Opinions on the game where you know you are in the minority

[scott clam]

80 is the perfect number of regular season games.

Getting rid of the trapezoid would make the game a lot less dangerous.

 

[CharlestownChiefsESC]

Fans saying Neil Smith and the Rangers lowballed Messier in 97. The guys days as an elite player were done. Smith was looking towards the future where Messier was only going to decline further and further, also Messier didn't help his cause as his behavior towards Rangers management post 1994 had been pretty childish, and self centered.

 

[Johnny Engine]

Atleast ban "Everybody was kung fu fighting" and Im happy.

But if they ban Kung Fu Fighting, you'll see a dramatic increase in dirty Kung Fu, it's much better to let the players Kung Fu themselves.

 

[BadgerBruce]

I hold several opinions more than a few people I know think are utterly nuts.

In no particular order .....

1) Dick Irvin was not a great coach. Toe Blake was.

2) It’s time for a new league . It’s been about 40 years since the NHL felt the need to evolve and change because of a real threat (WHA), and today the league is complacent.

3) The absence of the red line and the short shift strategy combine to create the illusion that today’s players are faster than yesterday’s. The game certainly is faster, but the individual players aren’t.

4) The post baby boom decline in birth rates across North America contributed to the decline of on-ice creativity. Howe, Hull, Beliveau, the Rocket, even Orr — these legends came from big families with 5-11 kids. Built in training mates that aren’t paid for. Today, parents have 1-2 kids and dump buckets of money into skills training for them. Kills inventiveness on the ice and replaces it with robotic imitation.

5) Boys who grew up listening to hockey on the radio had to imagine what greatness looked like. Immense freedom to create and be individual when they hit the ice. YouTubers today replicate what already exists. The game suffers because of this.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

I hold several opinions more than a few people I know think are utterly nuts.

In no particular order .....

1) Dick Irvin was not a great coach. Toe Blake was.

2) It’s time for a new league . It’s been about 40 years since the NHL felt the need to evolve and change because of a real threat (WHA), and today the league is complacent.

3) The absence of the red line and the short shift strategy combine to create the illusion that today’s players are faster than yesterday’s. The game certainly is faster, but the individual players aren’t.

4) The post baby boom decline in birth rates across North America contributed to the decline of on-ice creativity. Howe, Hull, Beliveau, the Rocket, even Orr — these legends came from big families with 5-11 kids. Built in training mates that aren’t paid for. Today, parents have 1-2 kids and dump buckets of money into skills training for them. Kills inventiveness on the ice and replaces it with robotic imitation.

5) Boys who grew up listening to hockey on the radio had to imagine what greatness looked like. Immense freedom to create and be individual when they hit the ice. YouTubers today replicate what already exists. The game suffers because of this.

#3 agree completely.

#4, i think overall youre point is right, but the source isnt. Its not about birthrates, its about youth sports becoming a business. These days kids get overcoached and drilled into a system at 5 years old. Where "back in the day" the only real system a kid was taught was "this is what a center does, this is what a winger does, etc"

Its the overcoaching from day 1 that kills creativity.

 

[Claudi27]

The game would benefit from a shorter schedule.

I'm under the impression that 'practice' nowadays consists of a light skate, conditioning and maybe a few drills, no real preparation for the next game.

Teams have a style and a 'system', but don't adjust to their opponent because they don't have the time of preparing a specific game in order to win it like it happens in football (soccer) leagues.

With more tactical coaching and better thought systems and strategies, I think we would see an improved version of the game.

 

[BadgerBruce]

The game would benefit from a shorter schedule.

I'm under the impression that 'practice' nowadays consists of a light skate, conditioning and maybe a few drills, no real preparation for the next game.

Teams have a style and a 'system', but don't adjust to their opponent because they don't have the time of preparing a specific game in order to win it like it happens in football (soccer) leagues.

With more tactical coaching and better thought systems and strategies, I think we would see an improved version of the game.

It’s not just an issue of preparation — it’s also the reality that ice surfaces are standardized. This really bothers me. A unique building with a unique ice surface creates intrigue when a visitor comes to town — how will the opponent adjust? To me, that’s highly appealing and essentially gone today.

 

[Canadiens1958]

We have to get back to developing athletic kids who play hockey.

 

[Claudi27]

We have to get back to developing athletic kids who play hockey.

Athletic kids who are good at hockey will play 30-40 at most great games. Huge kids will play 82 good games, and some playoff games where the level of play is bad and everyone is gassed and/or injured.

But it's the playoffs!

 

[dr robbie]

--Home team wears white.
--Bring back touch icing.
--Being 5'10 or shorter means you cannot be an elite NHL goaltender.
--Tom Barrasso is the best eligible player not in the Hall.

My Best-Carey

You sir are not alone with these ones for sure.

 

[Midnight Judges]

4) The post baby boom decline in birth rates across North America contributed to the decline of on-ice creativity. Howe, Hull, Beliveau, the Rocket, even Orr — these legends came from big families with 5-11 kids. Built in training mates that aren’t paid for. Today, parents have 1-2 kids and dump buckets of money into skills training for them. Kills inventiveness on the ice and replaces it with robotic imitation.

You think young players are heavily coached to a point where they lose their inventiveness and their game suffers.

A lot of guys in this forum make the case that players today who are not heavily coached are at such a huge disadvantage that they can't compete and this reduces the talent pool.

 

[Midnight Judges]

The game would benefit from a shorter schedule.

I'm under the impression that 'practice' nowadays consists of a light skate, conditioning and maybe a few drills, no real preparation for the next game.

Teams have a style and a 'system', but don't adjust to their opponent because they don't have the time of preparing a specific game in order to win it like it happens in football (soccer) leagues.

With more tactical coaching and better thought systems and strategies, I think we would see an improved version of the game.

So in that case the regular season would be more like the playoffs?

 

[psycat]

The game would benefit from a shorter schedule.

I'm under the impression that 'practice' nowadays consists of a light skate, conditioning and maybe a few drills, no real preparation for the next game.

Teams have a style and a 'system', but don't adjust to their opponent because they don't have the time of preparing a specific game in order to win it like it happens in football (soccer) leagues.

With more tactical coaching and better thought systems and strategies, I think we would see an improved version of the game.

The game is already coached into absurdity and you wan't more of it? Well I suppose the topic said opinions where you know you are in the minority- although in this case it's quite obvious why you are in the minority.

That said I also think a shorter season would be better but obviously not for that reason.

 

[The Panther]

Yeah, I don't think it's a minority opinion on this forum, but Good Grief the playoffs are too long. Does anyone know another sport where the playoffs are 1/3 the length of an already too-long regular season? Three rounds of best-of-five would be enough for me, personally.

 

[decma]

Yeah, I don't think it's a minority opinion on this forum, but Good Grief the playoffs are too long. Does anyone know another sport where the playoffs are 1/3 the length of an already too-long regular season? Three rounds of best-of-five would be enough for me, personally.

I wouldn't be opposed to the first round going back to best of 5, but I think the main reason the playoffs are too long is the days between games, not the number of games.

And, FWIW, the NBA has the same playoffs vs. regular season number of games (four best of 7s following an 82-game season).

And I believe the median number of playoff games played by the Stanley Cup champion since the switch to four best of 7 rounds in 86-87 is 22. So the playoffs are about 27% the length of the regular season. About the same as the length of the NFL playoffs relative to its regular season.

Of the big four sports, only baseball has a meaningfully shorter playoffs relative to reg season.

 

[The Panther]

I wouldn't be opposed to the first round going back to best of 5, but I think the main reason the playoffs are too long is the days between games, not the number of games.

The solution, then, is to have playoff games on back-to-back nights. Why not? I remember this happening often in the late-80s.

And, FWIW, the NBA has the same playoffs vs. regular season number of games (four best of 7s following an 82-game season).

You're right, the NBA playoffs are almost exactly the same length (and at the same time!) as the NHL's. So, this is also way too long. Bettman was always trying to make the NHL into the NBA, so this makes sense.

And I believe the median number of playoff games played by the Stanley Cup champion since the switch to four best of 7 rounds in 86-87 is 22. So the playoffs are about 27% the length of the regular season. About the same as the length of the NFL playoffs relative to its regular season.

Yeah, but c'mon, the NFL season is so short, it hardly matters how long the playoffs are by comparison.

Of the big four sports, only baseball has a meaningfully shorter playoffs relative to reg season.

Baseball gets it more right than hockey.

 

[decma]

The solution, then, is to have playoff games on back-to-back nights. Why not? I remember this happening often in the late-80s.

I agree. You could easily chop a week off the playoffs by doing this. Some back to backs when teams not travelling, and no multi-day gaps between games.

You could also have the playoffs start in early April (rather than mid April), by slightly compressing the regular season schedule.

Do both of these things and playoffs would be over by end of May rather than mid June.

 

[The Panther]

I agree. You could easily chop a week off the playoffs by doing this. Some back to backs when teams not travelling, and no multi-day gaps between games.

You could also have the playoffs start in early April (rather than mid April), by slightly compressing the regular season schedule.

Do both of these things and playoffs would be over by end of May rather than mid June.

Yes, that's the ideal.

No hockey in June. Please, Gary!

 

[Claudi27]

The game is already coached into absurdity and you wan't more of it? Well I suppose the topic said opinions where you know you are in the minority- although in this case it's quite obvious why you are in the minority.

That said I also think a shorter season would be better but obviously not for that reason.

I don't quite agree about the game being coached into absurdity. I believe game strategy is very simplified. Why do you think the game is over-coached?

 

[Tarantula]

Home team wears white, the games look too much alike now. It isn't the same as the 8 game home sched the NFL has.

 

[blood gin]

Home team wears white, the games look too much alike now. It isn't the same as the 8 game home sched the NFL has.

Yes. But I'm not sure you're in the minority it may be a 50/50 thing among fans. Older fans liked the change because that's just what it was back in pre 67 NHL. But to me every game is alike visually. Home colors vs road whites. Yea there is some variations but the core of it remains unchanged. I liked seeing various away colors in your building as well as "good guys wear white"

However some teams do just look more right in home colors. My Devils for instance I feel look better in red at home. The Rangers (and this has nothing to do with how I feel about their team, rivalry put aside) I felt always looked better in white at the Garden. Same with Isles at the Coliseum. Better in white. Philly at home in orange looks more right to me as well. But Boston at home I feel needs to be in white.

So it sort of varies with the franchise

 

[blood gin]

Yes, that's the ideal.

No hockey in June. Please, Gary!

I actually don't mind this. I just have fond memories of being younger, weather getting warm, opening the pool, and the Devils were still playing for the Cup. Just nostalgia

But I can't really argue your point. The NHL playoffs physically is the most intense grind in sports. Is it too long? yes you're correct it is too long. But I love it. The brutality, the 4OT late nights, the ups and downs, the controversies, the mayhem. But I am taking a selfish view on things. It is pure hell on players bodies

 

[blood gin]

See to me baseball is almost a bit too unbalanced. It's a 162 game marathon and I feel that at the very least, a division winner should get a 7 game playoff series with whoever the wild card opponent is. A 5 game divisional round is a little too short after such a long regular season.

 

[McGuillicuddy]

However some teams do just look more right in home colors. My Devils for instance I feel look better in red at home. The Rangers (and this has nothing to do with how I feel about their team, rivalry put aside) I felt always looked better in white at the Garden. Same with Isles at the Coliseum. Better in white. Philly at home in orange looks more right to me as well. But Boston at home I feel needs to be in white.

So it sort of varies with the franchise

Same with Montreal. Games at home need to be in white.

 

[blood gin]

Same with Montreal. Games at home need to be in white.

Agree. And Montreal has beautiful uniforms so they really can't go wrong. But Habs at home in white just looks right in my eyes

I also used to like seeing their fans wearing suits and ties to games