Big Phil
Registered User
- Nov 2, 2003
- 31,703
- 4,146
It is only October, and you never judge a season from October, but with fighting down even from last year's low levels and just a lack of anger or animosity I am just wondering if anyone wants to win out there anymore. Teams don't hate each other and try and name the best rivalry in the NHL right now, you can't. There isn't one. I am glad there were a couple of fights in last night's game between the Preds and Vegas but I think the further we get away from the days of classic rivalries the more fans that will think the pacifist way of playing hockey is the permanent one.
Okay, maybe it is just being a Leaf fan. We have a soft team, that team wouldn't drop the gloves if their grandmother was being mugged, so it is fair to say most teams are like us but overall there is a general feeling of everyone being friends and buddies on social media and not having time for hatred or animosity or just flat out wanting to beat the other team.
This seems to be what the media has always wanted. A soft game with no passion and no confrontation. But what does it leave for the fans? At least back in the day there was always the chance of things boiling over. Now? You can almost bet the bank it doesn't happen. No one wants to hit because they are scared and no one just simply gets mad anymore. Is the entertainment value just reserved for the postseason now? I will admit the last two Cup winners could hit and do it well. The Blues did it to Boston last year and San Jose. The San Jose series was physical and physical doesn't always mean line brawls. But there is just this political correctness that has crept into the game that affects how the players play. It is weird to see nowadays.
Okay, maybe it is just being a Leaf fan. We have a soft team, that team wouldn't drop the gloves if their grandmother was being mugged, so it is fair to say most teams are like us but overall there is a general feeling of everyone being friends and buddies on social media and not having time for hatred or animosity or just flat out wanting to beat the other team.
This seems to be what the media has always wanted. A soft game with no passion and no confrontation. But what does it leave for the fans? At least back in the day there was always the chance of things boiling over. Now? You can almost bet the bank it doesn't happen. No one wants to hit because they are scared and no one just simply gets mad anymore. Is the entertainment value just reserved for the postseason now? I will admit the last two Cup winners could hit and do it well. The Blues did it to Boston last year and San Jose. The San Jose series was physical and physical doesn't always mean line brawls. But there is just this political correctness that has crept into the game that affects how the players play. It is weird to see nowadays.