Would you like to see the KHL Adopt North American NHL Sized Rinks?

[Urbanskog]

Oh, and by the way, I always root for Russia in international competitions, so I'm not someone only seeing the NHL and nothing else. In fact, I'm always the one convincing others there are plenty of KHL/SHL/Liiga/NLA players that could outperform some of the more common names on NHL teams.

Why don't you cheer for Slovenia if that's your nationality?

 

[Ryker]

Arguing just for the sake of arguing. My point is obvious and I re inforce the use of the term garage-sale and if your seriously questioning who then I am done here. And I just don't know what to say about the rest of what you said.

So you answer by not answering. Argumentation 101

Why don't you cheer for Slovenia if that's your nationality?

Oh, I do, I meant it in terms of competitions and games not featuring Slovenia, as well as being a big fan of Russian hockey in general. But I hope you weren't suggesting there'd be something wrong with me not rooting for Slovenia, my nationality notwithstanding.

 

[Urbanskog]

Oh, I do, I meant it in terms of competitions and games not featuring Slovenia, as well as being a big fan of Russian hockey in general. But I hope you weren't suggesting there'd be something wrong with me not rooting for Slovenia, my nationality notwithstanding.

Of course not. I have multiple teams to cheer for as well.

 

[Ryker]

Of course not. I have multiple teams to cheer for as well.

I met a cool hockey fan from Finland, and she was also from Espoo. So I hope you're cheering for the Blues, as well

 

[Urbanskog]

I met a cool hockey fan from Finland, and she was also from Espoo. So I hope you're cheering for the Blues, as well

I actually do, been attending their matches more or less frequently since I was a kid.

 

[QnebO]

I don't think the renovation of the seats is a cheap or easy process or if it's even doable. I know they can retract an area for bigger shows (I think on some car or horse shows they've done that) but I'm not sure it is possible the other way without tearing them completely apart.

They played in NHL rink (26m) for 4 games in Liiga regullar season when NHL premiere was here. Cant be impossible to do with 28m, not sure when they have used it last time if they have in Hartwall.

 

[Yakushev72]

i'd want to see downsized ice rinks. but nhl-sized rinks mean changing the game into into some version of pinball with a much higher rate of injury to boot.

In the NHL, aside from the financial component of less rink=more seats, there is the factor of accommodating the USA fans. In most parts of the USA, kids don't grow up playing the game, and American fans tend to be more attracted to the physical play and fighting than the finesse aspects of the game. Its part of the entertainment package that the NHL sells, and it is facilitated by the collisions that are forced by the smaller ice with bigger players. If KHL fans want more Vityaz-style hockey, making rinks smaller is one way to promote it.

 

[Ryker]

In the NHL, aside from the financial component of less rink=more seats, there is the factor of accommodating the USA fans. In most parts of the USA, kids don't grow up playing the game, and American fans tend to be more attracted to the physical play and fighting than the finesse aspects of the game. Its part of the entertainment package that the NHL sells, and it is facilitated by the collisions that are forced by the smaller ice with bigger players. If KHL fans want more Vityaz-style hockey, making rinks smaller is one way to promote it.

Wow, you're really stereotyping here. From what I know, the 200'x85' rink was standardized by the NHL in 1929, so there's no financial component to it. So rink size has nothing to do with accommodating the US/Canadian fans.

As far as the entertainment package goes, I'd agree to an extent. The NHL is definitely a league that is trying to sell its product. But so is the KHL, it's just not working as well. It's silly to assume the US and Canadian fans are in general dumbasses that don't know anything about the game, whereas the Russians attending the matches are fans with a wealth of hockey knowledge, though.

I guess a bigger ice surface does allow more room for nifty plays and that's what I like about Russian hockey myself. On the other hand, if the rink was to be made smaller, it may just separate the wheat from the chaff, and push to the top those really creative players that can make those nice plays in tight situations. I'd agree with you that the game would just trend towards the North-American style, though, so that's why I'd like for the KHL to keep the original rink size, so that, as SoundAndFury said, there's still variety left in the hockey world.

 

[kp61c]

Wow, you're really stereotyping here. From what I know, the 200'x85' rink was standardized by the NHL in 1929, so there's no financial component to it. So rink size has nothing to do with accommodating the US/Canadian fans.

As far as the entertainment package goes, I'd agree to an extent. The NHL is definitely a league that is trying to sell its product. But so is the KHL, it's just not working as well. It's silly to assume the US and Canadian fans are in general dumbasses that don't know anything about the game, whereas the Russians attending the matches are fans with a wealth of hockey knowledge, though.

I guess a bigger ice surface does allow more room for nifty plays and that's what I like about Russian hockey myself. On the other hand, if the rink was to be made smaller, it may just separate the wheat from the chaff, and push to the top those really creative players that can make those nice plays in tight situations. I'd agree with you that the game would just trend towards the North-American style, though, so that's why I'd like for the KHL to keep the original rink size, so that, as SoundAndFury said, there's still variety left in the hockey world.

so the nhl-sized rink is the yardstick against which all the blockheads playing on a bigger ice surface are to be judged? why not the other way around? i still remember evander kane impersonating a clown in the khl... sorry, your wheat and chaff metaphor is our of place

 

[Ryker]

so the nhl-sized rink is the yardstick against which all the blockheads playing on a bigger ice surface are to be judged? why not the other way around? i still remember evander kane impersonating a clown in the khl... sorry, your wheat and chaff metaphor is our of place

No, sorry if it came off that way, I just meant that it wouldn't necessarily lead to a loss in creativity, but might bring it out in different ways. But you're right, there's nothing saying the NHL-sized rink should be the yardstick rather than the other way around, and I shouldn't have used the metaphor.

 

[Jussi]

They played in NHL rink (26m) for 4 games in Liiga regullar season when NHL premiere was here. Cant be impossible to do with 28m, not sure when they have used it last time if they have in Hartwall.

The problem isn't the rink but the seats. There was a clear gap between the seats and the boards even with the 28m wide rink.

 

[Den]

No, but some teams should give it a try.