What 3 Changes Would you Make to the NHL?

[gamer9678]

Re: What 3 Changes Would you Make to the NHL?

I'm not sure how much of an issue this is right now. I see players all-too-willing to throw down these days over legal hits, never mind cheap shots.

Also this, so so much this

[Piderman]

Re: What 3 Changes Would you Make to the NHL?

Who said get rid of Canadian teams because they haven't won a cup since 93'? You do realize there are 6 out of 30 teams that are Canadian teams. LOL

Get rid of the TRAPazoid.

Longer 4-4 OTS

No OTL point losses.

[JAYMO76]

Re: What 3 Changes Would you Make to the NHL?

Superficial points below... but anyways...

1. Get rid of the shoot-out and go back to overtime ties and OTL's
2. Bring back white jerseys for the home team
3. Phoenix, Atlanta, Florida, etc ... contraction OR move to hockey markets

[DrJones]

Re: What 3 Changes Would you Make to the NHL?

3) get rid of bettman and the wheel of justice

To tell the truth, I'd kinda like it if the NHL did use an actual wheel to dispense justice, like in the Thunderdome.

4) do not get rid of over the glass delay of games, thats just stupid and none of you are thinking it through

Why? Flipping the puck over the glass is no different from icing it. Treating it the same way as even-strength icing (no line change allowed) is sufficient to discourage anyone from doing it on purpose. Unless you're suggesting that icing the puck should also be a delay-of-game penalty?

[Fiddy]

Re: What 3 Changes Would you Make to the NHL?

2. Bring back white jerseys for the home team

agreed..

i hate it when i go to the Pens games and every game we see the same Jerseys for the away teams. sigh white!! when the Wings, Flyers etc come to town, i want to see their Red and Orange jerseys.

[Jgainsey]

Re: What 3 Changes Would you Make to the NHL?

I'm actually pretty content with the NHL rules right now. Granted, I don't follow hockey as much as I used to, but I still watch most of the Tampa Bay games on TV, and I don't have too many gripes.

I'm not too crazy about points being awarded for shoot outs though... I'd like it much better if the games were just decided in OT. And maybe this is the soccer fan in me talking, but I don't have a problem with a point being awarded for OT loses(Especially with the SO system that's in place now).

4 on 4 for OT would be fine, but I've just always found the SO to be unfair. I'd even be OK with a strict W-L record for the standings, but if that was implemented the shoot outs would definitely have to go.

[rdnk]

Re: What 3 Changes Would you Make to the NHL?

I would get rid of all Canadian teams since they haven't won a Cup since 93'. Tired of some of you talking **** on here about the Coyotes.

Once you can turn a profit, come back and see us.

Anyways,

1. Ditch the trapezoid rule. It's dumb, and might as well been the "Martin Brodeur" rule. Since I'm on the topic of rules, ditch the instigator rule as well.

2. Get rid of the 4 on 4 OT. It's completely inconsistent with the playoffs and normal play. Maybe do 10 minutes (since one penalty in a 5 minute period is usually crippling) of 5 on 5. Nothing wrong with the shootouts, except it should be 5 on 5, instead of 3 on 3.

3. Add two teams (Canada probably), go up to 32 and have four team divisions. Canada get's their teams, we don't have to see as much divisional play, and we can realign the conferences to rekindle old rivalries. It also makes the playoffs more special to get into. You might say, WTF 32? But each year there are decent FA's that have to wait to get signed. With the next wave of american/european talent, I don't think there would be that much of a dropoff of diluting the talent pool. You can then lower the salary cap ceiling and floor. And without an instigator rule, enforcers are more valuable.

[gamer9678]

Re: What 3 Changes Would you Make to the NHL?

Why? Flipping the puck over the glass is no different from icing it. Treating it the same way as even-strength icing (no line change allowed) is sufficient to discourage anyone from doing it on purpose. Unless you're suggesting that icing the puck should also be a delay-of-game penalty?

I dont think it would be enough because the reason you would want to throw the puck over the glass is to stop play because you cant get control of the puck long enough to get it out of the zone, a line change is just a bonus of the stoppage

[DrJones]

Re: What 3 Changes Would you Make to the NHL?

I dont think it would be enough because the reason you would want to throw the puck over the glass is to stop play because you cant get control of the puck long enough to get it out of the zone, a line change is just a bonus of the stoppage

Sure it would. Not being able to make a line change is a big deterrent. Intentionally flipping the puck over the glass to relieve pressure wasn't exactly an epidemic before the penalty is introduced.

[DrJones]

Re: What 3 Changes Would you Make to the NHL?

2. Get rid of the 4 on 4 OT. It's completely inconsistent with the playoffs and normal play. Maybe do 10 minutes (since one penalty in a 5 minute period is usually crippling) of 5 on 5. Nothing wrong with the shootouts, except it should be 5 on 5, instead of 3 on 3.

The reason why the NHL went to 4-on-4 in the first place (and introduced the loser point) was because teams weren't trying to score in OT. If you go back to 5-on-5, might as well skip straight to the shootout, because that's where the vast majority of games tied after regulation are going to lead. I want to see fewer shootouts, not more.

[Money99]

Re: What 3 Changes Would you Make to the NHL?

The reason why the NHL went to 4-on-4 in the first place (and introduced the loser point) was because teams weren't trying to score in OT. If you go back to 5-on-5, might as well skip straight to the shootout, because that's where the vast majority of games tied after regulation are going to lead. I want to see fewer shootouts, not more.

Well said.

For OT, I'd prefer they went to a 10-minute 4-on-4 session and then a shootout. And of course, get rid of the loser point.

If I can resurrect my one idea, the more games I watch this year, the more I want to see the NHL ban players from going down to block a shot.
Aside from injuries, it stops a lot of offenses and that's not what the NHL needs.
I'd like to see them give a 2-minute penalty (illegal defense) and an automatic penalty shot if someone does it in the last 2 minutes of a game with the coach choosing who gets to take the shot.

[ImTellinTim]

Re: What 3 Changes Would you Make to the NHL?

Sure it would. Not being able to make a line change is a big deterrent. Intentionally flipping the puck over the glass to relieve pressure wasn't exactly an epidemic before the penalty is introduced.

Exactly. Almost all of the time (before and after the penalty was introduced) it happens when a team is trying to ice the puck anyway. If you have enough time to purposefully flip the puck over the boards, you usually have enough time to ice the puck. No different in my eyes.

[slickdtc]

Re: What 3 Changes Would you Make to the NHL?

I disagree and think they should keep the delay of game penalty for dumping the puck out of the area of play in the defensive zone. They may have been trying to ice the puck, but they didn't/couldn't and delayed the game by shooting it out of play. And now that it's been a penalty since the lockout, you can't take it away because players will still shooting it out of play intentionally if it's no longer penalized. They still ice it on purpose despite not being able to change, so I don't think that's going to deter them very much. A penalty is severe and is a great deterrent.

Keep the trapezoid. They instituted it to keep the goalies from coming out and killing the chance of a forecheck/offense before it ever began. Why would you remove it? It's contributing to offense, not taking away from it.

[Money99]

Re: What 3 Changes Would you Make to the NHL?

Looks like Kelly Hrudey actually agrees with me. (Jury is still out whether that's a good thing or not )

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/blogs/kellyhrudey/2010/11/shot-blocking-is-all-the-rage-in-nhl.html

I guess the reason that it bugs me is that all the shot blocking - or attempted blocks - leads to more tap-in goals. If the shot isn't blocked completely, the puck just ricochets around the zone until it either lands on some unsuspecting players stick for an easy goal or glances off a body or two and into the net.

[DrJones]

Re: What 3 Changes Would you Make to the NHL?

And now that it's been a penalty since the lockout, you can't take it away because players will still shooting it out of play intentionally if it's no longer penalized.

Not being able to change your line would be sufficient deterrent.

They still ice it on purpose despite not being able to change, so I don't think that's going to deter them very much. A penalty is severe and is a great deterrent.

There are far fewer icings per game now then there were pre-lockout, and the vast majority of them are accidental.

It's moot anyway. It'll remain a delay-of-game penalty until an important playoff game is decided by it (and everyone knows this is going to happen at some point). Then it'll be removed from the rulebook faster than you can say "Brett Hull's foot was in the crease" and people will later wonder what it was doing there in the first place.