NHL Off-Topic thread

[nikethebike]

Quote: Originally Posted by Majingir

MLB 150 is coming up in 5 years. It's been a good 150 years, but they won't last another 150 years.... Although I dont think many realize MLB and NHL have been around over 100 years. Feels like people didn't really take note of hockey in a big way until the 70s or 80s. Little did they know the 50 years of history before that. But 80s hockey is more what I want NHL today to be like. It was so loved in the 80s for a reason.

I agree about the 80s early 90s point. We will never go back due to how the sport has evolved but a couple of things might help with increased scoring.


Make the goalie equipment the same size is the first point and most important one. With new sticks and skater equipment scoring will get much closer to those levels even though goalie skills have evolved.



The game is too quick today. There is less space and time for thinkers/intelligent players. Some people like the pacier NHL though. Also the stars had more ice time because you could play more when you didn't need to skate as much at 100%. The worst players were also worse back then. There was more player separation so to speak. You had goons that could basically just fight and today these players don't exist at all.



But I think one should also remember the things that are much better today like player safety etc even though it can still improve. In the eighties players were forced to basically play through concussions and considered weak if they didn't. How much steroids were in use back then? Etc...

[DrJones]

Eh, I watched hockey in the 80s. A lot of offensive genius, but play was extremely sloppy and chaotic. Hooking and holding was at least as bad (and uncalled just as often) as during the DPE, but goaltending and defence were so horrendous it didn't matter. The five year stretch between 89 and 94 was the NHL's best era: coaches, goalies and D were better, but hadn't yet "solved" the game, and the sheer talent level during that era (aided by the fall of the USSR) was unmatched.

[nikethebike]

Quote: Originally Posted by DrJones

Eh, I watched hockey in the 80s. A lot of offensive genius, but play was extremely sloppy and chaotic. Hooking and holding was at least as bad (and uncalled just as often) as during the DPE, but goaltending and defence were so horrendous it didn't matter. The five year stretch between 89 and 94 was the NHL's best era: coaches, goalies and D were better, but hadn't yet "solved" the game, and the sheer talent level during that era (aided by the fall of the USSR) was unmatched.

The 92/93 season probably was the best ever. How many individual records were broken that season? Lemieux had 160 in 60 games and Selänne 76+56 as a rookie. The only let down was that Gretzky was injured during the season but instead he dominated the playoffs.
But at the same time it was the beginning of the end of the all out offensive era. Montreal, a defensive team won. The following years saw the emergence of the Devils and the trap. That was what signed the deal so to speak of the hold and grab era that followed.


And finally, that season was the base for NHL94! 😁

[Majingir]

Quote: Originally Posted by nikethebike

The 92/93 season probably was the best ever. How many individual records were broken that season? Lemieux had 160 in 60 games and Selänne 76+56 as a rookie. The only let down was that Gretzky was injured during the season but instead he dominated the playoffs. But at the same time it was the beginning of the end of the all out offensive era. Montreal, a defensive team won. The following years saw the emergence of the Devils and the trap. That was what signed the deal so to speak of the hold and grab era that followed. And finally, that season was the base for NHL94!

So if not for the Gretzky non call, Leafs might have won the series, beaten the Habs, and saved the NHL?

The over coaching had also led to decrease in scoring. Media people say it all the time. Coaches would prefer low scoring games. 6-4 loss sucks, but 3-1 loss they could live with more.

But everything stems from goalie equipment size. Been proven ages ago that they dont need as big equipment to protect themselves the same. Goalie interference calls helps them out with less physicality around the net, and guys taking less slapshots means not as hard shots.

[nikethebike]

Quote: Originally Posted by Majingir

But everything stems from goalie equipment size. Been proven ages ago that they dont need as big equipment to protect themselves the same. Goalie interference calls helps them out with less physicality around the net, and guys taking less slapshots means not as hard shots.

Agree.


However the wrist shots of today are way harder than in the old days due to the new sticks.

[Majingir]

Quote: Originally Posted by nikethebike

Agree. However the wrist shots of today are way harder than in the old days due to the new sticks.

Wrist shots are harder than wrist shots of the past, but it's still not as hard as a slapshot.

[DrJones]

Quote: Originally Posted by nikethebike

The 92/93 season probably was the best ever. But at the same time it was the beginning of the end of the all out offensive era. Montreal, a defensive team won.

Quote: Originally Posted by Majingir

So if not for the Gretzky non call, Leafs might have won the series, beaten the Habs, and saved the NHL?

Interesting theories.

92/93 Canadiens: 326 GF (9th in NHL), 280 GA (7th in NHL)
92/93 Maple Leafs: 288 GF (16th in NHL), 241 GA (2nd in NHL)

[nikethebike]

Quote: Originally Posted by DrJones

Interesting theories. 92/93 Canadiens: 326 GF (9th in NHL), 280 GA (7th in NHL) 92/93 Maple Leafs: 288 GF (16th in NHL), 241 GA (2nd in NHL)

As I wrote at the end of my post it was the Devils and the trap that changed the NHL. Not any of these teams. The point was that it started to become more evident that you won championships with the best organised teams, that had solid goalkeeping, not the best teams skill and star wise.