Any hockey fans?

[naturalselection]

I am relatively new to DU.

Guesses on when they formerly announce a new CBA?
I figure later this week, Thursday.

What rules changes would you like to see this next year?
OT shootouts, etc?

Oh ya, we are Stars fans, Modano fans, and Guy Carbonneau fans (yes, I know, he is retired, but works in the Stars front office) in our house and last winter was a long! winter.

Cheers!

[SixStrings]

1. Get rid of 10-12 teams.

That would be a good start. The rest would take care of itself.

[kick-ass-bob]

14. That's a great way to expand the fan base.

The rest would take care of itself?
Yeah - the NHL would become even more of a niche than it already is - losing more money/TV contracts, etc and hasten its journey into insignificance.

That's how it would take care of itself.

[Oreo]

2. Yup

Welcome to DU!

I've seen quite a few fans on DU. They've been understandably quiet over the last year though.

I hope they get something signed soon. I'm interested to see what happens with the draft. They should do an unweighted lottery for draft order. I'd love to see Crosby in a Wild sweater!

As for rule changes. I'd love to see the red line gone before anything else is changed.

[naturalselection]

5. Yes

I agree, no red lines.
I think they need to make physical changes to the league, in other words, make changes to the rink. When the league tries to enforce playing rules, it always fades as the season moves along and we are back to "grab and hold" hockey.

[LisaM]

3. Get rid of the Nascar teams

Get rid of the neutral zone trap.

No OT shootouts.

Give Stevie Y. one more year to play.

GO WINGS.

[kick-ass-bob]

15. Why does everyone think dumping teams is the answer?

Do you know how may people transplant from the north into these "NASCAR cities"?

[Telly Savalas]

16. In particular, isn't Dallas a financially successful franchise?

Rather than hastily calling for contraction, I think it'd be useful to analyze why the NHL was successful in some non-traditional markets.

That said, if the league insists on keeping financially struggling teams in the league, why not have them in places where people are passionate about the game like Winnipeg and Quebec City?

[devilgrrl]

17. Talent reasons...

expansion has caused - IMHO - a depleted talent pool. I'm sorry, I agree with Brett Hull in that 75% of NHL players have NO business playing in the NHL. :shrug:

[CheckyPantz]

4. O Magical Day

What a day it would be
For the NHL to come back to me
Oh, too see
The Silent E
(or anything, really
besides old tapes from 2000 playoffs)
Oh, Bettman
Oh, Players
End the tragedy
And bring my Flyers back to me!

[Telly Savalas]

6. This article gives the sense that it will be soon...

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=130180&hubName=nhl

I'm not too hip to the idea of an overtime shootout. Don Cherry once said it would be like if in football they broke ties by having the QB's toss the ball through a hanging tire. (He may be a caveman on a lot of issues, but he's dead on with this.) The 5 minute 4-on-4 overtime is just fine. If a game ends in a 2-2 draw, so be it. The fact neither team earned a W didn't make the 65 minutes of play any less exciting.

I'd just like to see them call the damn rulebook as it's written already. That action alone would open up the game and lead to more scoring chances. Maybe add no-touch icing too.

Looking forward to the deal getting done though, cause the soap opera of free agent signings and teams trying to get under the cap promises to be really entertaining.

Welcome to DU! Cheers. :toast:

[LisaM]

7. Why does Bettman still have a job?

Is there anyone who can fire him? Once the TV contract went away, he should have gotten the boot.

[Oreo]

9. True

When it does come back, those outside of NHL markets (or in Chicago ;))are going to be screwed for coverage. There might be one or 2 nationally televised games a week at most.

I kinda like it that way though. I don't need national acceptance to know this is the best sport ever played.


Jesus shoots... HE SCORES!!!

[1gobluedem]

8. I heard this weekend

That they're shrinking goalies' pads to encourage more scoring, the theory being that more scoring will make hockey 'more exciting' to attract more fans, apparently those who can't watch the games with any degree of intelligence. Big mistake I think. Half the fun is watching the defense -- just like in football.

[Oreo]

10. Next thing you know....

they'll put a glowing thing around the puck so you can follow it better :puke:

[LisaM]

11. True, but remember Wah Wah Crybaby Wah

he looked like the Michelin man in his illegal pads.

[SixStrings]

12. I like that idea

Look at a pic of a goalie in the mid 80's and one from recently - quite a difference. This will definitley pick up scoring.
They should also just bite the bullet and convert every rink to Olympic or international size. They're just isn't enough room out there anymore. A little more space and the talented players can make those defensize drones irrelevant in a few seasons.

[devilgrrl]

18. Let's do a comparison :-)

1970's: Philadelphia Flyers great Bernie Parent


2000's: Current New Jersey Devils great Martin Brodeur

[MrSlayer]

13. I'd like to see the league reduced and the instigator rule removed.

No shootouts, no removal of the red line, no further bastardization of the game. They need to go back to where they were in the 80's not further along the road of trapping destruction or raping the game of it's core elements. This was a great game when only the most elite athletes with the most heart could play it.