How would you “fix” the NHL

[devo09]

The game is better than it has ever been. That doesn’t mean it’s perfect but come on fellas, there’s nothing to “fix”

 

[TMLife17]

I’d hire a third party to take over reffing. Change it up somehow maybe with more refs watching from off the ice. Lightning fast reviews on every call and even coaches challenge if they want to risk going down 5on3.

Definitely incorporate more technology into the game for stat and puck tracking. If a puck is in the net it’s a goal, period. No meshing or pad or lack of camera angle should stop that goal from counting.

I’d also try to set a new standard for penalties that are used across every game regular season or playoff. A penalty is a penalty whether it’s one minute in or the last minute, 7-0 or 3-3. Game management should be abolished in a professional league where gambling is legal.

 

[Oleksiak]

The game is better than it has ever been. That doesn’t mean it’s perfect but come on fellas, there’s nothing to “fix”

You wouldn't be happy to see the officials and the DOPS start conducting themselves like professionals?

 

[devo09]

You wouldn't be happy to see the officials and the DOPS start conducting themselves like professionals?

I’m just saying the game doesn’t need to be “fixed” it’s as good as ever.

The one thing that I think would absolutely help the game is make a regulation win worth 3 points.

Each team has 246 points available to win at the start of a season.

 

[rojac]

Encourage fans who no longer enjoy the game to move and pursue other activities, rather than continuing to follow the NHL and whining about it online.

 

[Heffyhoof]

Encourage fans who no longer enjoy the game to move and pursue other activities, rather than continuing to follow the NHL and whining about it online.

Even worse to be following those people around online and whining about their whining and now I'm in the fun.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

What does ‘diverse’ mean to you? The neo-definition, meaning Non-white? Or are you going with the classic definition?

Comment is 3 yrs old … sounds like you’re digging for something to be mad about / disagree with

 

[geebster]

Big fix would be to automate some calls like if the puck crosses the goal line or offsides. Technology can handle both easily. Anything really to take strain off refs so they don't miss obvious stuff.

Also having refs available and accountable to media would be nice. I largely find the inconsistency in reffing and game management to be the problem with the game really.

Outside that, put in a cap for how much you can put on the ice in the playoffs. You can have 30 million sitting in the press box, I don't care, but you can't be over the cap on the iced lineup. That would make LTIR only work for its intended purpose.

 

[Bijelo]

Encourage fans who no longer enjoy the game to move and pursue other activities, rather than continuing to follow the NHL and whining about it online.

I have a friend who like NHL my friend believe McDavid are best since Gretzky.

We have debated about NHL since 2006.

I follow scoring league.

 

[DustyDangler]

Remove offsides reviews

Make the break between periods an even 15 minutes

More inter division games and only play the other conference once instead of twice

Experiment at the AHL level with ways to improve 3 on 3

Even odd?

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

What does ‘diverse’ mean to you? The neo-definition, meaning Non-white? Or are you going with the classic definition?

Is that you, Ben?

I’d hold the refs accountable, improve scheduling, fix OT, and fire Bettman and Parros into the sun.

 

[boredmale]

Bring back the rover.

 

[Suntouchable13]

I am totally befuddled why they completely messed with the playoff format and went with these atrocities for divisions. Stupid league, honestly. Did somebody ask for these divisions and playoff format? I would scrap the current divisions and go back to the previous playoff format.

 

[pekka55]

I'd like the refs to actually call the game according to the rule book. Otherwise I think the game is pretty good, but the inconsistent calls and game management is ridiculous.

If something's a penalty in the first period, then it should also be a penalty in the third. I don't care if my team is down by 10 goals in the 3rd, if a player trips someone then call it. I just can't trust refs if they won't call games like the should.

Either call the penalties by the book or change the rulebook. Makes no sense to me to have a rule book and then turn around and not use it properly.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

1. get rid of game management refereeing. It is awful. A lot of frustration in blatant penalties going uncalled because of the score, "fairness of calls" or the time in the game.

2. overhaul player safety.

3. longer penalty for trying to fight a guy after a clean hit

4. increase technology use in the game

5. off ice referee who does an immediate review of a penalty or call to provide a quick correction. no more PPs after guys trip themselves, same team high sticks, or only catching the retaliation penalty. RBA's suggestions on fixing the ref situation are actually quite good.

6. anyone on LTIR for game 82 has to sit out until the 3rd round unless a player of equal or greater AAV is hurt during the playoffs.

 

[wintersej]

I am totally befuddled why they completely messed with the playoff format and went with these atrocities for divisions. Stupid league, honestly. Did somebody ask for these divisions and playoff format? I would scrap the current divisions and go back to the previous playoff format.

See as someone who grew up with Adams, Norris, etc divisions, I love playing your way out of your own division. The rivalry stuff is all true. I, for one, think it's great that Florida, Tampa, Boston and Toronto are always having to go thru each other. And imagine when MTL gets good in 2094! Just wish they played a bit more in the regular season.

 

[robertmac43]

I’m just saying the game doesn’t need to be “fixed” it’s as good as ever.

The on-ice play is amazing but there are still ways the league as a whole can improve.

 

[Suntouchable13]

See as someone who grew up with Adams, Norris, etc divisions, I love playing your way out of your own division. The rivalry stuff is all true. I, for one, think it's great that Florida, Tampa, Boston and Toronto are always having to go thru each other. And imagine when MTL gets good in 2094! Just wish they played a bit more in the regular season.

That's fair. Then they should bring back those names then. The current names are lame.

 

[Seanaconda]

I was just thinking there is a good anime for every sport (like even figure skating has a banger ) except for hockey, now would be a good time ? Kinda like a haikyu (volleyball anime)

Or reboot the cartoon mighty ducks?

 

[Perfect_Drug]

I’m just saying the game doesn’t need to be “fixed” it’s as good as ever.

The one thing that I think would absolutely help the game is make a regulation win worth 3 points.

Each team has 246 points available to win at the start of a season.

Been several "re-calculations" done with this point structure applied to the past few seasons.

There was virtually no substantial changes in the standings. Like the playoff teams were still the playoff teams (might have been a shift between who had home-ice, and maybe a couple 1st round matchups). And I believe there was minimal changes to the draft order, which was already offset with a lottery.

This proposed 'change' has circulated for years, but it never would have actually changed much of anything.

1. get rid of game management refereeing. It is awful. A lot of frustration in blatant penalties going uncalled because of the score, "fairness of calls" or the time in the game.

2. overhaul player safety.

3. longer penalty for trying to fight a guy after a clean hit

4. increase technology use in the game

5. off ice referee who does an immediate review of a penalty or call to provide a quick correction. no more PPs after guys trip themselves, same team high sticks, or only catching the retaliation penalty. RBA's suggestions on fixing the ref situation are actually quite good.

6. anyone on LTIR for game 82 has to sit out until the 3rd round unless a player of equal or greater AAV is hurt during the playoffs.

I mean I agree that the NHL doesn't really need 'fixing'.

But everything you listed here is great for IMPROVING the game.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

I am totally befuddled why they completely messed with the playoff format and went with these atrocities for divisions. Stupid league, honestly. Did somebody ask for these divisions and playoff format? I would scrap the current divisions and go back to the previous playoff format.

Short: I think both the move to 4 divisions and then the resulting playoff format were initially an NHLPA-driven thing, and the "4 divisions" idea fell out of the "4 conferences" idea which the NHLPA nixed. I recall scheduling being a factor in going to 4 divisions and that both sides had issues with how scheduling was being done, but it wasn't the only thing that drove moving from 6 divisions to 4. The playoff format fell out of concerns the NHLPA had over the chances of a given team making the playoffs depending on how many teams were in its division.

That was 12, 13, 14 years ago, I'm sure someone else who recalls all those details at their fingertips has the specifics on it. And, I'm not even going to attempt to explain the NHLPA's logic on all of that.

 

[Strangle]

Wow, this is an old thread. Can't remember exactly where my head was at the time I posted, but when I see organizations run solely by men, there are usually cover ups and circling the wagons to protect their own no matter how disgusting the crime.
By diverse, I mostly want the sport to Involve non-hockey people, especially more females. Organizations run soley by males have proved time and time again that they (we) can't be trusted not to abuse that authority or to monitor one another and correct bad behavior.
My major fault with hockey and the thing that makes me turn away from the sport every now and then are the cover ups - especially in regards to sexual assault. I want non-hockey people to provide oversight - not the current system of shuffling the names and drawing replacements from the same pool of recognized hockey men that are cut of the same mold as those who looked away from the problems in the first place.

So that's what diverse means to me in this instance. Not from the pool of the hockey world and more females. I just trust women and non-hockey people more when it comes to the issues that trouble me the most with this sport.

I had also had the idea that it’s weird AF there aren’t more euro coaches in the NHL

Comment is 3 yrs old … sounds like you’re digging for something to be mad about / disagree with

I don’t check the posting date often on the front page, I didn’t bump this thread

 

[robertmac43]

5. off ice referee who does an immediate review of a penalty or call to provide a quick correction. no more PPs after guys trip themselves, same team high sticks, or only catching the retaliation penalty. RBA's suggestions on fixing the ref situation are actually quite good.

Been wanting something like this for so long. It just makes so much sense to have 'eyes in the sky' with a sport as fast as hockey.

 

[kevsh]

The NHLPA would never accept it, but I'd push hard to ban all no-trade clauses in player contracts.

They're really great for the individual players as they can control where they go, or at all, but suck for everyone else, hinder league parity and more. And while they were once only given out to a privileged few it seems rosters are now full of NTC players, making it very difficult for GMs to make trades and for teams in certain cities to acquire talent outside of the draft, while for others (Viva Las Vegas!), every player and their pet dog want to go there.

 

[rojac]

I am totally befuddled why they completely messed with the playoff format and went with these atrocities for divisions. Stupid league, honestly. Did somebody ask for these divisions and playoff format? I would scrap the current divisions and go back to the previous playoff format.

Divisions are almost always going to be a compromise. These divisions are set up to minimize out-of-time-zone games. I don't really see an issue withe the Central and Pacific divisions. The eastern divisions are a little weirder but I'm pretty sure that's a result of the fact that any realignment required a 3/4 vote of owners to approve. So, with 30 teams, any group of 8 could block a proposal. It's pretty well known that NYR, NYI, NJD, PIT, PHI, and WAS wanted to be in the same division. CBJ and DET wanted out of the west. I think those 8 teams might have teamed up to block any proposal that didn't accomplish those two goals.

Keeping the first playoff rounds within the division was an attempt to reduce playoff travel.