@Big Phil ... In terms of the type of "passion" that old heads like us loved about the game... yes... those days are gonzo.
We'll never again see wars like the Battle of Quebec, Rags vs. Isles, the Battle of Alberta, or the Broad Street Bullies vs. [insert victim here].
We'll never wake up and open Twitter to a feed full of thousands hyping up "Probert vs. Domi II" tonight at MSG.
Even games that are loaded with passion and hatred from whistle to whistle are long gone. The rivalry between Matthew Tkachuk and Drew Doughty looks like infants playing in a sandbox compared to the wars between Eric Lindros and Scott Stevens or Tie Domi vs. Ulf Samuelsson.
Teams don't have the same personalities on the bench these days. Those personalities create passion. Guys like Domi, Nilan, Clark, Marchment, Twist, Simon, Messier, Lindros, Tikkanen, etc. are gone and not returning.
Today, the players are walking brands and moneymakers bringing in tens of millions of dollars. Many of them are mercenaries who have "bros" on rival teams. You see it in warm-ups, players are chumming it up with the opponent... laughing, talking, setting up post game beers.
There are a few "fun" games a week these days, but it's speed and skill that creates the glimpses of fun. However, back in the day, your favorite team's game that night was an "event." You knew there were going to be hits, fights, intensity, goals, passion, hatred. It was must-see TV. Now, not so much.
