Andreas Lilja

[Henkka]

This is no news. You can't take all the contact accidents out from the game anyhow. Accidents will always happen, players can't put inside a bubble plastic.

But, with changing some equipment you could reduce those accidents. You don't have to change the sport, just make changes to reduce those problem makers like shoulder pads, which are kind of obvious.

Also, you can reduce intentional and totally unneeded dangerous plays. Like hitting from behind against the boards. Those kind of situations, where player can't prepare anyhow for it should be misconducts and 5 game suspensions automaticly. Blind-side hits etc. When players start losing money, they evolve. The bearhug comes back etc. Hits which will come in front are fine. The has to be that element on the game. The possibility that someone will hit. And how to make it clean.

 

[Winger98]

This is no news. You can't take all the contact accidents out from the game anyhow. Accidents will always happen, players can't put inside a bubble plastic.

But, with changing some equipment you could reduce those accidents. You don't have to change the sport, just make changes to reduce those problem makers like shoulder pads, which are kind of obvious.

Also, you can reduce intentional and totally unneeded dangerous plays. Like hitting from behind against the boards. Those kind of situations, where player can't prepare anyhow for it should be misconducts and 5 game suspensions automaticly. Blind-side hits etc. When players start losing money, they evolve. The bearhug comes back etc. Hits which will come in front are fine. The has to be that element on the game. The possibility that someone will hit. And how to make it clean.

Part of that goes back to Lilja talking about guys putting themselves in bad positions, too. We see guys turn into bad situations all the time now, expecting to not get hit because their back is turned at the last moment. Guys don't take the hit like they used to and it's not helping them. Then again, they are being ran at by guys wearing suits of armor.

 

[Ricelund]

What other players in the league have similar stories? Paul Kariya? Kind of forget what happened to him. I guess Eric Lindros is an obvious one

Off the top of my head: Franzen, Lindros, Kariya, Pronger, Carcillo

 

[Flowah]

Slowly NHL moving to more skill and less physical game

That's fine with me.

Watching high creativity and high skill is way more fun than watching bone shattering hits.

Sure, hits are fun but the evidence seems pretty incontrovertible that these hits are seriously ruining some players' lives. I'm fine giving up the big hits if it means we don't have a bunch of players who can't even remember winning the cup and have constant, painful headaches.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Imagine if Lindros and Kariya played in this era.