Around the NHL Pt. II

[UnderratedBrooks44]

Cool story, except casual fans don't give a damn about systems. They want to be entertained, and more scoring does that. The best way to grow the sport is to appeal to the casual fans. The purists will piss and moan about the changes, but they'll still watch because they're too attached to the game.

It's not even about being a purist. 2 out of every 3 playoff games aren't even physical anymore. Everyone is worried about simply not messing up, that's what systems have done to the game. At some point everyone figured out how to cover for pinching D like clockwork and that clogging the slot is the best defense. Every time a team cycles it's get the puck in the corner, throw it to the point man who then throws it to the opposite point because there's literally nothing else to do with the puck.

Of course most of this has to do with the fact that the rink is just to small anymore, but I digress.

 

[Shady Machine]

The comment wasn't made by or about anything at HF, and what you're disputing had nothing to do with the conversation that actually happened.

Well you implied it happened on HFBoards by bringing it up here, then said it was on twitter when questioned for evidence.

 

[Dying Alive]

Well you implied it happened on HFBoards by bringing it up here, then said it was on twitter when questioned for evidence.

I have no idea how my very general post implied that it happened on HF just because I brought it up here, but if it did that's my bad.

And I did PM someone with the link where the discussion was. So again, whatever.

 

[Dying Alive]

Did not even realize that I missed the Rangers/Devils stadium series game yesterday. They've managed to make outdoor games pretty meh.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Did not even realize that I missed the Rangers/Devils stadium series game yesterday. They've managed to make outdoor games pretty meh.

What could they do to not make it meh? Once the novelty wore off it was an overpriced game out in the cold, on slow ice where you sit a mile away and barely see anything. I am not sure what they could do to change that.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

What could they do to not make it meh? Once the novelty wore off it was an overpriced game out in the cold, on slow ice where you sit a mile away and barely see anything. I am not sure what they could do to change that.

...not have, like... a dozen of them a year, for starters. Usually involving the same 8-10 teams.

 

[Frederick Stanley]

Did not even realize that I missed the Rangers/Devils stadium series game yesterday. They've managed to make outdoor games pretty meh.

I was thinking of watching it yesterday. But the teams were meh and on top of that there was a huge delay.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

...not have, like... a dozen of them a year, for starters. Usually involving the same 8-10 teams.

That is another layer. But does not invalidate what I said.

I went to the first one, and it was kind of fun because of the novelty. I doubt that I would go again, I would sell them if I could find a buyer.

None of that matters though. They are appealing to television, and so are going no where. At least until you start seeing empty 80,000 seat stadiums in the background. Which I could easily see eventually happening.

 

[Dying Alive]

What could they do to not make it meh? Once the novelty wore off it was an overpriced game out in the cold, on slow ice where you sit a mile away and barely see anything. I am not sure what they could do to change that.

Yeah, I'm not really sure at this point. They were pushing it with one outdoor game a year and making it an entire series is just over the top. Dunno, I guess there are people who are still into it and I'm sure there are teams that still want to host one, so as long as they're making money they'll keep pumping that well until it's dry. If they put a game on a frozen river or lake or something I'd be really interested, but logistically that would be a nightmare in terms of fans and they probably couldn't get it insured or the NHLPA would shoot it down anyway.

Sorry for my snarky response earlier, btw. I have a massive headache and frankly I'm a bit of a ***** today. I'm having a hard time even being around myself.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Oh, don't get me wrong. I agreed with your initial point, as well.

It's largely garbage hockey played in the kind of venue that robs the game of one of it's greatest assets -- the fact that it's an outstanding spectator sport. But yeah... looks nice on television. For now. You aren't wrong about overexposure, either.

But yes, yes, I know... I'm just a big ol' stick in the mud. Don't watch it if you don't like it, etc, etc.

 

[Dying Alive]

I see why people get pissed about the same teams being in them every year. I mean, I'm a Pens fan and I'm sick of the Pens being in them. And did the Rangers really need to be in two of them in the same season?

On the flip side, the NHL is going to put teams that make money in there. So while it might be cool (and fair) for fans of CBJ and Florida to see their team participate in one it seems pretty unlikely. Didn't they even have trouble selling out the tickets for the one in LA? And that's two good teams with easy travel for both fan bases.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I would bet that the outdoor game will be a thing of the past within 5 years. Or at least altered drastically. Maybe one every three years.

 

[Shady Machine]

The Stadium series games aren't really meant to be the big spectacle of the Winter Classic. They are meant to cater to the local market specifically and gain most of the majority of their money through gate receipts. The LA one definitely seemed to be a success. I don't know how much money the NHL makes from them, but it seems likely they are making a fair amount of money just from ticket revenue.

I get why people don't like them though. I don't really want to spend $250 for a game I can barely see.

 

[Dying Alive]

I passed on the tix to the game at Soldier Field this year because I couldn't justify the expense. None of my friends or family even wanted to use them because they're so outrageously priced. We're going to a game in Columbus at the end of March instead. Not as marquee but we still get an away game in and we didn't have to take out second mortgages to pay for tickets.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Bigger nets and/or much smaller goalie equipment. There you go. Two changes that don't even change how the actual game is played, yet could affect the overall scoring in games considerably, thus giving both the "purists" and those who want to see goals what they want.

And screw the goalies if they complain. For too long now, they've been catered to more than any other player on the ice.

 

[Dying Alive]

IMO the easiest way to increase scoring is to actually start calling all of the hooking/holding/interference that they've slowly started to let creep back into the game. It would interrupt the flow of the game initially but I think teams would quickly learn to stop doing it. How many times per game do Sid & Geno get hooked up or held with no call? How many more points would they have if the NHL decided to call the games more closely on that kind of stuff?

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

IMO the easiest way to increase scoring is to actually start calling all of the hooking/holding/interference that they've slowly started to let creep back into the game. It would interrupt the flow of the game initially but I think teams would quickly learn to stop doing it. How many times per game do Sid & Geno get hooked up or held with no call? How many more points would they have if the NHL decided to call the games more closely on that kind of stuff?

But then initially all you'd get were more powerplays, and then the players would adapt and coaches would tailor systems to once again neutralize offense.

There isn't a coaching system that can adapt to bigger nets. Clutch, grab, trap, hook, hold, it won't change the fact there's a lot more net to shoot at. So even if teams are only able to get 20 to 25 shots on net, instead of 1 or 2 of those shots going in, there's a better chance that 3 or 4 of them will. And IMO, that in itself will open up games more because teams can't sit back when they're losing.

Also, **** the goalies. Seriously, I hate how pampered they are. Oh, poor guy, you can't wear pads that pretty much cover the entire net even if you are 5'1 and 120 lbs? Imagine that. You'd have to make saves based on ability, not because you're basically a wall.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Bigger nets and/or much smaller goalie equipment. There you go. Two changes that don't even change how the actual game is played, yet could affect the overall scoring in games considerably, thus giving both the "purists" and those who want to see goals what they want.

And screw the goalies if they complain. For too long now, they've been catered to more than any other player on the ice.

So I finally did the math, and at least thus far this year the NHL is down in scoring again, for the fifth straight year and one of the lowest levels in NHL history. Apparently the powers that be will not be happy until every game ends in a 1-0 score, with the 1 coming in the shootout.

Didn't the NHL make goalie equipment smaller for this year?

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=680812

Well, if the goal was to increase scoring, it has not helped. Down again.

Last year was one of the lowest in NHL history, a combined 5.44 goals per game.

'For the fourth straight year, the NHL saw a decline in goal scoring in 2013 with an average of 5.44 goals per game.

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-hockey/22167901/goal-scoring-declines-in-the-nhl-again

This year is lower:

4231 points over 1574 games = 2.68 goals per game per team. Or 5.38 points per game.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/teamstats.htm?fetchKey=20142ALLSAAAll&sort=gamesPlayed&viewName=goalsFor

The PP opportunities have decreased again:

2536 Power play opportunities (the Pens got a pathetic 78, almost lower third in the NHL. Thanks Bettman!). 1574 aggregate games played. That means 1.61 opportunites per team per game, or 3.22 between both teams.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/statistics/team/_/stat/special-teams/sort/powerPlayOpportunities

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

They made some changes to the goalie equipment limits, but not enough. Every goalie still looks like he could cover 90% of the net even without moving.

When you've got goalies who are bottom tier NHL starters still putting up numbers that would put them in the Vezina trophy race in the 80's and early 90's, you know you have a problem.

 

[Shady Machine]

Didn't the NHL make goalie equipment smaller for this year?

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=680812

Well, if the goal was to increase scoring, it has not helped. Down again.

Last year was one of the lowest in NHL history, a combined 5.44 goals per game.

'For the fourth straight year, the NHL saw a decline in goal scoring in 2013 with an average of 5.44 goals per game.

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-hockey/22167901/goal-scoring-declines-in-the-nhl-again

This year is lower:

4231 points over 1574 games = 2.69 goals per game per team. Or 5.38 points per game.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/teamstats.htm?fetchKey=20142ALLSAAAll&sort=gamesPlayed&viewName=goalsFor

The PP opportunities have decreased again:

2536 Power play opportunities (the Pens got a pathetic 78, almost lower third in the NHL. Thanks Bettman!). 1574 aggregate games played. That means 1.61 opportunites per team per game, or 3.22 between both teams.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/statistics/team/_/stat/special-teams/sort/powerPlayOpportunities

Fixed the math.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Fixed the math.

Yeah I corrected it at the same time. It wasn't the math that was the issue, but my transcription.

 

[Dying Alive]

The counter move to smaller goalie equipment are these behemoth pad walls we're starting to see more and more of in the NHL. Ben Bishop is 6'7", Rinne is 6'5", Lindback is 6'6", Lehner is 6'5", etc. If the pads get smaller the goalies will just keep getting bigger. Fleury is taller than the average man at 6'2" and he's starting to look small in the net. Bigger nets would put smaller goalies at a serious disadvantage.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

Bigger nets are dumb. IMO, the increase in size from goalie equipment from back in the day is offset by the increase in stick technology that allows players to shoot more hard and accurate than ever (unless you're Letang ).

 

[IcedCapp]

make the puck smaller

 

[Shady Machine]

make the puck smaller

I was waiting for someone to say that.