What’s your unpopular hockey opinion?

[psycat]

that about covers it

I mean opinions are entirely subjective. That's the entire point of the thread?

I didn't say everybody is equally good I said they are equally entertaining, if you removed Crosby/McDavid/whoever from the game nobody would miss them because other players would step in- it doesn't matter that they are better than the ones that would play instead. It's insane that hockey players, and sportsmen in general obviously, earn such sums for doing something that is not adding anything really meaningful to society.

If all NHL-players got kicked out and the next 600, or whatever, players in line would play it wouldn't be any less entertaning.

I prefer to watch teams with local homegrown talent, preferably ones that I can relate too in one way or another. All major sports leagues are pretty much the same, yes. NBA is even worse but I don't watch it and would never do since basketball is very very boring(again, subjective, opinion).

 

[Machinehead]

Who had the greatest relative careers and who is the best hockey player are entirely different questions.

They're both Gretzky tho.

 

[Machinehead]

Present hockey is mostly good for falling asleep.
Players, including the stars, are very replacable and honestly should earn about one tenth of what they do. One might aswell watch tier 3 hockey for about the same, sometimes even more, entertainment.

I don't care who wins the cup at all since NHL is just a mercenaries league and it's mostly random anyway. Following storylines of individual players is more engaging.

I don't agree on the talent. I think the talent is at an all-time high.

I totally agree on the randomness. Anybody can beat anybody else and there's no such thing as quality anymore.

 

[psycat]

I don't agree on the talent. I think the talent is at an all-time high.

I totally agree on the randomness. Anybody can beat anybody else and there's no such thing as quality anymore.

I don't think they are less talented(although I am not sure the talent level is at an all time high), I just think they are all pretty much the same, except some are slightly better at doing the same thing.

For example every single goalie in the NHL(maybe save a couple, and add a couple not in the league) are good enough to have a Smythe worthy, or heck even Vezina, worthy run given the right team.

 

[BrockLobster]

Present hockey is mostly good for falling asleep.
Players, including the stars, are very replacable and honestly should earn about one tenth of what they do. One might aswell watch tier 3 hockey for about the same, sometimes even more, entertainment.

I don't care who wins the cup at all since NHL is just a mercenaries league and it's mostly random anyway. Following storylines of individual players is more engaging.

Odd take from a supposed hockey fan

 

[Machinehead]

Odd take from a supposed hockey fan

A non-hockey fan wouldn't know or care if the product was boring.

 

[frisco]

Yeah, I agree. Would've been much more of a knee slapper if he delivered it in a slick British accent.

The fact that I'm calling out his accent and being so politically incorrect about it is partially why it is an unpopular hockey opinion.

My Best-Carey

 

[Chips]

I don't agree on the talent. I think the talent is at an all-time high.

I totally agree on the randomness. Anybody can beat anybody else and there's no such thing as quality anymore.

Score management is definitely a factor in the “randomness”. There are definitely better teams who finish closer to worse teams than they would if there was one uniform set of rules applied consistently.

 

[super6646]

I wouldn’t trade mackinnon for mcdavid one for one once you factor in contracts.

 

[YEM]

Present hockey is mostly good for falling asleep.
Players, including the stars, are very replacable and honestly should earn about one tenth of what they do. One might aswell watch tier 3 hockey for about the same, sometimes even more, entertainment.

I don't care who wins the cup at all since NHL is just a mercenaries league and it's mostly random anyway. Following storylines of individual players is more engaging.

I agree with a lot of this except for the money part
I never know why people insist that professional athletes are [on the average] overpaid, the league brings in X amount of revenue, the players are entitled to their slice of the pie. Simple.

 

[Chips]

I mean opinions are entirely subjective. That's the entire point of the thread?

I didn't say everybody is equally good I said they are equally entertaining, if you removed Crosby/McDavid/whoever from the game nobody would miss them because other players would step in- it doesn't matter that they are better than the ones that would play instead. It's insane that hockey players, and sportsmen in general obviously, earn such sums for doing something that is not adding anything really meaningful to society.

If all NHL-players got kicked out and the next 600, or whatever, players in line would play it wouldn't be any less entertaning.

I prefer to watch teams with local homegrown talent, preferably ones that I can relate too in one way or another. All major sports leagues are pretty much the same, yes. NBA is even worse but I don't watch it and would never do since basketball is very very boring(again, subjective, opinion).

They get paid what we’re willing to pay them... that’s how the entertainment industry works. They’re providing a service we love and even crave enough to pay x dollars.

That’s not overpaid, people very much desire, and to an extent need, entertainment and escapism. They are meeting a demand. Overpaid would be if they are paid money like from taxes, or from their owners pockets, because nobody wants to watch the sport and pay directly. If the money isn’t coming from demand.

Lots of people go through an entire day of a job they hate, or a week of it, or whatever stress in their life they have just looking forward to the game that night, saving up scarce money of theirs hoping to go to a game.

Players absolutely don’t owe us free or cheap hockey. Really, they owe us nothing.

If we weren’t willing to pay that much, less players would be motivated to dedicate their lives to go professional, the talent pool shrinks, the quality dips etc.

Not to mention the deterioration of their health and the social sacrifice they make, hockey is a huge commitment that affects the whole family. It’s a rewarding life but not necessarily a completely easy life.

 

[psycat]

I agree with a lot of this except for the money part
I never know why people insist that professional athletes are [on the average] overpaid, the league brings in X amount of revenue, the players are entitled to their slice of the pie. Simple.

They get paid what we’re willing to pay them... that’s how the entertainment industry works. They’re providing a service we love and even crave enough to pay x dollars.

That’s not overpaid, people very much desire, and to an extent need, entertainment and escapism. They are meeting a demand. Overpaid would be if they are paid money like from taxes, or from their owners pockets, because nobody wants to watch the sport and pay directly. If the money isn’t coming from demand.

Lots of people go through an entire day of a job they hate, or a week of it, or whatever stress in their life they have just looking forward to the game that night, saving up scarce money of theirs hoping to go to a game.

Players absolutely don’t owe us free or cheap hockey. Really, they owe us nothing.

If we weren’t willing to pay that much, less players would be motivated to dedicate their lives to go professional, the talent pool shrinks, the quality dips etc.

Not to mention the deterioration of their health and the social sacrifice they make, hockey is a huge commitment that affects the whole family. It’s a rewarding life but not necessarily a completely easy life.

But nobody want's to pay the prices of tickets/beers or whatever you do at arenas, you go to the matches inspite of the prices not because you like them. If they halfed the prices on admission and stuff they sell I have a hard time seeing people complain, right?

 

[Beauner]

But nobody want's to pay the prices of tickets/beers or whatever you do at arenas, you go to the matches inspite of the prices not because you like them. If they halfed the prices on admission and stuff they sell I have a hard time seeing people complain, right?

It doesnt matter if we like it. People are willing to pay current prices and that's all that matters.

 

[swedehollow]

Rid the draft. Let teams buy players from their respective clubs instead, that way they get paid properly, and teams can actually start to have their own prospect pipe and development with a local connection and a lot more "heart". End the cap and let teams create dynasties, like in European Soccer (Manchester United, Barcelona, PSG ...). I would just love to watch really, really stacked teams battling each other!

...then I woke up. Soaking wet. Sigh.

 

[vladdy16]

Unpopular hockey opinion:

Individual production is generally overrated.

Gretzky's stats are too circumstantial/environmentally and contextually influenced to justify the common perception that their anomolous appearance corroborates the idea that he was a cut above the rest.

A team of Gretzky clones would not run roughshod over a team clones from any other HOFer. The clone tourney would be hotly contested with varying results.

 

[IndustryLeech]

I have so many....

• All games should be evaluated after they have been concluded for officiating, and graded thusly
• Diving/embellishing should be fined aggressively and players could be fined even without an on-ice penalty. Fines should be progressive so that repeat offenders pay much larger fines. Hockey is slowly turning into soccer, and NOBODY wants that.

 

[Machinehead]

Unpopular hockey opinion:

Individual production is generally overrated.

Gretzky's stats are too circumstantial/environmentally and contextually influenced to justify the common perception that their anomolous appearance corroborates the idea that he was a cut above the rest.

A team of Gretzky clones would not run roughshod over a team clones from any other HOFer. The clone tourney would be hotly contested with varying results.

You have a point about the clones simply because of differing play styles, but what about Gretzky's produciton was circumstantial?

Nobody on any team in any era came close.

 

[Machinehead]

I have so many....

• All games should be evaluated after they have been concluded for officiating, and graded thusly
• Diving/embellishing should be fined aggressively and players could be fined even without an on-ice penalty. Fines should be progressive so that repeat offenders pay much larger fines. Hockey is slowly turning into soccer, and NOBODY wants that.

Yeah, it would be awful if hockey got entertaining.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Don Cherry isn't entertaining.

People that get upset at Ho-Sang or anyone else wearing Lemieux's number have way too much free time on their hands. In that vein, I also don't think that Gretzky's number should be retired league-wise as it essentially implies that the sport's already peaked.

I'm honestly fine if fighting goes away completely even though I find fighting entertaining.

The points system should be completely scrapped and the NHL should just adopt straight wins and losses as the standings record.

Records and titles won before expansion really don't matter much in the same way that nobody really cares about pre Super Bowl NFL championships.

The NHL should lower expansion costs and expand significantly to at least 36 teams, but still only let 16 teams in the playoffs.

 

[IndustryLeech]

Yeah, it would be awful if hockey got entertaining.

Wait, you actually think soccer is entertaining? Is it the long stretches where NOTHING happens, or idiots rolling around on the ground like they got shot every time somebody touches them that makes it entertaining, because those two things are 90% of soccer.

 

[Machinehead]

Wait, you actually think soccer is entertaining? Is it the long stretches where NOTHING happens, or idiots rolling around on the ground like they got shot every time somebody touches them that makes it entertaining, because those two things are 90% of soccer.

You're watching the wrong soccer. Especially that last part.

You watched Neymar once and you're applying it to the whole sport.

 

[FerrisRox]

A win should be worth two points. A loss should be worth no points, and that's all the points required to give out in a hockey game.

 

[Aladyyn]

I have so many....

• All games should be evaluated after they have been concluded for officiating, and graded thusly
• Diving/embellishing should be fined aggressively and players could be fined even without an on-ice penalty. Fines should be progressive so that repeat offenders pay much larger fines. Hockey is slowly turning into soccer, and NOBODY wants that.

Make the officials call the f***ing penalties first instead of this game management bullshit where both teams are supposed to get an equal number of PPs in a game

 

[DannyGallivan]

A win should be worth two points. A loss should be worth no points, and that's all the points required to give out in a hockey game.

If those are the only points, why not make a win one point then?

 

[Chips]

But nobody want's to pay the prices of tickets/beers or whatever you do at arenas, you go to the matches inspite of the prices not because you like them. If they halfed the prices on admission and stuff they sell I have a hard time seeing people complain, right?

Obviously people are willing to pay those prices because they’re still charging those prices. If people weren’t, they’d drop.

It’s competition amongst the demand itself. There is finite space to watch the games, people “compete” for those spaces by paying more.

It’s not about “wanting” to pay a certain amount, of course everyone would prefer everything free, you know?

It’s a part of capitalism, lots of jobs aren’t specifically necessary, but we really really want people to do them, but nobody has to. So of course they’ll demand as much money as they can get, who wouldn’t? They owe nothing but to back up their contract with their play (to the team, not so much us. The franchise owes us to make smart decisions.)

If I’m a player, I will try way harder to keep up my game with millions of dollars on the line than if there were only thousands. The more money flows into the league, the better the play.

Competition can be beautiful, but why compete for nothing?