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

[ManwithNoIdentity]

It’s refreshing to see this take, I can’t believe how many times I’ve thought it to myself

 

[snipes]

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.

You won’t be alone on that.

Hockey is a largely a conservative sport and with conservative fans. The leftist agenda that they continually try to push is annoying.

Don’t get me wrong, some of those causes are noble and I don’t necessarily disagree with them. But, can we just let sports be about the sport itself not this constant agenda that’s forced down our throats?

I want to watch sports to watch the sport, not be forced to listen to leftist agendas.

 

[Soundwave]

90s hockey was nothing great, players like Lindros and Kariya got done in by stupid hits. You had teams like Colorado and Dallas playing opponents with 1/4 the payroll.

 

[JohanFranzenstein]

Hockey is for hockey fans. No amount of "growing" is going to make it as popular as the NFL or NBA or MLB in the States.

But having said that, it's a business. And businesses have to continue to at least try to grow.

 

[Garo]

You won’t be alone on that.

Hockey is a largely a conservative sport and with conservative fans. The leftist agenda that they continually try to push is annoying.

Don’t get me wrong, some of those causes are noble and I don’t necessarily disagree with them. But, can we just let sports be about the sport itself not this constant agenda that’s forced down our throats?

I want to watch sports to watch the sport, not be forced to listen to leftist agendas.

Sports hasn't been about only sports for about 4000 years. It's always been political and societal, changing that would actually be extremely perplexing.

And, well... what's the leftist agenda here? People got heavily into the issue of racism because players spoke out about truly horrifying experiences. Should they not talk about it? Should the league not act against that? It's absolutely in their best interest to change that and do better, as a very powerful entity with massive corporate interests... Which is pretty far from any kind of leftist agenda honestly.

 

[summer tooth]

I know some people are against it, but I'm a fan of the 3 v 3 overtime and shootout. It's wonderfully exciting to watch and I hope they don't change it back

 

[Perfect_Drug]

You won’t be alone on that.

Hockey is a largely a conservative sport and with conservative fans.

Interesting take. Not that I disagree, but I wonder if there's any data to back this up.

I always assumed that Most NHL teams are located in major cities, which are mostly progressives. Also a hefty number of the teams are on the coasts, which also slant to the left.

The leftist agenda that they continually try to push is annoying. Don’t get me wrong, some of those causes are noble and I don’t necessarily disagree with them. But, can we just let sports be about the sport itself not this constant agenda that’s forced down our throats?

I want to watch sports to watch the sport, not be forced to listen to leftist agendas.

As a hard-line technocrat, maybe we can just remove agendas all together?

It would be pretty simple really.

Remove the anthems, and all pre-game rituals (aside from jersey retirements, and banner hangings).
No more nonsense about supporting troops, standing up to cancer, no moments of silence, kneeling for anthems.. whatever. Remove all of that, I don't care what the cause is.

Just stop all that nonsense.


Puck drop, and that's it.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Also, if the NHL wants to keep a somewhat politically agnostic brand, they should seriously consider ways to ban players from posting on social media.

 

[AnInjuredJasonZucker]

HF Boards: Hockey is getting too soft!

Also HF Boards: Trying to make the game more inclusive is such an imposition on me! My life is so hard!

 

[Iron Mike Sharpe]

You won’t be alone on that.

Hockey is a largely a conservative sport and with conservative fans. The leftist agenda that they continually try to push is annoying.

Don’t get me wrong, some of those causes are noble and I don’t necessarily disagree with them. But, can we just let sports be about the sport itself not this constant agenda that’s forced down our throats?

I want to watch sports to watch the sport, not be forced to listen to leftist agendas.

*Boo hoo hoo!*

It was Don Cherry who brought politics to hockey broadcasting, and he spewed his own bile every week for almost four decades before Rogers came along.

If you're too sensitive to handle it, don't watch, you whiny crybaby.

 

[Ginormousthumbs]

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

That reason is and has been because boxing is dead and UFC help kill it.

 

[McRpro]

You won’t be alone on that.

Hockey is a largely a conservative sport and with conservative fans. The leftist agenda that they continually try to push is annoying.

Don’t get me wrong, some of those causes are noble and I don’t necessarily disagree with them. But, can we just let sports be about the sport itself not this constant agenda that’s forced down our throats?

I want to watch sports to watch the sport, not be forced to listen to leftist agendas.

100%

 

[Ginormousthumbs]

I know some people are against it, but I'm a fan of the 3 v 3 overtime and shootout. It's wonderfully exciting to watch and I hope they don't change it back

I love the 3v3 but not the shootout, Bring back the tie.

 

[Brainiac]

The only things I'd like to see is :

1-Refs not managing the game. Call it by the book, the players will adapt during pre-season

2-Make the ice slightly larger. Not olympic dimension. Kind of something in between 85 and 100.

Both changes would make the game flow better. And the actual play less chaotic. The guys are much bigger, much faster and much stronger. It leaves little room for space and time.

It often ends up with a goal being scored on deflections or battles in front of the net. Both these things make scoring a little more random, IMO.

 

[JustaFinnishGuy]

The only things I'd like to see is :

1-Refs not managing the game. Call it by the book, the players will adapt during pre-season

2-Make the ice slightly larger. Not olympic dimension. Kind of something in between 85 and 100.

Both changes would make the game flow better. And the actual play less chaotic. The guys are much bigger, much faster and much stronger. It leaves little room for space and time.

It often ends up with a goal being scored on deflections or battles in front of the net. Both these things make scoring a little more random, IMO.

Only the 1st part needs to be done for the game to become better for me.

 

[elitepete]

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.

No. Hockey is the best it has have been. And it is getting better.

 

[Hanji]

Sport is entertainment. As such, it's a reflection of society at large. All sports evolve along with society. It's inevitable.

If you don't want hockey to evolve, you might as well go live on the Moon. Our game has been consistently evolving since it was invented.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

We need to automate officiating.

 

[izlez]

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.

"I just want to watch sports and don't want to worry about that other stuff"

*Goes onto hockey message board, forces politics into discussion about rules of hockey, and has a post history 90% filled up with politics and covid*

 

[sufferer]

*Boo hoo hoo!*

It was Don Cherry who brought politics to hockey broadcasting, and he spewed his own bile every week for almost four decades before Rogers came along.

If you're too sensitive to handle it, don't watch, you whiny crybaby.

No one is too sensitive, you're projecting. Shit is just lame.

 

[PavelBrendl]

As someone with a Scott Stevens jersey hanging in his closet, hockey is better now.

I loved the hockey I watched as a kid and appreciate that era's place in history, and even feel nostalgic for it - but that won't stop me from acknowledging that it's not what's best for the sport, or the athletes.

 

[CashMash]

HF Boards: Hockey is getting too soft!

Also HF Boards: Trying to make the game more inclusive is such an imposition on me! My life is so hard!

Sports hasn't been about only sports for about 4000 years. It's always been political and societal, changing that would actually be extremely perplexing.

And, well... what's the leftist agenda here? People got heavily into the issue of racism because players spoke out about truly horrifying experiences. Should they not talk about it? Should the league not act against that? It's absolutely in their best interest to change that and do better, as a very powerful entity with massive corporate interests... Which is pretty far from any kind of leftist agenda honestly.

Pointing out specific cases of racism in hockey and correcting them is warranted.

"Systemic racism", on the other hand, has its origin in Critical Theory and is complete BS that's not backed up. Bias training isn't reproducible and is therefore non-scientific, yet HR departments and campus activists use it.
The reason it's "systemic" is so that they can push and push without having to point to anything. Vagueness is a feature––not a bug.

You'll notice who is indoctrinated by them using jargon such as "whiteness", "blackness" and a whole host of other lingo.
Read Herbert Marcuse's "Repressive tolerance" and you'll see how the asymmetry is absolutely intentional. Critical theory has already drawn its conclusions... The reason it is critical is because people are meant to look at something, figure out how it's "problematic". Whiner's philosophy.

That's where the agenda comes in.

EDIT:

You'll also notice "equity" over "equality." That is intentional.
There is no criteria given for when things are good. It's not designed to come up with solutions.

 

[PavelBrendl]

And as for those who think politics don't belong in sports or that it's a recent thing, I'll just leave this here.

The Long, Loud History of Sports and Politics (in 66 Pictures) - Legacy.com

Politics and sports are just two appendages of society at large. Neither can exist in a vacuum. Simple as that.

 

[LEAFSANDBILLSFAN]

The issue with the NHL is the league wants a skilled game with plenty of open ice for their star players to make pretty goals with limited defense and physicality. This is how the regular season is played and officiated.

Come playoff time that all goes out the window and it becomes a slugfest. The NHL needs to decide what it actually wants to be and stay consistent within the rules.

 

[Fatass]

The issue with the NHL is the league wants a skilled game with plenty of open ice for their star players to make pretty goals with limited defense and physicality. This is how the regular season is played and officiated.

Come playoff time that all goes out the window and it becomes a slugfest. The NHL needs to decide what it actually wants to be and stay consistent within the rules.

Partly. It’s near to impossible for pláyers to play heavy playoff style hockey through the regular season. There will be certain games they do, but mostly it’s a softer and easier Game especially for the skilled guys. Some skilled guys fade away in the heavier play, and some even do better. It’s an internal toughness some guys have and some don’t, or need to develop. Lou Lam can identify these character players. That’s why his teams tend to do well in pláyoff heavy hard hockey.