Proposal: Go Bigger... at Home.

Pookie

Wear a mask
Oct 23, 2013
16,172
6,684
If the Leafs really believe the game has changed and that they have an advantage in their system with respect to speed and skill, it's time to use their leverage with the league and do something radical.

Petition the league for approval to change the size of the ice surface to an Olympic sized. The rules indicate that the rink has to have certain dimensions but it also allows for the potential for change.
  1. Any variations from any of the foregoing dimensions shall require official authorization by the League.

So, let's change it to our advantage.

Radical yes. But keep in mind that the game has changed. Forward passes used to be illegal. They used to play 9v9.

Financially weird in that they charge a lot for those seats but I'm sure they can find a way to fleece rich corporations out of money in a nice box.
 

Al14

Registered User
Jul 13, 2007
24,093
5,452
Not happening with existing arenas. If it were to happen, it would have to be phased in based on the building of new arenas.

I've heard that the IIHF might downsize their rink size!
 

Gallagbi

Formerly Eazy_B97
Jul 5, 2005
48,490
11,107
Burke mentioned he was trying to get buy-in for bigger ice surfaces the other day on TV, but never got the support from other teams. Basically build bigger rinks and eventually have everyone transition to it as new rinks and/or retro fit comes into play.

Nice idea, but would take more than just Toronto to get it done from the sounds of it.
 

Pookie

Wear a mask
Oct 23, 2013
16,172
6,684
Burke mentioned he was trying to get buy-in for bigger ice surfaces the other day on TV, but never got the support from other teams. Basically build bigger rinks and eventually have everyone transition to it as new rinks and/or retro fit comes into play.

Nice idea, but would take more than just Toronto to get it done from the sounds of it.

For sure. Folks are stuck in their ways.

Asking for uniform change across the league may be tough.

But MLB stadiums all have character and are not identical. Some are built to take advantage of prevailing winds or other factors.

Lobbying takes time. Maybe just Toronto (or a few teams) go bigger.
 

kb

Registered User
Aug 28, 2009
15,200
21,497
Burke said that? We can only dream of how Komisarek would have looked on the big ice....
 

Gallagbi

Formerly Eazy_B97
Jul 5, 2005
48,490
11,107
For sure. Folks are stuck in their ways.

Asking for uniform change across the league may be tough.

But MLB stadiums all have character and are not identical. Some are built to take advantage of prevailing winds or other factors.

Lobbying takes time. Maybe just Toronto (or a few teams) go bigger.
Wasn't a uniform change from what I remember. Basically build new rinks at the approved size (between NHL and Olympic), teams could retrofit if they want/could afford, but all new rinks come in at the new size until the whole league has switched over.

Wouldn't impact seating since it's primarily rolled out in new rinks without those spoken for. You're just pushing things back.
 

MJ65

Registered User
Jul 12, 2009
16,376
2,233
Toronto
Not going to happen it's National hockey league not Maple Leafs hockey league

NHL not MLHL
 

Stephen

Moderator
Feb 28, 2002
77,841
51,507
How many rows of platinum seats would you be taking out to make the ice bigger?
 

ACC1224

Super Elite, Passing ALL Tests since 2002
Aug 19, 2002
73,080
38,122
Easy pass for me.
Large ice makes for boring hockey.
 

Mess

Global Moderator
Feb 27, 2002
86,912
11,862
Leafs Home Board
Leafs do play a more European style game, designed for bigger ice with more skating and less hitting I'll give you that,

They even deploy players that are Euro trained like Nylander, Kapanen, Johnsson that fit that style of play.

Dubas team building personnel does better fit that international style game,

The problem this is the NHL, where smaller rinks and hard more physical games are played, so you're not ahead of the curve here, its trying to put square pegs in round holes that is where its going wrong.

PS. Over 50% of the NHL players are supplied by the CHL as the feeder league, and trained in North America on NA American sized ice rinks. So this idea wouldn't need to change the NHL rinks it would need to change grass roots hockey in Canada and the USA.

It would be easier to swap out 1 NHL GM asking him to seek employment work in Helsinki Finland, Stockholm Sweden, or Oslo Norway than the other way around. :wg:
 

Erndog

Registered User
Jul 17, 2007
4,092
1,525
If they did this they would have to redevelop/reno 31 rinks, taking out THOUSANDS of seats across the league. Tens of thousands.

The lost revenue of those seats would be substantial, not to mention the reno cost.

Not happening.
 

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