NHL players given rules powers

[HockeyCritter]

The league has been in a downward spiral for several years ---- let's hope this lockout is rock bottom and they start to rebuild.

 

[Winger98]

No, it's not. In fact, the truth is this is the best the NHL has looked in many many years. There'll be some pains in getting back into gear and winning some of the disgruntled fans back but once things are in motion this is looking to be the best shape the league has ever been in. This is just one small piece of that.

Don't let your blind fanatical loyalty to the NHLPA blind you to the *real* truth.

wow...and we wonder why the NHL can't grow a larger fan base in the US when it looks better to its own fans when its not played for a year...

 

[WC Handy*]

Personally, I'm not too sure what to think about this. Obviously the old way wasn't working. Nothing changed to help the scoring. But, you have to wonder what the motivation of the players will be. If you have a few goalies representing the players, will they really be looking to improve scoring?

What I'd like to see in place are some goals for this rules committee. Perhaps a target goals per game and scoring chances per game is agreed upon and each offseason they discuss ways of achieving this goal.

One of the big problems with something like this is that it's hard for them to think outside of the box and even harder to agree to a good idea that outside the box. If they have goals to meet and that is their #1 priority, then maybe they'll be more willing to agree to something that they otherwise wouldn't have.

 

[Hoss]

9 people on the committee.. final say in rule changes.. I would assume majority rules.. 5 of 9 represent the clubs/ownership. Yeh, some power.

Why would you assume that it would be 4 gms + one owner vs 4 players? (edit. as Shakes pointed out I misread the article)The fact that players are even being consulted is a good move for the NHL.

 

[Lanny MacDonald*]

Wow! Is this a monumental development! Almost as impressive as the $400K minimum salary! What a load of crap. Its shuffling of deck chairs on the Titanic. It doesn't mean anything, but it will give the impression something is being done. The players will be just as self-serving as the General Managers have in the past, most of which are hockey people and ex-players to being with. I don't see how any difference is going to be made.

 

[A Good Flying Bird*]

No, it's not. In fact, the truth is this is the best the NHL has looked in many many years. There'll be some pains in getting back into gear and winning some of the disgruntled fans back but once things are in motion this is looking to be the best shape the league has ever been in. This is just one small piece of that.

Don't let your blind fanatical loyalty to the NHLPA blind you to the *real* truth.

Perhaps I should ahve been more clear, I was talking about Player/owner relations. Not the state of the game.
I just figured people would have the ability to keep things in context. I see I overestimated your ability.

 

[shakes]

Why would you assume that it would be 4 gms + one owner vs 4 players? And why does anyone think this committee would have the power to implement change? Most committee's investigate and produce reccomendations. The fact that players are even being consulted is a good move for the NHL.

I know most people don't read what's linked but, come on, it's in the first friggin paragraph.

...is the formation of a competition committee that will consist of four general managers, one owner and four players. The committee will be the final word on rules changes, equipment and other game-related issues.

 

[jamiebez]

A long way? An H2 with a busted alternator would go further.

For the first time ever players get to have a say in how the game is played. I would say that's a long way in creating a partnership.

With linkage to revenues determining how much they get paid, I would think it would be pretty important to them to have a say in how to make the game as exciting as possible.

 

[Malefic74]

It's a good start, but I think it falls just short. I like the GM's there and I like the players there, but I think two other groups need to be represented.

1) Coaches. Someone upthread refferred to Lou as the King of the trap. Wrong. That would be his COACH at the time, Lemaire. It's the coaches who overanalyze every little nuance of the game and in some ways I think they know the game better than the players.

2) Refs. Refs should be involved so they can understand the process and intention of any rule change. Anyone can call black and white calls, but there is a lot of gray in hockey and a lot of it relates to the intention of certain rules. If the refs can be part of the process they can better understand why the changes are being made so they can make the right call based on the intent of the rule rather than the wording in the rulebook.

 

[Whakahere]

it is great news.

I think many people are blaming the players for so much they are willing to blame them here too.

Having players on the committee is the best thing as they want the game to be fun for the fans. All of us know that playing boring hockey is no fun. It is the owners that wantv a slow game as that gives them a better chance of winning.

Wake up and smell the coffee people.

 

[Hoss]

I know most people don't read what's linked but, come on, it's in the first friggin paragraph.

You got me, I only skimmed it the first time. Now why do you feel the players will be over powered by the GM and owner members of the committee? Surely some voice is better than no voice? IMHO, it sounds like this grouping may be able to eliminate the politics and infighting and actually concentrate on the game itself.