Some Dirty Laundry Of The NHL Exposed

[The Feckless Puck]

Now it's a visibility problem.

Yep. NASCAR misinterpreted their post-2001 popularity bump as a trend rather than a fad and are paying the price big time for that now.

A lesson the NHL should probably learn, too - gotta have a product that appeals to the current public rather than to an ideal created when most younger viewers' parents were in kiddie school.

 

[Dirty Old Man]

I was referring to the inability of the drivers to see what was around them, but it did occur to me after I posted that it might be interpreted as a decline in people watching.

Both true.

 

[rt]

NASCAR didn't have a seat-belt problem until Dale Earnhardt was killed.

It's a game played on ice. So it's dangerous. Look at Stone's injury. The league does not have a fighting problem. It's fine.

 

[YotesFan47]

Not sure what hugging trees has to do with any of this, but hockey will always be a high impact game with the potential for injury. I don't believe I, or anyone else, is petitioning for these aspects to change.

Fighting does not need to be part of the game for the sport to still be entertaining, exciting, and yes, violent.

Only about a quarter of NHL games have a fighting major. http://www.hockeyfights.com/stats/
The trend is heading down. Is there anyone out there pushing for more fights? Maybe you, but I mean normal people.

It probably will not take a fatality for the rules to change. If what has happened to Joey V this year were to happen to one of the league's marque players (think Crosby, 7 career fights; Ovechkin, 3 career fights), mainstream news outlets would be talking about it, and the GMs would receive pressure to change like never before.

Haha sorry that came off a bit abrasive. My point was that fighting is fine if the players agree to it. Sign a waiver, call it good. Someone dies because they wanted to play in the best league in the world with risks? I'm ok with that, it was their choice.

 

[MIGs Dog]

I've said what I have to say...not bringing it up again (maybe sometime in the future, but not this week, and next week is not looking so good either )

 

[yotesreign]

Yep. NASCAR misinterpreted their post-2001 popularity bump as a trend rather than a fad and are paying the price big time for that now.

A lesson the NHL should probably learn, too - gotta have a product that appeals to the current public rather than to an ideal created when most younger viewers' parents were in kiddie school.

I'm going off topic talking NASCAR but them chasing the kids is ruining NASCAR manufacturing drama talking about scheduled cautions as a way to tighten the field because kids get bored if they race 50 laps without a caution like hey kids watch hockey, there's no Lucky Dog in hockey. NHL won't throw caution and let the team that's down 2 goals get one back before they drop the puck to make things more 'exciting and dramatic'.

 

[huhwhtfkr]

dont give'em anymore ideas

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

NHL doctor slams ‘situational ethics’ on concussions in unsealed lawsuit documents

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl-doctor-slams-...ssions-in-unsealed-lawsuit-documents-1.708729

Fraser sent an email to a group of 39 medical researchers on March 1, 2011, including Dr. Echemendia. Fraser included a link to a video of the incident on TSN’s website.

“You will see the hit and then you can judge as to whether a ‘fine’ was warranted? You make the call,” Fraser wrote.

Dr. Echemendia forwarded Fraser’s email to Grand and Daly.

“FYI see below the kinds of emails that Kerry Fraser is circulating,” Dr. Echemendia wrote.

Daly forwarded the email string to commissioner Gary Bettman.

“I’m not sure there is anything we can or should be doing, but I wanted you to be aware,” Daly wrote.

“Are we still paying him anything?” Bettman asked in reply.

“Yes, his severance,” Daly answered. “But I’m not sure we can stop paying him for expressing views critical of the League.”

“It wouldn’t be nice but maybe he should understand it’s not nice to bite the hand that feeds you,” Bettman wrote. “Please have someone check to see if there are any grounds to withhold. Don’t want to hurt him – maybe just get his attention. This campaign, his book – somewhat delusional.”

“The media is at a hysterical period on this subject,” Bettman is quoted as saying. “It’s a combination of concussions, the NFL news, the Parros situation and the Emery situation. We need to push back a bit on what is being written on it. We should not have this debate publicly whether you support it or not. You can do what you want but it is being made more important than it is. Ken Dryden’s book and Bobby Orr’s books come out with conflicting views. Having this public debate is not good. Please don’t speak to the media about it. Helping the media with the controversy of the issue doesn’t help things.”

Later in the meeting, San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson asks for guidance if media ask about fighting.

“The consensus right now is status quo,” Bettman is quoted as answering. “If media asks about this, deflect the question. Tell them we are having a great season and we will continue to look into issues that come up in the future.”

 

[Bonsai Tree]

Seems to me that if they go the European route and simply ban fighting, and then call the games tough and fair, after a season of 5 on 4 hockey the players and teams will stop taking liberties with each other.