Around the NHL 2020-21

[Legionnaire11]

Isn't that sort of a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario though? Either way you call it you are changing the game. Either you call it by the book even if maybe it isn't that egregious or you let it go even though it is against the rules. I could be convinced the rule needs an overhaul I guess but I'm not sure any way you could write it without introducing a lot of subjectivity into it which inevitably leads to more controversy.

Well, it's getting more popular today to say that every penalty should be called every time, regular season or playoffs, but I think that's shortsighted lip service by newer fans.

Personally I like when it loosens up in the playoffs. I liked the dead puck style of hockey too. I absolutely hated the return from the full lockout in 2005 when they tried to call absolutely everything and it was just a really choppy game of trading PP chances.

Given the choice between letting them play and calling everything, I'll choose to let them play because I don't think it's realistic to call everything and if you're not calling everything you shouldn't really try to pretend that you are.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

Well, it's getting more popular today to say that every penalty should be called every time, regular season or playoffs, but I think that's shortsighted lip service by newer fans.

Personally I like when it loosens up in the playoffs. I liked the dead puck style of hockey too. I absolutely hated the return from the full lockout in 2005 when they tried to call absolutely everything and it was just a really choppy game of trading PP chances.

Given the choice between letting them play and calling everything, I'll choose to let them play because I don't think it's realistic to call everything and if you're not calling everything you shouldn't really try to pretend that you are.

I agree with you here about loosening things for the playoffs. I think they've struck a good balance between before the lockout and immediately after. Still believe they are calling those 3 GIs properly because of the sustained presence in the crease.

 

[Predsanddead24]

Well, it's getting more popular today to say that every penalty should be called every time, regular season or playoffs, but I think that's shortsighted lip service by newer fans.

Personally I like when it loosens up in the playoffs. I liked the dead puck style of hockey too. I absolutely hated the return from the full lockout in 2005 when they tried to call absolutely everything and it was just a really choppy game of trading PP chances.

Given the choice between letting them play and calling everything, I'll choose to let them play because I don't think it's realistic to call everything and if you're not calling everything you shouldn't really try to pretend that you are.

I agree with you on penalties to some extent but I view the goalie interference debate differently. I think you have to delimit some area where the goalie is free to make a save without having to worry about a player interfering with them at all even if it is very minimal. Any contact with the goalie in the crease while a shot is being taken being the dividing line seems reasonable to me.

 

[Legionnaire11]

Good stuff guys, thanks for the civil hockey discussion. Seems to be a rarity here sometimes!

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I think what I would prefer would be to burn a year, if that's what it took, to really make it so that teams didn't play quite so far outside the rulebook. There are literally 10 clear cases of obstruction/holding/interference that go uncalled in these playoffs for every penalty that does get called. And there's no way I would want them to flip the switch in the middle. Just do it right from the exhibition games. It's going to look horrible and awful and that year will be a complete writeoff. But I've seen plenty of years of hockey now, so I wouldn't mind sacrificing one - or even two or three - if it was part of a sustained effort to clean things up, and then keep things that way.

I don't think it will ever happen though. The NHL is too much a windsock. As soon as they embarked on any such program it would be met with such negative feedback that they'd just abandon it again. So I guess if you're really that cynical about their ability to actually follow through, might just as well not bother even trying it.

Although if I was going to be Lawful/Good about it, I also wouldn't mind if they just re-wrote the rulebook slightly to make it clearer that many of these forms of obstruction are actually allowed. I don't like it being subject to the whim of game management, mostly.

 

[Armourboy]

I just think the NHL needs to figure out what style they want the current game to take and rewrite the book around that. If you want a lot more physical play and tight checking then write it so some of it is legal. If you want a faster mor skill game without all of the clutching and grabbing and interference then write that up and call it.

What I really am not a fan of is this two different rule books, or rule books by night crap we see now.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I just think the NHL needs to figure out what style they want the current game to take and rewrite the book around that. If you want a lot more physical play and tight checking then write it so some of it is legal. If you want a faster mor skill game without all of the clutching and grabbing and interference then write that up and call it.

What I really am not a fan of is this two different rule books, or rule books by night crap we see now.

That's what I want too, just written better than I did.

 

[drwpreds]

Watching Leafs/Habs. Toronto trying to close out the series. Still one of the most mind-boggling things in any sport to me is the fact that the Maple Leafs have not won a playoff series since 2004-

SEVENTEEN years.

Truly hard to believe- just imagine if the Preds had not won a single series since 2004?? Crazy

No matter how bad you think your team has it, it can always be worse- ALOT worse

 

[hockey diva]

And the Mild go down.

 

[Kat Predator]

And the Mild go down.

Still can't stand Vegas though.

 

[hockey diva]

Colorado is favored to win that series particularly if Kadri comes back. Though, personally, I think Kadri should serve the full 8 games.

 

[Kat Predator]

Colorado is favored to win that series particularly if Kadri comes back. Though, personally, I think Kadri should serve the full 8 games.

I watched that play several times. To me it actually looks like Kadri sees Faulk's head is a little low and out front at the very last second and he tries to turn and avoid knocking him out cold. Kadri was absolutely flying though, so that last split second adjustment may have ended up in a worse result as he doesn't run over Faulk, but instead ends up clipping his head anyway. Kadri has a reputation and players often get penalties based on the results rather than intentions (far easier for the refs to see the results after all), but he could've been a lot more vicious in that situation and really earned that 8 games. Casually throwing an elbow into Faulk's jaw as he flew by with the intention of knocking him out cold like MMA on skates for example.

 

[Armourboy]

It's just like with Torres, you know you have that reputation, the severity is going to follow. Kadri deserves to serve the entire 8 games as he has now proven that when it comes to the playoffs he can't control himself. He either needs to get it under control or just having it go up until it reaches the point he can't play anyways. They need to start doing Tom Wilson the same way.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I guess Gallant is not getting the ravest reviews with Team Canada in the WC? It's weird, I totally lost track of the WC even happening this year. I guess with the later season and quarantines and all that, none of our players are going to join in, they are near the end of the round-robin now. Do we have any of our European prospects in the WC?

 

[Viqsi]

well hey if y'all want Jones back looks like he wants to test free agency too isn't that great ha ha ha

So close to being just about done with everything at this rate...

 

[Tysonson3]

well hey if y'all want Jones back looks like he wants to test free agency too isn't that great ha ha ha

So close to being just about done with everything at this rate...

If we sign him in free agency does that mean we finally win a trade???

 

[predhead1]

Watching this Bruins-Islanders game is making me very sad. Both teams play great, hard-nosed hockey and have a well defined structure. Is that too much to ask for our team?

 

[hockey diva]

Watching this Bruins-Islanders game is making me very sad. Both teams play great, hard-nosed hockey and have a well defined structure. Is that too much to ask for our team?

Yes.

 

[predhead1]

Yes.

I never thought I'd miss Trotz (aka NoNeck) so much

 

[predhead1]

I'm also curious as to whether anyone else has picked up on what I think is a modern offensive hockey trend (or maybe I'm just slow). For years the conventional wisdom has suggested that you need to get players to the net and screen the goalie's vision, which meant players standing in front of the net and fighting the D for space there. In response, it seems that most modern goalies have adopted the practice of moving to the top of the crease to close that space and present the smallest possible target to the long-range shooter.

What I've noticed more this year than any year prior is that teams have adapted to this defensive strategy and are intentionally shooting the puck to the side of the net to a player who can redirect the puck into the empty space that has been vacated by the goalie. The player doesn't try to screen the goalie (or is partnered with another forward who will), and has free reign to redirect long passoes. Maybe this has been a thing before this year, but I've never seen so many tip-ins from the side of the net - am I way late to the game on this?

 

[Viqsi]

If we sign him in free agency does that mean we finally win a trade???

I think that part's already been decided.

And if he does do that I might have to take the Preds off my list of teams I follow. It's just too g-ddamn much.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

well hey if y'all want Jones back looks like he wants to test free agency too isn't that great ha ha ha

So close to being just about done with everything at this rate...

Ellis, Duchene, and a pick.

 

[PredsV82]

Obviously Jones is going to want #1D money and a 1D lineup spot and we couldnt give him either one. I suspect the bidding war will be outrageous, though. Question will be if he has a preferred destination for which he might take a little less money.

 

[Osprey]

I believe that the Jackets are looking for a #1 center. That settles it. Jones and Johansen can run into each other at the Columbus airport for a second time.

 

[Viqsi]

Ellis, Duchene, and a pick.

I believe that the Jackets are looking for a #1 center. That settles it. Jones and Johansen can run into each other at the Columbus airport for a second time.