The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

[Jgainsey]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

Yea, I don't know which team to blame this on. Flyers aren't moving up the ice because TB isn't forechecking, and TB isn't forechecking because of their system.

Yep.

I'll be interested to see if the NHL has anything to say about this.

[Stu]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

It seems like all the announcers are placing the blame on TB but wondering where the criticism was last season? Last year all they could talk about was what a great system it is.

[Rancid Radio]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

Ugh.

This is not going well at all, pick it up Lightning!

[Rancid Radio]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

Wow, another come-from-behind win. Really impressed with the Lightning's grittiness, although you can't expect to do that every game. Roloson is on point lately, really glad to see that.

I believe this is the 3rd straight OT victory for the Lightning, if so then that's pretty impressive.

[daflyboys]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

Pretty fortunate goal for the Bolts at the end. Flyboys were dominating the OT in control and shots. Roloson saved their asses. Bryz continues to be mediocre. What is it when someone puts on goal pads for Philly during the last 2 decades? It's like they get their hair cut or something.

[deathsai]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

Lightning win-nobody in the NHL has room to talk.

[ZooM z00m]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

Panthers big win last night versus Toronto...five different guys getting goals, and Jose with 38 Saves.....very solid win, dominating at that. Need to get revenge on the Jets tonight!

[Money99]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

I'm so glad I stopped paying the NHL for their centre ice package.
I don't blame the Flyers or Lightning for last nights embarrassment. It's all on the NHL.
Obviously the game has rules and regulations that allow something like that to take place.

While all the GM's play grab-@$$ at the R&D camp trying out dumb little ideas that will have no bearing or influence on opening the game up, the most obvious changes such as increasing the size of the net, shrinking goalie equipment, making the ice surface larger, removing the bluelines, or redlines, etc, aren't even considered.

The trap will only become more effective if you continue to play on a small surface with ever increasing faster players, and then divide it into 3 zones.

The NHL today is absolute garbage. This would have never happened in the 70's or 80's.
YES, I'm fully aware of the slower speeds and the lack of skill (compared to today) those decades had. But I don't care. You know why? Because the game was entertaining.
I could tune into any game on television and be entertained.
Today's NHL cannot say the same. It's not even close.
The few games I have watched this year and last, I could easily count 7-10 minutes between quality scoring chances. Even longer if you waited between even-strength scoring chances.

Today's NHL is nothing but special-teams, PP, PK and shootout specialists.
It has absolutely no even-strength flow.

Once again the NHL has missed the point. It's so concerned with tickets and seats, that it hasn't done the obvious of going to Olympic-sized rinks.
It's also so mired in "tradition" that it refuses to go to bigger nets, even though goalies are larger and covered in bigger pads than previous era's. It makes no difference to coaches, players or fans that shooters have 50% less to shoot on today than the previous 80 years of this game.

ARGH! I just want entertaining hockey!
So many disagree because 99% of hockey fans aren't hockey fans at all. They only watch one team. I like to watch all of them.
I like watching talented players like Rick Nash, Steven Stamkos, Ovechkin, Datsyuk, Seguin, Kessel, Bobby Ryan, Matt Duschene...etc, etc, etc.
But it's so hard to watch their talents when those guys aren't able to fully spread their wings.
The only time you get to see it is on a PP because there simply isn't enough room during 5-on-5 - which to me, is far, FAR more entertaining than a PP.

Unfortunately, this isn't going to change.
And maybe that's why I don't care about EA's hockey game. Why I don't care about TSN's game of the week, or HNIC or even playing the game myself anymore.
I used to live and breathe for hockey. But today's NHL game is just so boring and milk-toast, it's mind boggling. Almost every team plays the same. Every goalie plays the same. And every goal is the same; rebound, screen, deflection.

[RealmK]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

I'm so glad I stopped paying the NHL for their centre ice package.
I don't blame the Flyers or Lightning for last nights embarrassment. It's all on the NHL.
Obviously the game has rules and regulations that allow something like that to take place.

While all the GM's play grab-@$$ at the R&D camp trying out dumb little ideas that will have no bearing or influence on opening the game up, the most obvious changes such as increasing the size of the net, shrinking goalie equipment, making the ice surface larger, removing the bluelines, or redlines, etc, aren't even considered.

The trap will only become more effective if you continue to play on a small surface with ever increasing faster players, and then divide it into 3 zones.

The NHL today is absolute garbage. This would have never happened in the 70's or 80's.
YES, I'm fully aware of the slower speeds and the lack of skill (compared to today) those decades had. But I don't care. You know why? Because the game was entertaining.
I could tune into any game on television and be entertained.
Today's NHL cannot say the same. It's not even close.
The few games I have watched this year and last, I could easily count 7-10 minutes between quality scoring chances. Even longer if you waited between even-strength scoring chances.

Today's NHL is nothing but special-teams, PP, PK and shootout specialists.
It has absolutely no even-strength flow.

Once again the NHL has missed the point. It's so concerned with tickets and seats, that it hasn't done the obvious of going to Olympic-sized rinks.
It's also so mired in "tradition" that it refuses to go to bigger nets, even though goalies are larger and covered in bigger pads than previous era's. It makes no difference to coaches, players or fans that shooters have 50% less to shoot on today than the previous 80 years of this game.

ARGH! I just want entertaining hockey!
So many disagree because 99% of hockey fans aren't hockey fans at all. They only watch one team. I like to watch all of them.
I like watching talented players like Rick Nash, Steven Stamkos, Ovechkin, Datsyuk, Seguin, Kessel, Bobby Ryan, Matt Duschene...etc, etc, etc.
But it's so hard to watch their talents when those guys aren't able to fully spread their wings.
The only time you get to see it is on a PP because there simply isn't enough room during 5-on-5 - which to me, is far, FAR more entertaining than a PP.

Unfortunately, this isn't going to change.
And maybe that's why I don't care about EA's hockey game. Why I don't care about TSN's game of the week, or HNIC or even playing the game myself anymore.
I used to live and breathe for hockey. But today's NHL game is just so boring and milk-toast, it's mind boggling. Almost every team plays the same. Every goalie plays the same. And every goal is the same; rebound, screen, deflection.

Off the mark here Hank. It's a defensive strategy, that is beatable, See Boston's series in last year's playoffs. Philly should have been called for a delay of game multiple times in that game, that's just classless to hold the puck in your own end rather than move it being afraid of turning it over. That's not playing the game.

I also don't need to see 10 goals a game to be entertained, honestly I actually enjoy those close 1-0, 2-1 type of defensive battles than the blowouts, having a game be close keeps me on the edge of my seat.

They've already made it so if you so much as tap a guy the wrong way you get a hook or hold, what do you want the NHL to do? Force defensemen to skate out of the way of the opposing team to give chances? How bout we eliminate back checking as well.. I agree with you on a lot of things most of the time but I think you're way off the mark on this one brother. I'm all for making the nets bigger or reducing the size of goalie pads, but to complain about a team using a defensive strategy is a bit much imo.

[Money99]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

Off the mark here Hank. It's a defensive strategy, that is beatable, See Boston's series in last year's playoffs. Philly should have been called for a delay of game multiple times in that game, that's just classless to hold the puck in your own end rather than move it being afraid of turning it over. That's not playing the game.

I also don't need to see 10 goals a game to be entertained, honestly I actually enjoy those close 1-0, 2-1 type of defensive battles than the blowouts, having a game be close keeps me on the edge of my seat.

They've already made it so if you so much as tap a guy the wrong way you get a hook or hold, what do you want the NHL to do? Force defensemen to skate out of the way of the opposing team to give chances? How bout we eliminate back checking as well.. I agree with you on a lot of things most of the time but I think you're way off the mark on this one brother. I'm all for making the nets bigger or reducing the size of goalie pads, but to complain about a team using a defensive strategy is a bit much imo.

I'm not complaining about using a defensive strategy, I'm complaining about how effective it can be.
The only solution to beating that is to dump and chase. Dump-and-chase is boring. but there's no other way to enter an offensive zone today.
Tampa (and other teams) don't even send in a forechecker. That's insane.
A few years ago I bought tickets to a Wings-Habs game for me and my Dad - who loves the Canadiens. In that game, the Habs played a 0-0-5. No joke.
My dad was disgusted and so was I. I spent over $100 for those tix and paid more in concessions and parking.
And what did I get for that money? A 0-0-5? $100 isn't something I can throw away.
Like most families, I'm on a very tight budget in order to keep my kids clothed, fed and inside a warm house. So for me to throw away that kind of money, it was very upsetting to me. And yet the NHL doesn't give two craps about people like me!
It doesn't care that it's turning off fans who can't afford games, and then when they scrounge up the money they get this kind of hockey thrown in their face.

And that's only going to get worse as long as coaches demand such strict detail to defense, as long as players can skate like they can, and as long as the NHL continues to insist on dividing the ice into 3 zones.

I'm for tight games too. But I've never understood why a 2-1 game is far more exciting than a 5-4 game. Both are decided by 1 goal, only the other has more goals (and probably more scoring chances).
I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

EDIT: What makes me even more angry is that last night's 'tight game' allowed both teams to walk away with a point. Neither team was fully penalized for playing that kind of horsecrap game.
Every game is a 3-pointer.
The NHL with it's terrible schedule and extra point does all it can to generate false parity.
There's a reason playoff races are so tight and it's not always because every team is so even.
It's because the schedule makes teams play tough road back-to-back games which almost always guarantees a split in wins. It's crap like that which drives me nuts.

[daflyboys]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

You're not going to get any of the above stuff. You're just not.

Just institute something similar to the backcourt rule in basketball. Was 10 secs., not I believe it's 8. Though hockey is a much faster sport. Do something like once you show full possession, you have 5 secs. to advance it over center ice. If you pass it back behind your blue line, it's delay of game and the face off comes all the way back. Watch how fast players stop this nonsense.

[deathsai]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

You're not going to get any of the above stuff. You're just not.

Just institute something similar to the backcourt rule in basketball. Was 10 secs., not I believe it's 8. Though hockey is a much faster sport. Do something like once you show full possession, you have 5 secs. to advance it over center ice. If you pass it back behind your blue line, it's delay of game and the face off comes all the way back. Watch how fast players stop this nonsense.

Agreed. This will actually encourage teams like the Bolts to send in a forechecker.

The only issue is line changes once you have possession in your own zone.

[Money99]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

You're not going to get any of the above stuff. You're just not.

Just institute something similar to the backcourt rule in basketball. Was 10 secs., not I believe it's 8. Though hockey is a much faster sport. Do something like once you show full possession, you have 5 secs. to advance it over center ice. If you pass it back behind your blue line, it's delay of game and the face off comes all the way back. Watch how fast players stop this nonsense.

I just hate that it's come to this.
Teams basically make no attempt to create offense. It's all counter-punching now.
It's like watching two boxers feint and weave around each other for 12 rounds before being told, 'next punch landed wins' in the 13th round.

This is today's NHL. This is my main beef with the league.
There's no reason or incentive to play offensive hockey.

[l3ulvl]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

I've liked the idea of going to olympic sized rinks and shrinking the goalie pads for awhile, but to me it's scoring chances themselves that create the excitement. It doesn't matter if the score ends up 1-0 or 6-5, both can have the same level of excitement with scoring chances, but if both goal tenders are making spectacular saves, I'm still on the edge of my seat.

The bigger rinks idea is the one I love the most, give these guys more space to do what they do, everyone is so bunched together now and it seems chances only occur on a bad turnover or on the PP. It's almost like you can sit back and just wait for the ref to raise his arm before the excitement begins.

[BunnyHardaway]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

If I'm Holmgren, I start taking offers for Bryzgalov yesterday. What a fraud that guy is.