Smaller nets equal big potential for the NHL

[li0lsh]

Smaller nets equal big potential for the NHL - Puck Daddy - NHLBlog - Yahoo! Sports

 

[naslundfan19]

Interesting read, li0. Thanks for the link.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

Hockey is a great sport that has a strong passionate following. Why do they feel they must constantly tweak the sport that the passionate fans love to try and get marginal fans that are not going to love the game because of a tweak here or there.

If they don't like the sport fine, but leave the game alone and let it be what it is.
They have tried "gimmicks" and other crap and it hasn't made much of a difference at all.

Keep the game the way it is to keep the passionate fans they have instead of pissing off the fans they do have to turn away from the sport.

I love hockey as most hockey fans do, don't shit where you eat. If they want to watch fine, if not, that's fine too.

 

[Destroydacre]

I don't mind them shrinking the size of the net. I mean really if the puck hits the back of the net and no one on the ice sees it a camera somewhere in the arena will. You don't need a net to be 4 feet deep for that. The main argument against it is more video replay. That's really weak. If it's really that much of a momentum breaker, then kill the replay system and put all the goal calls in the hands of the officials on the ice? What, no one likes that? Can't say I'm surprised.

 

[BostonAJ]

Might make for some exciting plays back there. Nets would probably be less stable, tho.

 

[dare2be]

I'm with boss on this one, and AJ brings up a good argument...stability of the net would be reduced, causing even more stoppages for net off the moorings, let alone I've never seen a net tip over, now if it's not as deep I wonder if that chance increases.

 

[Destroydacre]

I'm with boss on this one, and AJ brings up a good argument...stability of the net would be reduced, causing even more stoppages for net off the moorings, let alone I've never seen a net tip over, now if it's not as deep I wonder if that chance increases.

 

[dare2be]

Yeah, as soon as I saw your post without even watching the video I remember that now. Wasn't in my immediate memory, and it must be the only one I've seen/remember.

 

[beantownmaniac]

I SAY REVAMP THE WHOLE GAME!!! INCREASE THE RINK SIZE 70%, 5 FORWARDS, 3 DEFENSEMAN, AND 2 GOALIES IN A 12 FOOT WIDE NET!!!! AND 2 PUCKS, 1 BLACK, 1 GOLD!!! SCORE WITH THE BLACK ONE AND IT'S 1 GOAL, SCORE WITH THE GOLD AND IT'S WORTH 2!!! ALSO, NO OFFSIDE PENALTIES!!!

 

[The Q stache]

I SAY REVAMP THE WHOLE GAME!!! INCREASE THE RINK SIZE 70%, 5 FORWARDS, 3 DEFENSEMAN, AND 2 GOALIES IN A 12 FOOT WIDE NET!!!! AND 2 PUCKS, 1 BLACK, 1 GOLD!!! SCORE WITH THE BLACK ONE AND IT'S 1 GOAL, SCORE WITH THE GOLD AND IT'S WORTH 2!!! ALSO, NO OFFSIDE PENALTIES!!!

oooh oooh also put a puppy at center ice to attract kids

 

[dare2be]

oooh oooh also put a puppy at center ice to attract kids

There are so many layers to that onion...think MD.

 

[The Q stache]

There are so many layers to that onion...think MD.

huh?

 

[dare2be]

It's like beetlejuice, you shouldn't say his name.

 

[The Q stache]

It's like beetlejuice, you shouldn't say his name.

oh fine make it a clown

 

[elocomotive]

Hockey is a great sport that has a strong passionate following. Why do they feel they must constantly tweak the sport that the passionate fans love to try and get marginal fans that are not going to love the game because of a tweak here or there.

Because at the end of the day, the hockey fans are going to watch either way. If they can figure out ways to boost scoring to draw some casual fans, that's an increase in viewership and money. If it doesn't hurt the integrity of the game itself, I don't see the big deal.

Frankly though, the size of goalie pads is a big reason scoring dropped and stayed down a couple decades ago, especially when coupled with how goalies play in that gear. I wish they'd just reverse that trend and make the goalie wear gear that isn't so massive. That would solve the "problem" they are concerning themselves with here and not intrude on the rules/integrity of the game.

 

[Slimpikins]

oh fine make it a clown

So you are saying there will be a place for Sean Avery in the new NHL?

 

[BOSSMANPC]

Because at the end of the day, the hockey fans are going to watch either way. If they can figure out ways to boost scoring to draw some casual fans, that's an increase in viewership and money. If it doesn't hurt the integrity of the game itself, I don't see the big deal.

Frankly though, the size of goalie pads is a big reason scoring dropped and stayed down a couple decades ago, especially when coupled with how goalies play in that gear. I wish they'd just reverse that trend and make the goalie wear gear that isn't so massive. That would solve the "problem" they are concerning themselves with here and not intrude on the rules/integrity of the game.

I agree with the size of the goalie pads they should be downsized. My point is this constant tinkering with the rules where you can't even throw a good hip check anymore without it being called interference. How many good hip checks do you see in todays game? not many.

Increasing scoring by a goal or two a game is not going to bring in new fans that were once casual. The biggest problem they have is when they make a change it is never carved in stone. Do you remember after the shutdown when they were calling obstruction penalties left and right? They were calling at least 3 or 4 per game and now it's not called. The NHL is and always has been inconsistent with the rules, the fans and players don't know what to expect when they watch a game with the officiating.

Also they have gone back to inconsistencies with calls from the first period to OT. A penalty is a penalty no matter when it happens in the games but the NHL doesn't call it like that. There is also inconsistencies from regular season to playoff games.

Downsize these enormous pads the goalies are wearing call the games the same from period to period get all of the ref's, fans and players on the same page and see what happens but to make changes for the sake of making changes is just crazy IMO.

You don't hear comments like "The ref's have put their whistles away" in other sports because they call the game according to the rules not the score or what point it is in the game.

Just my two cents.

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

I've been in favor of hybrid icing for a long time. I'm tired of seeing guys get hurt on something that is really not THAT important of a play.

There's some definite issue with the nets idea though, IMO. Stability has already been mentioned, and I don't like the constant mentality of the NHL that they need to make it harder for the goalies to play their game.

 

[elocomotive]

I agree with the size of the goalie pads they should be downsized. My point is this constant tinkering with the rules where you can't even throw a good hip check anymore without it being called interference. How many good hip checks do you see in todays game? not many.

Increasing scoring by a goal or two a game is not going to bring in new fans that were once casual. The biggest problem they have is when they make a change it is never carved in stone.

I don't think you know that. In fact, if more people watched lower scoring games, we'd see the opposite decisions being made by the NHL. They'd be asking what they can do to limit scoring. Goals are exciting/fun. I don't think b/c the NHL averages 2 more goals a year it will suddenly leapfrog baseball in popularity, but it's hard to argue with a basic premise of:
people like goals > more goals means more eyeballs/butts in seats > better ratings, more revenue, etc.

People get upset about changes, but the truth is they happen frequently in just about every sport. They are adjusting to safety concerns, watchability, equipment changes, and natural evolution in the game. Goalie gear gets bigger, so you adjust to account for that (or you put in a new rule to limit/change the size). Teams change divisions/conferences. And on and on.

The only thing in stone is that change will happen, and how can you do it in a way that is fair/safe for your players and appeals to as many fans as possible without hurting the integrity of the game.

 

[DChero]

I say they just go to Olympic rules (minus the ejections for fighting). Those are the rules that have been used for years and don't change from league to league too much.

Ok, maybe that's a little much.