Kypreos calls out the league

[Sky04]

Then I guess you loved the first season after the lockout? Where they had 15+ power plays a game? That year was total, complete garbage.

In your opinion. If the early 00's we're so good why didn't they go back to it? Oh right.

 

[Sky04]

This year certainly does not. I can count the number of “good games” on both hands. One was buf/tor and Calgary/Edmonton.vegas/caps would’ve been good, except the refs stepped in.

In your opinion. No one cares what the small minority thinks.

 

[cliffclaven]

In your opinion. No one cares what the small minority thinks.

“no one cares what fans of the last 25+ years think?” Ok buddy.

 

[The Macho King]

Jaromir Jagr literally just played in this league last year and literally nobody ever called him a goon.

Play a long time, get a lot of PIMs. He was making a really stupid point - 1000 pims over a 15 year career is hardly notable. Shit some of those probably got most of those with all minors. Did Jagr ever fight once in his career? Savard had 13 fights his entire career.

 

[Sky04]

“no one cares what fans of the last 25+ years think?” Ok buddy.

No one cares if you think it was better before which is small minority opinion, if it was better for the league they'd be transgressing back towards it, they aren't and won't so have fun with the reruns I'll enjoy the current stuff with the majority.

 

[The Macho King]

In your opinion. No one cares what the small minority thinks.

I also miss Giguere's pads. 1996-2004 were the worst seasons in (modern) NHL history. Only thing comparable may have been immediately post expansion with 12 new teams + WHA taking a lot of talent from the league + very few Russians/Euros. But even then at least you had guys like Orr to watch.

 

[qwerty]

Kypreos is also a former face punching plug. Of course he’s more partial to fighters. Not sure he realizes, but the objective of hockey is to outscore your opponent, not to out bruise your opponent. Guy is watching the wrong sport. MMA is more his thing. The intensity picks up in the playoffs and that’s good enough.

 

[Mario le Magnifique]

Reaves and Wilson have a combined 24 points on the year. Wilson is over a point-per-game. These aren't your daddy's knuckle dragging nobodies. Kypreos is right, the league needs more players that can inject some physicality in the games. Makes the product much more entertaining.

The only thing is the unecessary roughness sometimes. But they are walking a thin line. I think improving the equipment material should help. Elbows and shoulder pads are still way too f***ing hard for any jaw. Also, the league could put in some more rules like full face protection, how many guys are gonna keep getting injured from a stick or puck to the face. I get that the league is old school on protective apparatus but man these guys are paid MILLIONS and they don't have the adequate protection any guy at the factory would've.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

Play a long time, get a lot of PIMs. He was making a really stupid point - 1000 pims over a 15 year career is hardly notable. **** some of those probably got most of those with all minors. Did Jagr ever fight once in his career? Savard had 13 fights his entire career.

Joe Thornton has 1200 PIM and 1,439 points. Today’s fans should be calling him a goon, but I’ve literally never heard anybody call him that.

I guess it probably has something to do with the fact that he scores 43 points for every major penalty he takes.

 

[cliffclaven]

No one cares if you think it was better before which is small minority opinion, if it was better for the league they'd be transgressing back towards it, they aren't and won't so have fun with the reruns I'll enjoy the current stuff with the majority.

The “majority?” Where? Canada?

 

[cliffclaven]

Kypreos is also a former face punching plug. Of course he’s more partial to fighters. Not sure he realizes, but the objective of hockey is to outscore your opponent, not to out bruise your opponent. Guy is watching the wrong sport. MMA is more his thing. The intensity picks up in the playoffs and that’s good enough.

Again, he was not talking about fighters. Jesus how many times do I have to say this.

 

[qwerty]

Again, he was not talking about fighters. Jesus how many times do I have to say this.

Didn’t bother reading anything post your first post. I just know what stance Kypreos has in regards to what he wants the game to be. He likes old school animosity, glove in your face, intensity, chirping, rivalries. That’s the way he played the game. But the league isn’t interested in the goonery that catches the headlines of ESPN, they care about selling the game to families and kids. You do that with speed and goals.

 

[snipes]

I do miss the hate in hockey.

Doesn’t need to be staged goon fights but games with genuine hate. It’s not as prevalent as it once was but I also love the skill we are seeing.

We truly are in the beginning of the “speed and skill” era I think.

 

[Legionnaire]

He's totally correct.

 

[FreeBobbyFarnham]

Love McDavid, Crosby at the same age would be crying like a little ***** the whole time.

Yes let that anger out.

 

[cliffclaven]

Didn’t bother reading anything post your first post. I just know what stance Kypreos has in regards to what he wants the game to be. He likes old school animosity, glove in your face, intensity, chirping, rivalries. That’s the way he played the game. But the league isn’t interested in the goonery that catches the headlines of ESPN, they care about selling the game to families and kids. You do that with speed and goals.

Yeah, they’re really “growing the game” in Florida, Carolina, and Arizona. “Speed and goals” sells the game... in Canada. AGAIN... he wasn’t talking about that (Goonery). Rivalries? There aren’t any anymore. I guess “intensity, chirping, animosity and rivalries” are bad for the game.

 

[Anisimovs AK]

Disagree. If anything, the playoffs will be worse unless the refs swallow their whistles. No teams will want to play a heavy physical game for fear of a penalty for being a big mean meanie. I predict a devils trap type sc winner this year.

So the league is at its highest scoring rate in 13 years, and you think the Cup winner will play a trap style game?

Why?

Besides nostalgia based discontent, seriously what about this year's hockey would lead you to believe that?

 

[Anisimovs AK]

Joe Thornton has 1200 PIM and 1,439 points. Today’s fans should be calling him a goon, but I’ve literally never heard anybody call him that.

I guess it probably has something to do with the fact that he scores 43 points for every major penalty he takes.

Its also because he is drastically less physical than he was in his younger days

 

[cliffclaven]

So the league is at its highest scoring rate in 13 years, and you think the Cup winner will play a trap style game?

Why?

Besides nostalgia based discontent, seriously what about this year's hockey would lead you to believe that?

Uhh.. because you can’t play actual defense anymore? You think the playoffs are going to be an end to end free for all? Not to mention OT will be 5on5. The team that plays the best 1-3-1 will win.

 

[TKalltheTime]

Sorry.. I want talent and physicality. Nothing beats 90's and early 2000's hockey.

Id watch Red Wings Avs every night

The worst most boring clutch and grab area of hockey?!!?? UMMMMMOKKKKKKKKK

 

[Anisimovs AK]

Yeah, they’re really “growing the game” in Florida, Carolina, and Arizona. “Speed and goals” sells the game... in Canada. AGAIN... he wasn’t talking about that (Goonery). Rivalries? There aren’t any anymore. I guess “intensity, chirping, animosity and rivalries” are bad for the game.

They are. Youth participation is up by a few hundred percent in each area

 

[Anisimovs AK]

Uhh.. because you can’t play actual defense anymore? You think the playoffs are going to be an end to end free for all? Not to mention OT will be 5on5. The team that plays the best 1-3-1 will win.

So hooking and holding is actual defense to you?

So even though scoring is considerably up league wide and teams are playing higher tempo hockey league wide, you think the playoffs are going to be super low scoring because...?

 

[barilko05]

Sorry.. I want talent and physicality. Nothing beats 90's and early 2000's hockey.

Id watch Red Wings Avs every night

Sorry but that was the worst most boring stretch of hockey in the modern era. Maybe DET and COL were exciting but they were about it. Clutching grabbing trapping giant goalie equipment...that was the modus operandi for most everybody else..and it worked for a lot of teams. NJ, Minny, Buffalo, even Florida got to a final. There's a reason it was called The Dead Puck Era. I for one don't ever want to see that again. I sleep fine...I don't need the NHL's help.

 

[Drugs Delaney]

Hockey needs more nerds.

 

[HIFE]

Yes there is.

The league has made it very difficult to have success with that strategy .... Anything that even looks bad is a penalty

I keep reading from 3 or 4 posters how "the league" has tampered with the game to take the hate out. You ever think humans over time simply change on their own? That hockey evolved on it's own? Social media probably plays the largest role creating the friendlier nature of the sport today, but there's many factors. I believe the competitive fire is as strong as ever, just expressed differently. Also there's no need to worry about the future of physicality in the NHL because there will always be throwbacks like Wilson and Reeves. Hockey will never be soccer lol.

I can agree the similarity of teams and systems, the incessant flow of rushes up and down the ice at break-neck speed, can be monotonous. Kind of like NASCAR at times. IMO it's only part of witnessing the greatest stickhandling, skating, and passing ever. The IQ of the players especially at a younger and younger age is amazing. Look at the popularity of 80's Oilers or 90's Red Wings with the Russian 5- you realize what fans crave most is skill and puck possession. Old dudes (50+) stuck in the past like Kypros and Tortorella can't fully appreciate the game today and I honestly feel bad for them.