NHL Off-Topic thread

[slickdtc]

NHL Off-Topic thread

Well they are right, possibly due to the last 15 years being absent from ESPN. To the average person (whatever you think of them), the NHL is a fringe sport.

I don’t mind all the games on ESPN+. Let’s not act like NBC didnt have majority of their slate on NBCSN, which folded because it was like 3rd tier or worse to NBC as a channel. USA Network gets out to X more... why the hell wasnt NHL on there in the first place?!

That last point on NHL.tv is very interesting too.

We’ve come a long way since being on Outdoor Life Network, I mean OLN, I mean Versus, I mean NBCSN, I mean USA. Lol

[Majingir]

Re: NHL Off-Topic thread

Well they are right, possibly due to the last 15 years being absent from ESPN. To the average person (whatever you think of them), the NHL is a fringe sport.

I don’t mind all the games on ESPN+. Let’s not act like NBC didnt have majority of their slate on NBCSN, which folded because it was like 3rd tier or worse to NBC as a channel. USA Network gets out to X more... why the hell wasnt NHL on there in the first place?!

That last point on NHL.tv is very interesting too.

We’ve come a long way since being on Outdoor Life Network, I mean OLN, I mean Versus, I mean NBCSN, I mean USA. Lol

I guess you can say that about the average fan who has no idea what's really up. I also heard all the talk of people ripping FOX for wanting WWE on their network (spoiler, most shows on FOX are SCRIPTED too..) Not realizing how big WWE is now vs the 90s (more mainstream and better quality back then, but more profitable and sustainable today).

For outsiders, it'll be easy to rip, but I'm sure when we see the actual analysts talking about this deal they'll say its good.

But the thing about ESPN+, whats the reach like vs NBCSN? 80m people got NBCSN, compared to 12m who have ESPN+. Although Hulu has 37m people to add on to that.

But at least NHL is on a full sports network. They gotta be promoting hockey on SC and all other shows. I'm sure many people with shows on ESPN dont even watch hockey, but hopefully they at least are open minded (although that might be too much to ask from some of them) and can discuss hockey and cover it properly, bringing on guests who can dive into it too.

[DrJones]

Re: NHL Off-Topic thread

Hockey and baseball are always dying. They'll be dying 100 years from now.

[pietasterp]

Re: NHL Off-Topic thread

Hockey and baseball are always dying. They'll be dying 100 years from now.

Could be worse. Look at where boxing resides in the sporting landscape.

[Majingir]

Re: NHL Off-Topic thread

Hockey and baseball are always dying. They'll be dying 100 years from now.

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.

[nikethebike]

Re: NHL Off-Topic thread

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]

Re: NHL Off-Topic thread

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]

Re: NHL Off-Topic thread

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]

Re: NHL Off-Topic thread

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! [emoji16]

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]

Re: NHL Off-Topic thread

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]

Re: NHL Off-Topic thread

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]

Re: NHL Off-Topic thread

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.

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]

Re: NHL Off-Topic thread

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.

[Majingir]

Re: NHL Off-Topic thread

Sounds like the quarantine for players going to/from Canada could be shortened to 7 days in time for the trade deadline.

That could change the way teams make deals.

Although I'll still hate to be a buyer in a Canada/US trade.

You're giving up draft picks and/or prospects for 10 regular season games of a guy and however many playoff games you play. I already felt the NHL deadline was too late into the season, this would be the best season to be a seller.

[Majingir]

Re: NHL Off-Topic thread

Let the trades begin.

Sabres deal Staal (and retain half his cap hit) to Habs for a 3rd and 5th pick.

The way things are shaping up, Habs seem like they're gonna be in the playoffs.

It'll be the first time any Staal brother will be on a Canadian NHL team.

Who's next? Hall? Eichel?