Ideas to make the game better.

[ToMaLe]

1) The idea behind increasing scoring is improving the actual play, not redefining non-goals as goals.

2) This goes completely against increasing scoring as it will allow players to "accidentally" shoot it over again. Also, I don't know why people think the refs should have discretion on every call. If you high stick a guy its a high stick, you need to be in control of your stick at all times. If you put your free hand on an opponent its a holding. Refs don't get to decide if something is a penalty so much as they decide whether or not something actually happened or not.

3) Agree completely, hate the shoot-out.

4) Indifferent here, I see the pros and cons either way.

5) The refs already swallow their whistles too much as is. A horrible non-call that takes away a scoring chance ruins the flow more than if it actually gets called. I hate how people say that a ref is "making the game all about them" when they actually call penalties. Non-calls influence the game just as much as soft calls if not more.

then that horrible non call should be included in the 100% a penalty catagory shouldnt it?

 

[Uberdachen]

After a goal is scored, the goal-scorer runs up a flight of stairs and spins a wheel that determines how many points the goal is worth. Explosions and **** go on at the same time.

Next!

 

[stampedingviking]

No - it will never happen because relegation is the stupidest idea ever. It will never fit within the NA business model. And that's a GOOD thing!

and scrap the draft?... whatever...

Why is relegation stupid? Please explain.

NA business model = tanking to get the best player(s), that's just sooooo good.

Relegation would put an instant stop to teams deliberately tanking = good for the game.

Get rid of the draft, no one team would be able to hoover up all the best young players because of the threat of relegation, subsequent contracts would put them over the cap, etc.

 

[Dr Black]

Stop reviewing offside.

If it's close enough to be onside with the naked eye, it's ****ing onside.

^^^^^^
THIS!!!!!

Everything else is secondary!

 

[2 Minute Minor]

Teams should be awarded a goal for every 10 pounds lighter their goalie is (in full equipment) than the opponent. Creates an incentive for smaller goalies and equipment. Plus Darren Pang could make an incredible come-back.

 

[Paulinvancouver]

What are your thoughts on removing the blue line completely during a PP?

Penalties would really be a more significant penalty IMO, higher chances of scoring.

That would really slow down the game if at the start of every penalty they had to drain the rink, repaint the blue line white, flood the rink, let it freeze, and surface it, only to have to do the reverse after two minutes.

And do this several times a game?

Not a chance.

 

[Demandedace]

After a goal is scored, the goal-scorer runs up a flight of stairs and spins a wheel that determines how many points the goal is worth. Explosions and **** go on at the same time.

Next!

This idea has more merit than the original one in the original post lol

 

[sparxx87]

Stop reviewing offside.

If it's close enough to be onside with the naked eye, it's ****ing onside.

This, or at least put a time limit on it. If it's blatant then fine, but we're slowing it down and viewing all angles to see if guys pinky toe is touching. Ridiculous.

Also, instigator rule. This is a recording.

 

[piteus]

I don't know why people are so against going back to normal sized goalie pads. It's still too big. It doesn't change the fundamentals of the game. All it does is go back to what it was before. Furthermore, the skill of the goalie would even be more accentuated.

It had to be a gradual thing though. Perhaps give it 3 years before it becomes permanent. Baseball has rules on equipment. So does tennis, golf, football, etc. Limiting advances in equipment has always been part of sports.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

Hockey would be more fun to watch if the referees used different standards for penalties depending on the game state. It will keep the fan's guessing and on the edge of their seats.

For example: A hook in the first period would not be called in the third, unless the player is brought down on a breakaway. And wouldn't be called at all during the play offs.

Also, if one team is given several power plays in a row, the next penalty will automatically be against them, so the other team gets a chance to catch up. This effect to be amplified if the previously penalized team is now losing, or the home team.

 

[sparxx87]

Hockey would be more fun to watch if the referees used different standards for penalties depending on the game state. It will keep the fan's guessing and on the edge of their seats.

For example: A hook in the first period would not be called in the third, unless the player is brought down on a breakaway. And wouldn't be called at all during the play offs.

Also, if one team is given several power plays in a row, the next penalty will automatically be against them, so the other team gets a chance to catch up. This effect to be amplified if the previously penalized team is now losing, or the home team.

While unwritten, I feel like this is already in the game?

 

[cheap77]

Fix hybrid icing. It's a mess in its current form, and the linesmen make some really bad calls.

The rule should be you have to touch up UNLESS there is a race that the Dman leads. With the current rules, they award it to the D on instances where the F was going to get there 1st when it came around the net or something.

It solved the biggest problem which was people getting hurt on icing calls.

 

[LeHab]

No more falling down to block shots for players except goalies. More shots will go through and less risks of injuries.

 

[BruinLVGA]

Why is relegation stupid? Please explain.

NA business model = tanking to get the best player(s), that's just sooooo good.

Relegation would put an instant stop to teams deliberately tanking = good for the game.

Get rid of the draft, no one team would be able to hoover up all the best young players because of the threat of relegation, subsequent contracts would put them over the cap, etc.

Relegation is not "stupid". Only someone from NA who doesn't have knowledge of what goes on outside of their continent could describe it as such. It is the system used all over the world for the majority of sports and leagues.

However, it would be detrimental to the NHL. The major advantage of a closed league is that it guarantees financial stability.
If relegation would exist, it would be a financial disaster for the team that gets demoted: loss of income from televised games, the majority of sponsors (see advertising) would want to renegotiate or outright terminate their contracts, sales of game tickets and merchandise would take a hit.

Furthermore, in NA there isn't a system like in Europe where youth is developed in house. The minor league affiliates system is very important to the NHL and relegation would throw that into disarray.

Lastly, an NHL team is an endeavor of hundreds of million dollars a year (I think), I am not sure that this type of $$$ commitment would be agreed upon by the AHL team that would get promoted. I am not sure how much an AHL team budget is, but I am positive it is probably a tiny fraction of what the budget of an NHL team is. All of a sudden the owners of the promoted team would be supposed to gather a NHL budget? It would not happen.

Relegation for NA is a bad idea.

 

[ottawa]

Oh, goodie. I was wondering when someone would finally get around to starting one of these threads.

To be fair, HF (and others) mentioned 3v3 long before the NHL implemented that. It's about time the fans pick up on another idea the NHL will implement...my guess is the 3-2-1 point system.

 

[DapperCam]

Hockey would be more fun to watch if the referees used different standards for penalties depending on the game state. It will keep the fan's guessing and on the edge of their seats.

For example: A hook in the first period would not be called in the third, unless the player is brought down on a breakaway. And wouldn't be called at all during the play offs.

Also, if one team is given several power plays in a row, the next penalty will automatically be against them, so the other team gets a chance to catch up. This effect to be amplified if the previously penalized team is now losing, or the home team.

This is hilarious

 

[howlincoyote2k1]

Here we go.

At the start of the game, there is a clock time of 0. The clock remains at 0 during play until a team scores. If the home team has any kind of one-goal lead, the clock increases by 1 per second. If the home team has a two-goal lead, the clock increases by 2 per second, three-goal lead is 3 per second, and so on. If the away team has a one-goal lead, the clock decreases by 1 per second, decreases by 2 per second for a two goal lead, and so on.

The game is over and the home team wins if the clock reaches 2000. The game is over and the away team wins if the clock reaches -2000.

/s

 

[cheap77]

Penalty shot change. Team still gets 1 minute power play if penalty shot is missed. If scored, continue game as normal.

Delay of game for puck over the glass should be the same as icing.

Goalies can't reach behind or around the net to freeze the puck.

Bigger nets or smaller equipment, or both.

I saw an idea earlier in the thread by someone that was having periods 1 and 3 be far from the bench, and 2 be close. Overtime remains far change.

 

[Naslund]

1) Larger width of the ice (5ft)
2) Larger nets (2-4 inches), same height
3) Strict size for goalie equipment (to ensure safety and that's it)
4) Penalty for shot blocking by defenders/forwards

Implement these changes and the quality of the NHL product would greatly improve. Fast players would have more space to blaze by a defender. Goalie would have to display more skills to stop quality chances instead of just putting their body in front of the net. Defenders would be force to stay with the shooter instead of collapsing in front of the goalies. Grinders would have to keep up to be effective. Creative players would have a bit more time to think of a great play. Fans could enjoy all the skills that hockey players cannot fully demonstrate in the current "spaceless" environment. All this seem obvious to me. I read this thread and most of the changes proposed would barely have any impact on the quality of the play.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

Hows about....

-expand to 34 teams (Add Vegas, Quebec, Toronto, Seattle)
-hold a mid-season tourney around christmas for a playoff spot (could still play for home ice after that).
-shorten the season by 10 games.
-best 3 teams per divij get in. plus wild cards by conference.
-have weakest team in conference relegated out of divij. So you'll have two x 8 and two x9 in the divisions. (im not sure why.....for ....symmetry...)

 

[Keithsteeth]

I think improving the game is very simple. The OP had it:

Call Interference/Hookiing/Holding.

And I'll add to continue to call it in the playoffs. Teams know they can get away with murder in the postseason right now.

If those penalties were consistently called we'd get more scoring and better hockey. We've seen it before.

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

Help grow the game to other nations.

 

[Melrose Munch]

I don't know why people are so against going back to normal sized goalie pads. It's still too big. It doesn't change the fundamentals of the game. All it does is go back to what it was before. Furthermore, the skill of the goalie would even be more accentuated.

It had to be a gradual thing though. Perhaps give it 3 years before it becomes permanent. Baseball has rules on equipment. So does tennis, golf, football, etc. Limiting advances in equipment has always been part of sports.

Why not let the goalies keep their pads and make the nets bigger?

 

[Eowin]

Combine Ice Hockey with Paintball. I'm not sure of the rules but it definitely involves somebody shooting somebody.

 

[Vikke]

Higher glass all around the rink would be a nice little improvement. Fewer whistles, more strange bounces etc.