Can we just accept hockey for what it is instead of trying to change every damn thing constantly?

[OppositeLocK]

I can't imagine a sport that's constantly been changing as much as hockey has. Seems like every year people call for some form of change. Baseball isn't like this, and I don't think many sports are in general.

Let's take out predatory hits, let's take out fighting, let's take out headshots, let's bring in coach's challenges, let's start penalizing for bad coach's challenges, let's change how buyouts work, let's change how the cap is counted because Tampa is taking advantage, let's make the salary cap count on after tax income, let's make the ice bigger, let's change how powerplays work, let's change...

I grew up watching hockey in the 90s. Maybe it's nostalgia, but I found hockey much more enjoyable before we started trying to change every aspect about it. I remember all the concerned people complaining how hockey is too rough. Okay, so is the UFC, you don't have to watch it or partake in it. So we changed it and now gone are the series full of the small battles. Like Adam Foote chasing certain players whenever they were on the ice. Or when Detroit had the Maltby, McCarty, Draper line that would actually grind opponents down.

I don't know about others, I still like hockey but don't enjoy it nearly as much as I did before. It has gradually been becoming less interesting to me. Whereas I used to be a die-hard NHL fan before, now I am only a casual fan.

I think through the whole "grow the game" concept is BS and has done nothing but alienate the hardcore fans. Whereas something like UFC has grown by sticking to its roots.

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[gunnergunther]

Baseball and football have constant season by season changes, to reduce certain injuries, explorations or reduce the time of games. Not to mention soccer has constant tinkering to different rules as well.

As far as your point about hockey, I dont miss old school hockey. I dont see the joy in having talented players injured by scrubs. Id rather see skill guys do their thing.

 

[hskey]

Evolve, or die. Change is necessary constant, I know it can be overwhelming at times, but it's unavoidable if you want the league to survive and thrive.
Anytime I get concerned about the rules changing too much, I watch a modern playoff game and all my concerns are out the window. It's incredible hockey.

 

[dukeofjive]

The sport got better because it evolved, at one time when you got a penalty you where down the whole time, even if you scored, the PP still went on.

 

[McRpro]

The sport got better because it evolved, at one time when you got a penalty you where down the whole time, even if you scored, the PP still went on.

Stupid dynasty Habs ruined that for everyone!

 

[ManofSteel55]

Baseball and football have constant season by season changes, to reduce certain injuries, explorations or reduce the time of games. Not to mention soccer has constant tinkering to different rules as well.

As far as your point about hockey, I dont miss old school hockey. I dont see the joy in having talented players injured by scrubs. Id rather see skill guys do their thing.

This. I used to love old school hockey. But I was more bloodthirsty as a teenager than I am now. I've seen enough guys blown up by dangerous hits and be stretchered out. Or punched in a fight and knocked out. It isn't necessary.

 

[ManofSteel55]

The sport got better because it evolved, at one time when you got a penalty you where down the whole time, even if you scored, the PP still went on.

That wouldn't matter much outside of the regular season. When you can't buy a powerplay in the playoffs, it doesn't mean much.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

I too miss the slow pace, clutch and grab style of hockey.

-Said nobody.

 

[WarriorofTime]

When someone's go-to-complaint is that people are trying to reduce the risk that turn players' brains into mush then yikes.

 

[Guttersniped]

I can't imagine a sport that's constantly been changing as much as hockey has. Seems like every year people call for some form of change. Baseball isn't like this, and I don't think many sports are in general.

Let's take out predatory hits, let's take out fighting, let's take out headshots, let's bring in coach's challenges, let's start penalizing for bad coach's challenges, let's change how buyouts work, let's change how the cap is counted because Tampa is taking advantage, let's make the salary cap count on after tax income, let's make the ice bigger, let's change how powerplays work, let's change...

I grew up watching hockey in the 90s. Maybe it's nostalgia, but I found hockey much more enjoyable before we started trying to change every aspect about it. I remember all the concerned people complaining how hockey is too rough. Okay, so is the UFC, you don't have to watch it or partake in it. So we changed it and now gone are the series full of the small battles. Like Adam Foote chasing certain players whenever they were on the ice. Or when Detroit had the Maltby, McCarty, Draper line that would actually grind opponents down.

I don't know about others, I still like hockey but don't enjoy it nearly as much as I did before. It has gradually been becoming less interesting to me. Whereas I used to be a die-hard NHL fan before, now I am only a casual fan.

I think through the whole "grow the game" concept is BS and has done nothing but alienate the hardcore fans. Whereas something like UFC has grown by sticking to its roots.

I feel like things like coach’s challenges and the hard cap are separate from everything you listed that’s related to concussions.

The major professional leagues have known about the long term health effects of concussions and done zilch about it, and then covered up their inaction a lot longer than they have been changing the game to address it.

Do you like headshots? You form a specific attachment to that. It a contact sport with collisions, it’s difficult at times to figure out how to approach player safety but I disagree that they are doing too much for player safety.

I also think your list is exaggerated. If you don’t care about care about the cap stuff then ignore it. How is “expanding the ice” idea effect the game right now. You have coaches challenges twice. I don’t even know what you’re referring to with power plays.

And baseball hasn’t changed? How old are you and how long have you watched MLB? Baseball games have somehow gotten even slower and way longer. Analytics about slugging % etc and the shift have killed smallball play to point where they’re experimenting with outlawing aspects of the shift in minor leagues. Change-up pitchers dominate instead of fastball pitchers, to the point that hitters are now revolting against the foreign substances that’s smeared on balls for those extreme breaking pitches. There were PEDs and Astros sign stealing scandal before this new “cheating” scandal.


Small ball was killed so hard that there’s more strikes outs than hits for the first time in history. Home runs didn’t increase this much even in the height of the steroid era. Stolen bases at ~50 year low. Most collisions at bases are outlawed so runners can’t slide into opposing player and knock the ball out of their hand. MLB has expanded replay for calls. That a weird comparison, it feels like MLB has changed a lot more and for the worse than NHL, a major culprit being how ridiculously long the games have gotten. And home runs are analytical darlings equivalent to 3 point in the NBA but the loss of small ball has had an overall worse effect on the sport.

 

[Rangers79]

If anything I'd say hockey is pretty slow to implement and accept changes. It's a big reason the fan base has a small grow too. Everything evolves and changes and it should. Even hockey.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

I disagree I think change and moving forward and trying to strive for a more entertaining product is always in the sports interest.

NBA is making changes and look at there growth!

 

[BurgoShark]

Growing the game = changing the game to attract people who aren’t already fans. This is how all pro sports work. It sucks, but it’s the reality.

It’s also worth noting that some changes are in response to other (non-rule related) factors. E.g. better goalies, coaches exploiting loopholes, Marty Brodeur’s puck-handing etc.

 

[Mikeshane]

I'm open to changes but those changes need to improve the game not changes that ruin the game in some misguided attempt to "grow the game".

If being the most popular is your ultimate goal then soccer is right over there, go watch that.

 

[66871]

I disagree I think change and moving forward and trying to strive for a more entertaining product is always in the sports interest.

NBA is making changes and look at there growth!

Went out to dinner with a friend and her husband a few years back. His family owned an NBA franchise and he told me straight up that most of the discussion around new rules are not about competitiveness or making the sport better but simply what will put more asses in the seats or draw a better audience on TV. Like those are the content of the discussions, not just subtext.

 

[jetsforever]

Agreed, I hate those gimmicks that they keep introducing in other sports

 

[AdvancedPressure]

The only recent change that I dislike is the insertion of (mostly) left-wing politics into the game. If I wanted to hear about COVID or systemic racism or white privilege I'd flip to CNN. The whole reason I'm watching sports in the first place is to get away from that stuff. I think they alienate a lot of their viewers in doing this. I don't think Bob from Saskatoon tunes into the Habs/Leafs game to get lectured about his white privilege. Just leave it out of the game - there are plenty of other networks out there that are dedicated to covering those issues if people want to listen.

 

[DrewGl]

Growing the game = changing the game to attract people who aren’t already fans. This is how all pro sports work. It sucks, but it’s the reality.

It’s also worth noting that some changes are in response to other (non-rule related) factors. E.g. better goalies, coaches exploiting loopholes, Marty Brodeur’s puck-handing etc.

Changing the game to make it less "brutal" is not growing the game....there is a reason UFC is exploding in popularity.

 

[DonM]

The only recent change that I dislike is the insertion of (mostly) left-wing politics into the game. If I wanted to hear about COVID or systemic racism or white privilege I'd flip to CNN. The whole reason I'm watching sports in the first place is to get away from that stuff. I think they alienate a lot of their viewers in doing this. I don't think Bob from Saskatoon tunes into the Habs/Leafs game to get lectured about his white privilege. Just leave it out of the game - there are plenty of other networks out there that are dedicated to covering those issues if people want to listen.

What? I personally love being lectured about how I live on stolen land every single game. It's just a treat.

 

[AnInjuredJasonZucker]

The changes that happened before I started watching hockey were great. The changes that happened after I started watching were bad.

 

[bossram]

The changes that happened before I started watching hockey were great. The changes that happened after I started watching were bad.

Precisely.

 

[Captain97]

Football has changed an insane amount of rules to protect people's heads. Also Caoches Challenges are getting better tbh. Like they've added the penalty so coaches rarely challenge unless they are sure. And they made the offside rule better this year.

Protecting longterm health and getting the call right seem like good things to me.

Regarding the cap, its gonna change a lot as we have arguably the strictest cap structure in all sports so of course people will complain when someone finds a way to game the system.

Whether that's the now illegal back-diving contracts or The Kucherov shenanigans.

 

[Ms Maggie]

Everything changes. Just the nature of life. And progress.

 

[widowmaker]

The only recent change that I dislike is the insertion of (mostly) left-wing politics into the game. If I wanted to hear about COVID or systemic racism or white privilege I'd flip to CNN. The whole reason I'm watching sports in the first place is to get away from that stuff. I think they alienate a lot of their viewers in doing this. I don't think Bob from Saskatoon tunes into the Habs/Leafs game to get lectured about his white privilege. Just leave it out of the game - there are plenty of other networks out there that are dedicated to covering those issues if people want to listen.

Amen to that good sir!

 

[AnInjuredJasonZucker]

Changing the game to make it less "brutal" is not growing the game....there is a reason UFC is exploding in popularity.

I'm curious to see the link between UFC growth, and potential growth of the NHL by increasing "brutality." This kind of seems to ignore who is already watching hockey, geographic limitations, and respective baselines used by each organization to reflect growth. And if people hate the changes we see now, imagine when the schedule drops from 1312 regular season games down to a couple dozen.