The Good Ol' Hockey Game!!

[Matt_K]

Who says, 'more goals will attract more fans'.. I say let rival teams play one another more often, that will draw more fans.. I think the Edmonton fans have the date circled of the next time they play Atlanta!!

http://tsn.ca/images/stories/20040212/fight_3522.jpg

This took place last night, i will try and find some more pictures to share with you guy, that's just one of the 6 scrums that took place in the 3rd period.. What's even crazier, both goalies got tossed and Atlanta's backup for the game, was hurt, they had to finish the game with an empty net.. Man, do i love Hockey!!

[Ed_r]

See can't even have a nice well mannered Boxing match , without a Hockey game starting up.:p

[mrsogle]

I LOVE hockey. The best part is the fights. I ecspecially like the last 2 games of the NHL Stanley Cup finals those 2 games are generally brutal. My husband has a saying of "I was watching a fight and a hockey game broke out".

[foman]

What do u guys think about the new rules that might be implemented next year? I like most of them besides the goalies not allowowed to touch the puck(they should just be fair game when outta the net). i also would like to see the red line not in play for two line passes. that would definately open it up more.

[Scales Zoo]

How do 2 goalies get in a fight? I mean, it's not like they get much time up close to each other, from my limited knowledge of the game.

Ryan

[Big_V]

From the highlights I saw last nite both teams got in a huge brawl then the goalies moved out to centre ice and go to "TALKING" then just let the fists fly. And FOMAN those new rules are garbage. Leave the game the way it is, goalies not being able to play the puck is just weaker teams being mad that they dont have goalies like Brodeur and Belfour that play the puck really well. The game is fine. I personally like the way the game is played now. Whats next...goalies getting penalized for using the butterfly style....give me a break. IF anything go back to completely wooden sticks and kinda curve the technology thats going into the game and make it like it used to be.
Cheers,
Ryan

[Removed_2815]

Originally posted by Big_V
From the highlights I saw last nite both teams got in a huge brawl then the goalies moved out to centre ice and go to "TALKING" then just let the fists fly. And FOMAN those new rules are garbage. Leave the game the way it is, goalies not being able to play the puck is just weaker teams being mad that they dont have goalies like Brodeur and Belfour that play the puck really well. The game is fine. I personally like the way the game is played now. Whats next...goalies getting penalized for using the butterfly style....give me a break. IF anything go back to completely wooden sticks and kinda curve the technology thats going into the game and make it like it used to be.
Cheers,
Ryan
You must have seen/heard Eddie's comments last night.....;)
R

[Matt_K]

hahahah RMBolton, i was thinking the exact same thing when i read that, i was planning to reply with 'allow me to clean up that regurge from the Eagle'.. As for the new rules, some are good, some aren't so good.. Basically the NHL is trying to sell the game to the Americans, (please don't take that personally) remember the red trail behind the puck a couple years back?? It seems like every year attendence goes down in the American cities, so they have to do something to the game to bring the fans back, i guess that's causing more scoring chances.. I'm sure the game will have more chances, but if they keep this up, no one will want to watch.. 3 pts for a win and 2 pts for a tie?? C'mon now.. That's just insane, leave the game the way it was and should be.. Get rid of the instigator rule, no touch icings should be implemented and let rivals play more then 2-4 times a year.. I would love to see Ottawa/Toronto and Montreal/Toronto 8-10 times a year..

[Matt_K]

for those of you interested in checking this whole situation out, here's a link to view the video of the fights that took place..

http://dmsinger.escaped.net/cftemp001/040211_atlanta_edmonton.wmv

If that doesnt work, go to www.Hockeyfights.com and then go to videos.. :D

[Big Mike]

Even better than the goalies duking it out, was when one of the Oiler players, Mike Bishai, was wrestled into the Atlanta bench and then got up and laid a beating on the Atlanta player while he was still in the bench...That's worthy of the Hanson Brothers....or a lacrosse game.

As far as the proposed changes...I agree that something has to be done. I like the game and all but these trapping teams are killing the game and it would be too hard to just outlaw the trap so they have to find other means to help the game.

The goalie pads are a good point. If you look back at games in the early 80's...you can tell right away because there are no adds on the boards and the goalies look so very small.

As far as the goalies playing the puck...let them do it but take out the sissy rule...if they leave the crease to play the puck, they should be fair game. That would liven up the game ;)

[Matt_K]

Originally posted by Big Mike
As far as the goalies playing the puck...let them do it but take out the sissy rule...if they leave the crease to play the puck, they should be fair game. That would liven up the game ;)

I agree, the goalies should be fair game when they come out the hashmarks or end up in the corners, but if they made them fair game, you have to take out the instigator rule, then the games become just pure fun! :D

[DiamondDave]

Ratings in the U.S. for hockey are really low. Arena Football draws as many viewers as NHL hockey, and Curling is more watched!
As for the Motor City, WE LOVE OURS WINGS!! GO REDWINGS!
Watch out Colorado...

[ont_herper]

Ty Conklin is the man, I remember watching him fight a goalie when he played for the Hamilton Bulldogs. I wish I had of seen that game last night that third period was wild. That Edmonton player in the Atlanta bench was hilarious, you also gotta love Georges Laraqe hes a beast.

[tai_pan1]

I agree with Big Mike, and was going to post the same thing. If the goalies leave the crease they should be fair game just like anyone else. I like moving the goals closer to the end boards, and I think they should do away with the 2 line pass. With that said, the only one I'm adament about is making the goalies fair game.

I don't think the changes are because of ratings. If it was strictly for ratings, the NHL would encourage fighting. Fans love a good fight, just listen to the fans on that video! As a matter of fact they SHOULD get RID of the instigator penalty! That will allow teams to police themselves and reduce cheap shots from guys like Kasparitis and Domi..

As for the american ratings, I read an article earlier in the year, and next to NASCAR, the NHL had the largest tv growth in U.S. sports.

[Matt_K]

Originally posted by tai_pan1
As for the american ratings, I read an article earlier in the year, and next to NASCAR, the NHL had the largest tv growth in U.S. sports.

That's TV though.. Ever watched a New Jersey game on TV? Unless the fans are showing up to the games dressed as empty seats, the fan fare just isnt there anymore. And that's New Jersey, they draw larger crowds then teams such as NYI, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, Florida and a bunch of others.. There are very teams out there now turning a profit.. It's unfortunate that such a fast paced game as this, is falling off the radar to sports like Baseball.. i'm not knocking baseball, i just think of it as a sport that more people would rather play, then watch.

[Lisa]

I used to enjoy watching pro sports (mainly baseball and hockey) until so many players were refusing to play unless they made XXX amount of $$$ and entire leagues were going on strike. Now I find better ways to spend my entertainment $

[Big Mike]

The last stat I heard about NHL on American TV was that it gets about as many viewers as the pro bowling tour. If they counted the people who couldn't change the channel because they lost the remote in the couch...that would account for a "huge growth" in viewership.

The major US TV deals are up soon anyway. The NHL will not get as good a deal as they have now. ESPN may not even pick up NHL games.

[Big Mike]

Dose any of this really matter right now? The way things are going, there won't be any NHL games next year. What a mess.

Did you hear that recent report, it said the NHL owners lost over 1/4 billion dollars. And that did not take into account the two bankrupt teams (Pitt, Ott). Something like %75 of the costs are player salaries. That has to change.

Although, the Players ***. points out that teams know how to hide money. The Redwings for example, do not include food & drink revenue sold at games because that is filtered through a "separate company".

Bottom line is that the players make too much money. But the catch is that it's not their fault. It's the brain dead owners who are willing to sign the exorbitant contracts in the first place. Some superstars are worth a lot for various reasons. (they sell tickets) But once they sign for $5 million and then have a mediocre year, every regular Joe player will have their agent saying that they have as many points as that guy and want the same money.

Todd Marchant is making $3 000 000 for crying out loud.

Look at the NFL, it's the best run league. Salary cap, profit sharing etc. They had a strike/lockout and the owners won. The NHL had a strike and the players won...now look at the mess we are in.

I guess next fall, I'll have to find that backyard rink in Reddeer and watch those kids play for the Stanley Cup.

[DiamondDave]

I agree, we have 3 goalies, Dom Hasek, Curtis Joseph and Manny Legace and together they make 17.5 million a year. Just crazy, we can't get rid of Joseph cuz Dom has given up on the season, Now CuJO is out with an ankle sprain so Legace is playing! Where will it all end?

A salary cap is really the only way, too bad it's too late.

[Matt_K]

I think it's also time that the League looks at Bettman and decides what they're going to do about this guy.. Im my mind, he's not right for the job.. Also, some of these small market teams that can't turn a profit, they should start to think about moving them somewhere that they can.. For example, Pittsuburgh should be considering Winnipegs offer. Or perhaps think about moving em to Hamilton.. Atleast if they go there, they know the fan fare is there..