Official NHL thread?

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I think the casual US fan only notices two things about the NHL-- a buttload of scoring, and the fights.

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That's one thing that I don't understand... the NHLs obsession with getting rid of fighting.

The vast majority of hockey fans love the fighting. A stadium lights up when one happens.

Now I don't think that the fighting should take place of the game itself, but I think that for most it's an attractive aspect of the game.

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The fact that Americans seem to prefer sports with more scoring led to the rule changes we have now, and the emergence of a new breed of dominant player like you mentioned.

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I don't think that it's specifically an American thing.

Lot's of Canadians that I knew, for quite a long time complained about all the clutching and grabbing going on. It became particularly vile in the 90's when it was taken to the limit and beyond. I can remember skill players like Mario Lemieux basically being tackled on open ice. And if the game went into overtime?!? Fawget-abowd-it... there would be no call unless a player was basically decapitated. In short... I think everyone who watched the NHL was sick of it. And that type of hockey did nothiong to sell the game.

The equipment sizes became obnoxious as well. I remember Craig Ludwig of the Dallas Stars wearing extra wide knee/shin pads to block extra shots with. And I remember Ed Belfour of the Stars running a string from his waist up through his sleeve and connecting to his wrist to make his jersey flare out when he lifted his arms. Those types of laterations were an aberation to the game... NOT the way that it was intended... but they were not enforced.

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I like watching this type of player, but I don't want a league full of them. Gimme the tough, checking forwards and bruising defenseman (the ones who actually play defense) to go along with the undersized speedsters, and you have a nicely balanced product.

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In the new NHL, I think that there are two types of players who have become a premium who weren't quite so much in the old system:

1. A dedicated defensive forward. One who knows how to shadow the other teams top players without taking penalties... SMART defensive play. Guys like Mike Peca have become important in a league that is geared towards offense and easier to call penalties.

2. A good checking defenseman (like the old Scott Stevens of old). Dion Phaneuf of Calgary is a perfect example. Guys who have a knack for being able to check cleanly... even in open ice. Gone are the days of the football "wrapup" tackle. As a checker, you have to have skill to catch guys with a legal hit. Big checks can turn games around. They initimidate the other team. Players who can do this now and not get penalized are at a premium.

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I just don't want the game to get wimpy for the sake of more scoring.

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Me neither.

And for the mostpart, I don't think that it has.

The focus on reducing the fighting kind of irks me (i.e. more dives, and more gutless stickwork... let the players police themselves), but I see that the game is faster than ever... with lots of blood... and guys still pick their teeth up off the ice and continue playing.

I used to love hockey when it was fun to watch. This stupid dumbed-down version is just...well, not fun to watch anymore. I love the old physical style hockey not the stupid puck fairy style of play.

You should watch some playoff games then, you wouldn't be disappointed. The regular season had it's moments like you described, but things are looking much more like how I remember them now that it's in the post season. And no shootouts!!

Nothing in sports is tougher than a run to the cup, the teams that don't bring the grit won't make it. The refs aren't ruining everything either, surprising as that sounds.

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Originally Posted by Snakespy

I used to love hockey when it was fun to watch. This stupid dumbed-down version is just...well, not fun to watch anymore. I love the old physical style hockey not the stupid puck fairy style of play.

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I agree with you on the physical stuff. But i don't know how you can say hockey isn't physical anymore. At least as far as watching the playoffs, it's as physical as ever. Though IU;'m not a hockey fan, though i really don't see how there can be more contact than right now.

Now, there weren't many regular season games to watch on TV, but compared to the ones I watched, the playoffs look more physical for sure. The one odd thing, as previously mentioned, is that the refs seem to stop any chance of a fight real quick.

Also, great game yesterday by the Wings. Having Holmstrom back makes a big difference.

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Originally Posted by Spank_Me_Hard

That's one thing that I don't understand... the NHLs obsession with getting rid of fighting.

The vast majority of hockey fans love the fighting. A stadium lights up when one happens.

Now I don't think that the fighting should take place of the game itself, but I think that for most it's an attractive aspect of the game.

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I agree, it's confusing that the league would do anything to curtail fighting since pretty much everyone likes it. There are people who wouldn't even watch hockey if it weren't for the fights.

Besides, enforcers have to be able to stick up for the non-physical players or the other team's pests will just run them into the boards all day. As mentioned, certain players' mere presence can keep another team honest in that regard. No one in their right mind would want Laraque or Godard or Brashear coming after them.

What the league really needs to do is get rid of the stupid instigator penalty.
It's BS to tack on penalty minutes for being the first to drop the gloves. The real instigator is usually the dirty player who never fights, and just skates off while the heavyweights get into it.

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Originally Posted by r'aggro

Besides, enforcers have to be able to stick up for the non-physical players or the other team's pests will just run them into the boards all day. As mentioned, certain players' mere presence can keep another team honest in that regard. No one in their right mind would want Laraque or Godard or Brashear coming after them.

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I still remember quite some time ago when the Ducks were playing Chicago (I think). Paul Kariya scored a game winning goal and had his arms raised in celebration. Gary Suter cross checked him in the mouth with his stick... HARD. Kariya had a major concussion. Missed the rest of the season and missed being on Team Canada for the '98 Olympics.

At the time, the Ducks were trying to put a "family friendly" product on the ice... so they had no enforcer on the team. There was a bit of pushing and shoving after the incident, but Gary Suter pretty much got away with it.

Like you said, he would have thought twice about it if the Ducks had a guy like Laraque (who I am PISSED at Edmonton for letting go) who is a constant threat to met out justice.

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What the league really needs to do is get rid of the stupid instigator penalty. It's BS to tack on penalty minutes for being the first to drop the gloves.

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I agree.

How many times have we seen a big puss goad a guy into dropping his gloves and then just skate away? That goes against every fiber of being in any true hockey player of fan. The ultimate puss move.

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The real instigator is usually the dirty player who never fights, and just skates off while the heavyweights get into it.

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Theo Fleury comes to mind. I don't know how many fights I saw Fleury get started just to skate off as the actual contestants battled it out. In fact, when he was with the Rangers I remember one of the Ranger announcers comment on it as some Ranger got his head handed to him in a fight all on Fleury's behalf.

Kirk Maltby and Sean Avery currently come to mind.

Heh, Avery is a bastard. Besides being a top-notch pest, he's also playing pretty good hockey this year. He also turtles and runs from a scrap after he starts trouble--god I hate that guy with a passion. He's like the new Claude Lemieux or something.:D

ps:

Hey rangers and devils--enjoy golf season!!

Lemieux was awesome. One of the best enforcers ever. Just a few days ago i was watching old games with the Avs vs. Red Wings. Man, sport dont get any better than what those games used to be like.
I also watched a few clips of the Stever Moore/Bertuzzi incident. Bertuzzi should be in jail. That bastard i hate him with a passion more than any other hockey player. Man, good stuff. I get chills in my spine even thinking about Granato would have done to Crawford if he made it to the Canucks bench.

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Originally Posted by Snakespy

Lemieux was awesome. One of the best enforcers ever.

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Well he can't really be classified as an enforcer, since it wasn't his job to beat on anyone. His job was to harass and annoy the other teams top forwards, and he was plenty good at that. He was tough for sure, but not a fighter.

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Originally Posted by r'aggro

Well he can't really be classified as an enforcer, since it wasn't his job to beat on anyone. His job was to harass and annoy the other teams top forwards, and he was plenty good at that. He was tough for sure, but not a fighter.

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Yea... different role altogether... pest.

And VERY good at it.

My personal favorite (with absolutely zero bias at all :) ) was Esa Tikkanen. Reduced the normally ice cold Great One to a raging inferno.

And a clutch goal scorer to boot.

Homlstrom is single handedly bringing the wings back into this series. I hate to admit it but since he's been back the Wings goal production has skyrocketed. I'm a huge sharks fan, just look at my handle here and you will understand, but if they don't stop acting like little girls they will be eliminated tonight. If that happens then this season will be a a relative failure.

Also, I am going to come out and say that Marleau needs to step it the hell up; he has no goals this series. Last year he had 6 goals in the first round alone. Right now we need the Guerin/Marleau/Michalek to step it up a notch or two.

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Originally Posted by Nabby

Homlstrom is single handedly bringing the wings back into this series. I hate to admit it but since he's been back the Wings goal production has skyrocketed. I'm a huge sharks fan, just look at my handle here and you will understand, but if they don't stop acting like little girls they will be eliminated tonight. If that happens then this season will be a a relative failure.

Also, I am going to come out and say that Marleau needs to step it the hell up; he has no goals this series. Last year he had 6 goals in the first round alone. Right now we need the Guerin/Marleau/Michalek to step it up a notch or two.

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agreed, in fact i made this pic to show my displeasure:

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/5...leauredto4.jpg

In fact I was talking to my friend and this might be too late, but I said Wilson should make someone else captain, either Thornton or Grier, and maybe that would wake Marleau up.

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Homlstrom is single handedly bringing the wings back into this series. I hate to admit it but since he's been back the Wings goal production has skyrocketed.

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Holmstrom is one of those guys that is very valuable, but his value will rarely show up on the stat sheet.

Every team needs a guy like him who is willing to park himself in front of the net and create problems.

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Also, I am going to come out and say that Marleau needs to step it the hell up; he has no goals this series. Last year he had 6 goals in the first round alone. Right now we need the Guerin/Marleau/Michalek to step it up a notch or two.

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Marleau is a skilled player. But he seems to go in spurts. Feast or famine with him. I don't think that he's a bad player... he's just inconsistent.

When he is on, he is HOT!

As for Guerin, he had been out with a facial injury. Seeming how guys play with missing teeth after getting hit in the mouth or stiched up looking like Frankenstein I have no idea how bad this injury could possibly be to keep him out.

Other teams have had attitude problems with Guerin and I can't help but wonder if this falls into one of those categories.

I'm really surprised at SJ. They had the tools to win this series, but didn't use them. A team like D has to be pushed around and intimidated to get the best of them, and with a team full of physical players SJ just didn't know what to do.

It won't matter anyway, the Ducks are probably too much for anyone.


btw, if you Shark fans don't want Marleau we'll take him. Philly is getting a new first line center for next year either way, and I'd rather it were him than Briere.