A list of things the NHL does well.

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

1) uh..

So that’s what I got, what about you?

Hockey is the best sport in the world and the talent has never been better, so of course I still love watching games. But I just wonder what exactly does the league itself do that you think is good.

Reffing, scheduling, rules, the website, DoPS, I have problems with all these things. None of them are good. So can anyone think of anything the league does well except increase franchise values? I know, literally execs’ jobs, but I’d say improving the actual product might help in that aim. Thoughts?

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[Melrose Munch]

...

Getting money?

 

[PeE eL DuBoiS]

Protecting it's own interest, and the interest of franchise owners, at the cost of integrity, transparency and the sport of hockey.

 

[983 others]

making sure it’s difficult to watch their games

 

[Fear]

NHL handles the Stanley Cup well. The trophy itself is iconic and the commissioner hands it to the Captain and its about the players. Compared to the NFL where I have to watch some billionaire owner (sorry, governor) take the trophy and talk about how great he is

 

[JoVel]

I'll come back to this when I can think of something.

 

[Chootoi]

I think the key thing here is context. In comparison to what? The NFL? Premiere League? Junior A hockey?

One thing I will say they have actually done well is kept up the prestige of the Stanley Cup. It is still probably the most prestigious trophy in sports despite actually being way down on the list in sport popularity. They have also haven't really tinkered with the playoff format like other sports (yet) aside from the seedings. But it's still 4 rounds of best of 7 and the hardest route to a championship.

 

[Copenhagen91]

It’s only a matter of time until the MLS passes the NHL in popularity in Canada and the US , if it hasn’t already

 

[GrandBison]

Making sure Quebec City stays an instant relocation option if required.

 

[HuGo Sham]

List:

 

[Bank Shot]

1) uh..

So that’s what I got, what about you?

Hockey is the best sport in the world and the talent has never been better, so of course I still love watching games. But I just wonder what exactly does the league itself do that you think is good.

Reffing, scheduling, rules, the website, DoPS, I have problems with all these things. None of them are good. So can anyone think of anything the league does well except increase franchise values? I know, literally execs’ jobs, but I’d say improving the actual product might help in that aim. Thoughts?

I think a lot of the rule changes since the lockout have made for a more entertaining product.

They got rid of the playstyle that resulted in many of the most talented players getting decapitated which was pretty prevalent in the 90s and early 2000s.

Clutch and grab is gone. Goalie gear shrinkage has forced teams to attack rather than just clog the zone and let teams shoot all day from the perimeter.

 

[NyQuil]

They must be doing something right if we are all here.

 

[Kent Nilsson]

They created a salary cap system that favors targeted markets’ growth perfectly.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

The hard cap. It’s refreshing to follow a sport in which ownership commitment is not a relevant talking point. Every team will spend when they are or expect to be good, at least. It’s all at the feet of managers.

 

[Kerberos]

Ensuring that the sport's footprint remains as small, exclusionary and insignifigant as possible.

All I got.

 

[nightonthesun]

Be woke, soft, and soypilled



Watching the games is as fun as it’s ever been, so, I dunno. That. The league is definitely afraid to change anything, but needs to address discipline and officiating as soon as possible. Fix internal issues, then worry about “growing the game”

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

getting rid of the 2 line pass?

I seriously thought I'd be able to come up with some things but am struggling. I'll keep thinking on it.

NHL handles the Stanley Cup well. The trophy itself is iconic and the commissioner hands it to the Captain and its about the players. Compared to the NFL where I have to watch some billionaire owner (sorry, governor) take the trophy and talk about how great he is

I do like that. Though even there it's gotten less exciting because there's so many cameras and crap on the ice the players don't skate laps with it like they used to handing it off from player to player.

Still good overall compared to other sports, but has gotten less exciting and more staged feeling.

 

[rubenflamshep]

The short-sightedness of the NHL and not allowing olympic participation has set the sport back years. Even my mom who is otherwise not a hockey fan remembers Sid's Golden Goal. Every hockey fan is worse off as a result of McDavid never having an equivalent opportunity.

 

[LeafGrief]

I don't even like watching the games any more. They stop every five minutes for ads, and then put gambling commercials between icings. The talking heads range from boring to awful, and are either neutral or outright hostile towards the Leafs. 80% of the games are against teams that I don't care about during a regular season that has no meaning beyond seedings for the tournament where the Leafs inevitably lose early and in embarrassing fashion.

I love hockey and I love the Leafs, but I tune in more to follow the story lines for fanbase drama than the actual sport nowadays. Junior games or the third period of the beer league game before mine is usually way more fun to watch than most NHL broadcasts. Every now and then you'll get a barn-burner of a Leafs game that brings back the magic, but those seem like they're fewer and further between.

The NHL sucks. This comment brought to you by SaltStick, the official slug-repellant of the NHL and Bet99, "give us your money you gullible f***s".

 

[The Flying Octopus]

I don't even like watching the games any more. They stop every five minutes for ads, and then put gambling commercials between icings. The talking heads range from boring to awful, and are either neutral or outright hostile towards the Leafs. 80% of the games are against teams that I don't care about during a regular season that has no meaning beyond seedings for the tournament where the Leafs inevitably lose early and in embarrassing fashion.

I love hockey and I love the Leafs, but I tune in more to follow the story lines for fanbase drama than the actual sport nowadays. Junior games or the third period of the beer league game before mine is usually way more fun to watch than most NHL broadcasts. Every now and then you'll get a barn-burner of a Leafs game that brings back the magic, but those seem like they're fewer and further between.

The NHL sucks. This comment brought to you by SaltStick, the official slug-repellant of the NHL and Bet99, "give us your money you gullible f***s".

Someone poop in your Java this morning ?

 

[Duder54]

They must be doing something right if we are all here.

I watch hockey in spite of the NHL. Not exactly a resounding endorsement.

 

[Strangle]

NHL handles the Stanley Cup well. The trophy itself is iconic and the commissioner hands it to the Captain and its about the players. Compared to the NFL where I have to watch some billionaire owner (sorry, governor) take the trophy and talk about how great he is

This is such an underrated part of the Stanley cup

Having the trophy handed to the captain who then hands it off while everyone is going nuts is such a pure and beautiful sporting moment.

The NHL does do this the best out of all major sports league. I agree

 

[Jetcetera]

The talking heads range from boring to awful, and are either neutral or outright hostile towards the Leafs.

I beg to differ. Canadian sports media always has the biggest hard on for the leafs

 

[Melrose Munch]

Anyone who thinks the NHL is well run should watch this:

 

[ricky0034]

name a major sports league that doesn't struggle with things like refs and player safety

i'll wait