cup final in 1992? that can't happen under the current playoff format. :(


Yeah I would like to see that too. They actually used to do it that way.... 1st in the east played 4 th in the west (would be 8th now), 2nd played 3rd etc. criss-crossing the divisions for the playoffs.

So you could have 1st of one conference play 8th of the other conference in the first round etc., then seed the winners to determine the remaining matchups in the next round. I think that would be more interesting than seeing so many of the same matchups every year.

 

Kreskin

Doctor of Thinkology
Feb 23, 2006
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I'd like to see icing the puck not only be disallowed during a penalty kill, it should become another penalty. I don't understand why a penalized team gets to do something the non-penalized team can't. I suppose they want less whistles but there would be less whistles if the couldn't ice it without getting another penalty. Lets make powerplays worth something on the score sheet.

I like 4 on 4 OT for playoffs. Even shootout. Should be same in playoffs as any other game.
 

Mowich

Hall of Fame Member
Dec 25, 2005
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I wasn't meaning to sound like bettman. it's just something that I wanted and hoped others would want. eg. remember how excited everyone was when we hoped Toronto would play montreal in the Stanley cup final in 1992? that can't happen under the current playoff format. :(


Sorry, Spam...............did not mean that you were parroting Betts at all...........simply meant that the little pin-head has such a death-grip on all things NHL that trying to change anything that he is not totally onside with would be all but impossible, IMHO. I too would like to see changes come about as far as the play-offs...........maybe if we lobby hard??? LOL!

 

talloola

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 14, 2006
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I came across this article while reading the Bleacher Report today. Would be interested to hear what other more informed hockey fans here have to say about possible changes. Comments anyone???

Rules changes the NHL should be looking at

By PJ Sapienza – June 13, 2012-06-13
NHL: Rule Changes the League Should Look Make | Bleacher Report

Eliminating offsides

Plain and simple, get rid of it. Many fans and non-fans of hockey complain about the lack of scoring. Opening up the entire ice at all times would greatly increase the scoring opportunities. Basketball is much more popular than hockey and the fast break is one of the more exciting plays in that game. Adding that element to hockey would be great for fans.

Also, with the league pressing for more player safety, opening up the middle of the ice should make it safer for the players. Currently the center of the ice tends to get clogged up. Many players get inured with bone-jarring hits in that area. Often the player is not looking or had just passed the puck in order to keep the team onsides.

Without offsides the ice would open up. Defenses would not be able to clog up the ice as much. The chances of clean fast breaks or odd man rushes would greatly increase. This means, at minimum, more scoring chances and likely more goals scored.

Let goalies play the puck

Remember when the goalie could handle the puck anywhere? It was always fun to see them skate too far out or really mess up handling the puck.

Limiting where a player can handle the puck when every other player can handle it everywhere is crazy. With the elimination of offsides it will have the goalie thinking twice before venturing too far away from the goal and if they do the chances of a spectacular play, for either side, are greatly improved.

Carry-over penalties

Officials have discussed this one already and look to come back to it in the future. While in the TSN article, the rule is aimed more towards the playoffs, it should be used the entire season.

The cheap shot or message sending type of hits that tend to occur late in a game, once the outcome is in hand, would have a carryover penalty. Ideally this would help prevent players who are losing from going after another player.

If they did then the penalty would carry over to the next game. Not all penalties should have this level of punishment. A simple hooking penalty for example should not. Any harsher penalty should be reviewed after the game to determine if it meets a “cheap shot” penalty.

The TSN article points to Shea Weber and the postgame face plant he put on Henrik Zetterberg. Under such a rule, Weber would have started the next game in the penalty box.

The only issue would be at what point in the game could penalties become a carryover? Obviously any penalty that cannot be served during the game would be included. Getting a two minute penalty with 30 seconds to go could be a carryover if it fails a review.

In order to prevent the cheap shots the time frame would need to be extended. All penalties in the last five minutes would be reviewable for a possible carryover. Remember the goal of this rule is to prevent the cheap shots or supposed ‘message sending’ plays. Theses plays have injured players. If a longer penalty is a possibility than hopefully players will think twice.

Four-on-four overtime

Detroit Red Wings GM Ken Holland has already brought up the idea of three-on-three hockey for overtime.

As discussed here his plan is to play four-on-four over the first five minutes of the playoffs, then switch to three-on-three if the score is still tied for another five minutes. If after those ten minutes the score is still tied then they would to a shootout.
Instead of that, the overtime should remain four-on-four but for a full 10 minutes. If the league wants to get away from shootouts then it should take away the automatic point for making it to overtime. This would keep the pressure up and should keep teams attacking more without the safety net of one point in the standings.

They could look into giving a point to each team for making it to the shootout but that is a small detail of the plan. More overtime means more hockey and that is a good thing.

The shootout is still good. It is an exciting way to end a game but it does happen a little too often, which has made the overtime period five minutes of boredom.

Allow buzzers beaters

While it does not happen often, it does happen and changing this rule could add another scoring element and increase the possibility of an exciting play.

Currently when a period is over the whistle is dead where it lies. Instead it should travel to the end of its path. By that I mean if a player gets a shot off before the clock runs out then it gets to complete the shot. This means hitting an ending point.
Much like basketball, where a player can make that last second shot or in football where once the ball is snapped the play can be completed, hockey needs a similar rule.

Since deflections are such a part of hockey that will need to be ironed out. Ideally the puck is not dead until it either hits the boards, scores or a player has control of it. This would mean a blue line shot as time expired could still bounce off a goalie or be redirected but a player could not reset or smack it in a rebound.

I think eliminating the offsides is ludicrous.
I like the 4 on 4 overtime, 3 on 3, no, too easy for
one team to keep the puck for too long, too much room, but I like the idea that no team gets any point until a winner is declared, then winner gets 2 other team
0. lets just win the game or not, nothng in between.
don't care if goalies can play the puck inside
that zone or not, they might as well, because now they skate along in front of it anyway, so they might as
well skate inside it, so just take it away and have it as it was before.
Hate that buzzer beater idea, the buzzer goes, 'its over', period, no tricky little additions, the officials
have a hard enough time as it is keeping up with the play, don't give them anything else to do.
It would create too many planned shots toward the goalie with fraction of second left to create confusion
when buzzer does go, so forget it, very silly.
 
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Mowich

Hall of Fame Member
Dec 25, 2005
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I think eliminating the offsides is ludicrous.
I like the 4 on 4 overtime, 3 on 3, no, too easy for
one team to keep the puck for too long, too much room, but I like the idea that no team gets any point until a winner is declared, then winner gets 2 other team
0. lets just win the game or not, nothng in between.
don't care if goalies can play the puck inside
that zone or not, they might as well, because now they skate along in front of it anyway, so they might as
well skate inside it, so just take it away and have it as it was before.
Hate that buzzer beater idea, the buzzer goes, 'its over', period, no tricky little additions, the officials
have a hard enough time as it is keeping up with the play, don't give them anything else to do.
It would create too many planned shots toward the goalie with fraction of second left to create confusion
when buzzer does go, so forget it, very silly.

I like the idea of letting the goalie play the puck too, talloola..........could make for some interesting plays. Also like the 4 on4 very much for the same reasons you do. Had to scratch my head over the buzzer beater one as it made little sense to me but your explanation really makes it sound like a silly idea. Thanks for your comments.

Would really like to read somewhere that the refs are going back to school to learn how better to call the penalties in games. There were so many times both during reg season and the play-offs that the bad calls or no-calls made a difference in the outcome of the game.
I read that Bernier will not face any further discipline from Shannie - good call as he does not have a history and the game suspension was more than enough for the bad hit, IMHO. Also read that the Rangers and the Wild are really trying to get Parise from the Devils though Zack has stated CLEARLY that he has no interest in going to the Rangers.
 

talloola

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 14, 2006
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I like the idea of letting the goalie play the puck too, talloola..........could make for some interesting plays. Also like the 4 on4 very much for the same reasons you do. Had to scratch my head over the buzzer beater one as it made little sense to me but your explanation really makes it sound like a silly idea. Thanks for your comments.

Would really like to read somewhere that the refs are going back to school to learn how better to call the penalties in games. There were so many times both during reg season and the play-offs that the bad calls or no-calls made a difference in the outcome of the game.
I read that Bernier will not face any further discipline from Shannie - good call as he does not have a history and the game suspension was more than enough for the bad hit, IMHO. Also read that the Rangers and the Wild are really trying to get Parise from the Devils though Zack has stated CLEARLY that he has no interest in going to the Rangers.

and bernier did sit out the rest of the game, so that is more penalty in itself.
sure hope parise doesn't go to rangers, minnesota are also wanting him, and that is his home area, so
maybe that will happen, but so many teams will bid for him, he probably will be confused as to where he goes.
 
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spaminator

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Oct 26, 2009
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look at the 3:30 part of the video.

:lol:

NBC.com Video Widget

did anyone look at the video?
:(
 

talloola

Hall of Fame Member
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well the answer just came thru, as suter and parise have just signed with minnesota, yes, both of them.

the two top free agents in the NHL at this point, and they have just given minnesota the jolt in the arm

needed for some time.

I am very excited by this signing, as this is our north west division, which has been very weak of late,

and now that will change, and I love what these two players have done.

They have brought more parity into the league, it is alive and well, and I am lovin the fact that the

canucks will have to perk up, take notice and realize that their dominance of the division is coming to

an end, as both minnesota and edmonton are coming like gangbusters and this division will be much

better.

suter and parise would have made huge money whereever they landed, and I a have respect for them to

choose to give their 'own' a shot in the arm.

minnesota was dragging behind big time, now no more.

they both were coaxed by many other teams, teams which are strong and cup contenders,

but they turned their back to an easy trip with a very highly rated team, and

signed with a team they both can 'help' to the top.

good luck to them
 
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Mowich

Hall of Fame Member
Dec 25, 2005
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well the answer just came thru, as suter and parise have just signed with minnesota, yes, both of them.

the two top free agents in the NHL at this point, and they have just given minnesota the jolt in the arm

needed for some time.

I am very excited by this signing, as this is our north west division, which has been very weak of late,

and now that will change, and I love what these two players have done.

They have brought more parity into the league, it is alive and well, and I am lovin the fact that the

canucks will have to perk up, take notice and realize that their dominance of the division is coming to

an end, as both minnesota and edmonton are coming like gangbusters and this division will be much

better.

suter and parise would have made huge money whereever they landed, and I a have respect for them to

choose to give their 'own' a shot in the arm.

minnesota was dragging behind big time, now no more.

they both were coaxed by many other teams, teams which are strong and cup contenders,

but they turned their back to an easy trip with a very highly rated team, and

signed with a team they both can 'help' to the top.

good luck to them

Oh man..................this is huge news, talloola........................was kind of hoping Zack might stick with the Devil's as I came to really like the team during the play-offs but this is great news for Minnesota - good on them - not one of the hottest players but two of them - way to Wild!

Off to listen to what Team 1040 is saying about this...................thanks so much for the update!
 

talloola

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 14, 2006
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well I don't know, the gm s have finally and totally lost their ever lovin minds.

paul holmgren, gm for the philladelphia flyers, has sent 'shae weber' of the nashville predators a

'14 year one hundred and ten million dollar contract' by way of an 'offer sheet'.
nashville now have 'one' week to either match the offer or walk away from it, and let weber go to

philly, and in return they will receive '4 first round draft picks'.

Now, 4 first round draft picks sounds pretty good, BUT if philly finishes near the top for the next

four years, those picks would not be very high at all, probably 25th or even higher, so not really

that much compensation.

an offer sheet can be sent to a 'restricted free agent' at a certain time, going into the last year
of the players contract.

the general managers whine and cry because players make too much money, THEN they
continue to make moves like 'this' one, total insanity.
shae weber had nothing to do with this offer, or the amount of money contained in
it, he is property of the nashville predators, and cannot negotiate or talk to
any other team about contracts.
An offer sheet is a 'legal' move, a rule in the NHL.
 

Mowich

Hall of Fame Member
Dec 25, 2005
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well I don't know, the gm s have finally and totally lost their ever lovin minds.

paul holmgren, gm for the philladelphia flyers, has sent 'shae weber' of the nashville predators a

'14 year one hundred and ten million dollar contract' by way of an 'offer sheet'.
nashville now have 'one' week to either match the offer or walk away from it, and let weber go to

philly, and in return they will receive '4 first round draft picks'.

Now, 4 first round draft picks sounds pretty good, BUT if philly finishes near the top for the next

four years, those picks would not be very high at all, probably 25th or even higher, so not really

that much compensation.

an offer sheet can be sent to a 'restricted free agent' at a certain time, going into the last year
of the players contract.

the general managers whine and cry because players make too much money, THEN they
continue to make moves like 'this' one, total insanity.
shae weber had nothing to do with this offer, or the amount of money contained in
it, he is property of the nashville predators, and cannot negotiate or talk to
any other team about contracts.
An offer sheet is a 'legal' move, a rule in the NHL.

I almost posted something about this yesterday too, talloola...........glad you decided to go ahead.

Ludicrous is what came to mind when I heard about this on TSN. As you so rightly pointed out the NHL and the Players Assoc are in the midst of talks about revenue sharing and the owners are crying poverty or something very like then one of them goes ahead and makes this offer to Shea. I think it stinks and I would bet some of the more sane owners are furious about the timing.

Poile is under a lot of pressure now and whatever he does will live with the team for a very long time. I heard Shea's agent say that had Suiter not gone to the Wild things would be different but with him gone, Shea is ready to move on too.

Another topic .........but are you watching any of the British Open?
 

talloola

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 14, 2006
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I almost posted something about this yesterday too, talloola...........glad you decided to go ahead.

Ludicrous is what came to mind when I heard about this on TSN. As you so rightly pointed out the NHL and the Players Assoc are in the midst of talks about revenue sharing and the owners are crying poverty or something very like then one of them goes ahead and makes this offer to Shea. I think it stinks and I would bet some of the more sane owners are furious about the timing.

Poile is under a lot of pressure now and whatever he does will live with the team for a very long time. I heard Shea's agent say that had Suiter not gone to the Wild things would be different but with him gone, Shea is ready to move on too.

Another topic .........but are you watching any of the British Open?

If I was Poile I would let him go, take those 4 draft picks, and move on, but the media are yapping away
that the nashville fans would turn their back on him if he lets him go, but as a nashville fan I would
cringe watching him spend that kind of money, He would get 28 million in the first year alone, with
the bonus added, insane.

I love the british open, my favourite major, I watch as much as I can. Adam Scott is putting on a clinic
right, and with that beautiful swing he is a picture to watch.
Tiger is right there too, and if adam stays ahead much longer, we will see tiger unleash agression and
start going for it, just to try and catch him.

I would love to go to the briths open some day, but of course the british scoul at the 'british' thing,
It is called 'The Open' to them, the original open and doesn't need any identification.
 

Mowich

Hall of Fame Member
Dec 25, 2005
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If I was Poile I would let him go, take those 4 draft picks, and move on, but the media are yapping away
that the nashville fans would turn their back on him if he lets him go, but as a nashville fan I would
cringe watching him spend that kind of money, He would get 28 million in the first year alone, with
the bonus added, insane.

I love the british open, my favourite major, I watch as much as I can. Adam Scott is putting on a clinic
right, and with that beautiful swing he is a picture to watch.
Tiger is right there too, and if adam stays ahead much longer, we will see tiger unleash agression and
start going for it, just to try and catch him.

I would love to go to the briths open some day, but of course the british scoul at the 'british' thing,
It is called 'The Open' to them, the original open and doesn't need any identification.

David Poile is truly between a rock and a hard place, talloola..........damned if does, damned if he doesn't. Really 'in your face' of Paul Holmgren to put this offer out there tho' I don't blame Shea for signing the letter of intent - any sane player would do the same. Will be very interesting to see how this plays out in the short and the long term.

I always try to catch the British Open too, talloola..............am watching right now. Tiger is hanging in there ............... not a fan anymore as he still angers me when he shows his angst...........but you can't fault him for his playing when he is 'on his game' which he appears to be so far.
 

shadowshiv

Dark Overlord
May 29, 2007
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I personally cannot wait for the new CBA to be ratified(whenever that will occur). I want these long front-loaded contracts to be a thing of the past. I actually agree that a maximum contract of five years is a good thing. Less circumvention of the salary cap that way. Contracts like the ones given to Luongo, Di Pietro, Hossa, Weber, etc., are just ridiculous!
 

Mowich

Hall of Fame Member
Dec 25, 2005
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Eagle Creek
I personally cannot wait for the new CBA to be ratified(whenever that will occur). I want these long front-loaded contracts to be a thing of the past. I actually agree that a maximum contract of five years is a good thing. Less circumvention of the salary cap that way. Contracts like the ones given to Luongo, Di Pietro, Hossa, Weber, etc., are just ridiculous!

Agreed in full, Shadow...............locking a player into a deal that will see him playing with the same team for what seems like forever... is, to me, unfair to both the team and the player.

I love hockey but no one, and I mean not one of the players is truly worth the amounts that are being paid now just to get them. Most of the really good players would play for a lot less to just to be able to compete in the game they love but the way things are now, why not go for the Golden Goose whenever you can.

Probably one of the reasons I love the CFL so much. Our guys play for so much less than the NFL but they play just as good a game and to me at least, with a lot more heart considering what they make. Just saying.
 

talloola

Hall of Fame Member
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I personally cannot wait for the new CBA to be ratified(whenever that will occur). I want these long front-loaded contracts to be a thing of the past. I actually agree that a maximum contract of five years is a good thing. Less circumvention of the salary cap that way. Contracts like the ones given to Luongo, Di Pietro, Hossa, Weber, etc., are just ridiculous!

yeah, I want to see those contracts end as well, the NHL and managers all worked to keep the salaries
as low as they can, then they compete with each other to get players, and forget what their intent was
when they had those meetings to set limits.
Then they hire lawyers to play around with the rules and find ways to twist them around without being
illegal, and that is what they did with this 'front end' loading contracts, and the managers grabbed
on to that trick and ran with it.

Now with the beginning of CBA negotions the NHL are lowballing right off the top, and immediately make
themselves enemies of the players association.
One would think in this age, 'that' style of negotiations would be a thing of the past, and the first
offers would be a little more moderate, so that it doesn't get the backs up on the other side, and of
course 'now' they will come back asking too much, and that causes all of this to drag on and on, and
create work stoppages.

Why can't common sense ever enter into these situations.h
 

shadowshiv

Dark Overlord
May 29, 2007
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The main problem I have with these front-loaded contracts is that it is only able to be done due to a loophole in the current CBA. I guarantee that the next CBA will have that loophole sealed nice and tight.

I wonder what these GMs are thinking? They complain about the salaries that are being made, and then offer these super-long contracts(when the majority of the players will be long past their prime!).
 

Mowich

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Just read that Nashville matched the Flyer's offer to Shea.........no word yet on what Shea will do now.

In their announcement today the Predator's stated:

"As the organization analyzed the overall situation and worked toward a conclusion, the decision boiled down to three questions: Was Shea Weber the individual that this franchise wanted to lead our team, a team that would compete for the Stanley Cup every year, for the next 14 years? Would matching the offer sheet be in the best long-term interest of the team and organization? Would a decision not to match the offer sheet send a negative message to current Predators players and other NHL organizations, a message that the Predators would only go so far to protect its best players and be pushed around by teams with 'deep pockets?' The answer to each of the above questions is clearly yes."

Predators match Flyers' 14-year, $110M offer sheet for Weber
 

talloola

Hall of Fame Member
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Just read that Nashville matched the Flyer's offer to Shea.........no word yet on what Shea will do now.

In their announcement today the Predator's stated:

"As the organization analyzed the overall situation and worked toward a conclusion, the decision boiled down to three questions: Was Shea Weber the individual that this franchise wanted to lead our team, a team that would compete for the Stanley Cup every year, for the next 14 years? Would matching the offer sheet be in the best long-term interest of the team and organization? Would a decision not to match the offer sheet send a negative message to current Predators players and other NHL organizations, a message that the Predators would only go so far to protect its best players and be pushed around by teams with 'deep pockets?' The answer to each of the above questions is clearly yes."

Predators match Flyers' 14-year, $110M offer sheet for Weber

YUP, they matched. Mike Gillis was co hosting on team 1040 the other day, and he figured that they
would match, said they had to protect the franchise and keep it strong, and nashville had said that
they would match any teams'term' in an offer, so it was just making sure they could match the money.

That much money is mind boggling, but after the CBA settlement, I wonder if that is the last we will
see of that type of contract, not the money, but the term.

And Rick Nash is now a ranger, columbus settled for less than they actually wanted all along, but I
guess they were getting tired of the dragging on, so did settle, but they did get good players but
not a top 6 from the rangers.