All-purpose hockey thread...

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

I have a huge problem with the point for an OT and/or shootout loss, simply because the NHL is rewarding losing. A friend pointed out Saturday night that great regular season games now have a winner and a loser; that a game won't end without determining who wins and who loses.

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

It's the Canadian way.

As in missed field goals in the CFL. If it misses but goes out of the endzone it's a single point.

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

The NHL is not rewarding losing. It is rewarding a tie at the end of regulation. The shootout only determines who gets credit for the win. Hell, you could do it as a coin flip (a la the NFL ), but I think fans demand more action.

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

Gotta disagree with you, JR.  A tie was the Canadian way.  If two teams play 60 minutes of hockey and come up even, that's a valid result as far as I'm concerned.  This new compromise is the marketing guys way.

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

I am still not a fan of rewarding ties. Reward the winners.
But, I can see how an Islanders fan would want ties rewarded. It's not the Islanders have won a lot since 1983.   ;D

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

I never minded the overtime format that came along in the 1999-2000 season. The only thing that I didn't like was overtime losses being categorized as "regulation ties". I could either way with getting the extra point, it doesn't bother me one way or the other. I find the 4-on-4 in the extra overtime much more exciting than the previous format. As for the shootout, I thought if there were too many of them, I'd say "Enough Already". But after seeing how the fans' response at two Ranger games with shootouts, I'm for it. As for Brooks talking about the shootout, you knew a column like that was coming after Saturday's game. I think he's taking his hatred for the shootout a little too far. But I doubt the playoffs ever go that way, although it wouldn't surprise me if it happened..

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

You can't disagree with me. It's un-Canadian.

Way back when, a team who lost in OT got nada and it was five minutes of 5 on 5.

Five excruciatingly boring minutes--it felt like 20 because each team would play for the single point. Particularly important with inter-division rivals.

It was a way of making the OT more exciting (plus making it four on four) that they gave the loser a single point.

Now, fetch me a beer, newbie.

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

What the hell happened to the Blues? Usually, I just look at the Atlantic Division standings, but I happened upon the Central standings and... well WTF happened? They're even below Columbus.

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

I like the four on four overtime but if they're still tied after that, call it a tie.  It's the shoot out that I don't like.

Agree with me, and I'll get you an Alexander Keiths 

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

Current St. Louis ownership is attempting to sell the team. To make the Blues more attractive to potential buyers, they have cut payroll to a K.C. Royals-esque level.

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

NHL notes from the Bergen Record and Detroit Free Press:

Bergen Record:
Players, union leaders face off

Sunday, November 27, 2005

By TOM GULITTI

A year ago, the NHL Players' Association still was solidly united in its battle with commissioner Gary Bettman and the league's 30 team owners.

The first signs of dissension among the players appeared after Dec. 9, 2004, when, without notifying the majority of membership, then-executive director Bob Goodenow, assistant Ted Saskin and the executive board made its now-infamous offer of a 24-percent rollback on existing player contracts.

Goodenow's firing in July and Saskin's initial election as his successor during a controversial Aug. 31 conference call - and not the required secret ballot - turned out to be the final straw. Although the NHLPA announced Friday that Saskin had been confirmed by a secret ballot of the executive board, don't expect this controversy to go away.

Eight days ago, former player Steve Larmer loudly resigned as head of player relations for the union and compared Saskin to former director Alan Eagleson in a scathing letter he released to the media and sent to each team's player representative.

"I remember the Eagleson days when the PA was ruled by the minority and the majority was kept in the dark," Larmer wrote. "Our group of players challenged it, demanded change and received it. We all vowed those days would not return but lo and behold they have."

On Monday, a complaint over Saskin's hiring process filed by a group of approximately 50 dissident players went before the U.S. National Labor Relations Board. The board did not dismiss the complaint, so there is more to come on this issue.

Bettman and the owners must be enjoying all of this as the disunion among the players continues well after they received everything they wanted in the collective bargaining agreement.

"There were a lot of issues going back to wanting more information as far as the 24 percent rollback," said defenseman Brian Rafalski, the Devils' NHLPA representative during the lockout. "There were little things that all added up to a big thing, something that needs to be addressed."

Pound takes pounding

Dick Pound, the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency, sparked an uproar among NHL players Thursday when he said that possibly a third of them are using performance-enhancing drugs.

"That's ludicrous," said Tampa Bay's Tim Taylor, his team's player representative. "I don't know why the NHLPA doesn't put this out there, but before the lockout, we underwent drug tests and only one player tested positive."

According to Taylor, the NHLPA conducted its own testing for performance-enhancing drugs, using the WADA standard for the Olympics, so it would know where it stood when it came time to negotiate a drug policy in the CBA.

They agreed on one that subjects players to at least two surprise drug tests per season, beginning in January. First-time offenders receive a 20-game suspension. A second offense brings a 60-game suspension (73 percent) and a third offense causes a permanent ban.

Stevie why?

Word has it that league officials were none too pleased with Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman for ripping the new NHL last week for the high number of penalties in his "It's not great. It's not hockey" dissertation.

According to those present at a spring conference about the rule changes, which included league officials, general managers, coaches, players and referees, Yzerman was one of the loudest proponents of making sure the referees maintain the stricter standard on obstruction fouls throughout the season.

That said, Yzerman's opinion on the officiating is shared by a growing number of players and coaches.

E-mail: gulitti@northjersey.com

(Cont.)

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

(Cont.)

Detroit Free Press:

WINGS CORNER: More Red Wings blast new NHL rules

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- A handful of Red Wings gathered for an optional skate Sunday afternoon; the rest, no doubt, were still breathless from Saturday's game.

"That was nuts," defenseman Mathieu Schneider said after the Wings survived a hectic 7-6 victory over the Sharks at San Jose. "I think, talk about the new NHL, that was a perfect example."

Let's talk about the new NHL. Some Wings are not thrilled about it.

"It's not hockey," said goaltender Chris Osgood, echoing the phrase Steve Yzerman used 10 days ago.

There were four 5-on-3s during the game, and six of the 13 goals came during special-teams play.

"I'm not allowed to answer; I get fined," coach Mike Babcock said when asked his thoughts on the refereeing.

Osgood had no such hesitation. "I see one game that goes one way and the next, it seems like they just decide they're going to call every single thing."

Saturday, everything got called.

"I mean, San Jose had three consecutive penalties in a row, and then we might as well throw a guy in the box because you know we're going to get one right back," Osgood said.

Brendan Shanahan, who played a major role in instituting the new rules -- which are supposed to emphasize skating by eliminating hooking and holding -- pointed out there were complaints under the old system.

"I didn't agree with all the calls tonight," he said, "but I don't think we can toss it all in the garbage. There were questionable calls, too, two years ago."

THE CAPTAIN RESTS: Yzerman sat out Saturday at his request. "He came to me and told me, 'I'm a 40-year-old guy and I got the night off,' " Babcock said. Yzerman skated Sunday and said he'd likely play tonight. "My knee was sore. I just wanted to take a day off, just to rest." Such decisions will be entirely up to Yzerman. "When he can help us, he's going to help us, and when he decides he needs a day, he'll take a day," Babcock said.

NOTEBOOK: Look for Jimmy Howard to make his NHL debut tonight. The Kings are a physical team, but the Wings believe Howard will be their future No. 1 man. "We think he's a high-end goaltender," Babcock said. It hasn't helped Osgood's case that in two of his last three games, he's given up a combined 12 goals.

Contact HELENE ST. JAMES at hstjames@freepress.com