Hockey Trash Talk & BS thread

I'm not suggesting a rush to make changes. I'd just keep making one of the equipment changes every year or two until save percentages fall to normal. Sticks may be a lot more of a factor right now but so is goalie fitness and size. You didn't see as many 6 foot plus fast goalies in the 80's either. Tall and athletic goalies who can play the butterfly style are responsible for the drop in scoring. Taking away a bit of their advantage while still making sure they are well protected is a good middle ground to get things back towards higher scoring more high tempo competitive games.

 

I also love that the NHL is willing to make changes like this on the fly. Too many leagues with distinguished history like Soccer in Europe refuse to make changes because they don't like change, which is stupid. Things like eliminating the two line pass and allowing the composite sticks have made the game more exciting. You wouldn't have a player like Kessel if you didn't have the sticks that we have now. I often wonder how much more exciting baseball would be if they'd go to composite bats or make small changes to the game.

 

I think they new the pants change was coming because some goalies chose to switch the newer smaller pants from the start of the season. While some goalies chose not to.

 

Ya, I see what you are saying. Makes sense. I dunno, if they could flatten/angle the inner part of the posts to maybe have some of those clangers have a tendency to bounce in instead of out. That would be interesting. I for sure liked the sticks and deletion of the 2-line pass (which I didn't like to begin with).

 

From the beginning of the season goalies new the change was coming. Some jumped on earlier while some hung onto the bitter end lol.

 

This.

Just funny they changed the rules mid season.

Is there actually talk about changing the point system to where players wont just play flat the last 5 minutes of a game to insure 1 point.

I heard talk about 3 points for win in regulation. 2 in shootout. 1 if loss in OT/SO? I caught the segment midway so not sure if it's actual facts or just speculation between commentators.

 

People have been talking about that. NHL on XM talked about it the other day. I had a good idea (at least, to me lol) and I tweeted it to Patrick O'Sullivan but he didn't respond .

Anyways, maybe a regulation win can be 2pts, an OT win can be 1pt and a regulation or OT loss is just 0pts? That would force teams to play for the win. I dunno, seeing how the standings are so close with teams having like 11 OT losses on the season, it would reward winning teams more. Thoughts?

 

I think the issue with the system currently is that a game that ends in regulation hands out two points but a game that goes to overtime hands out a total of three points. I think the same number of points should be given out regardless of the outcome.

So like 3 for a regulation win, 2 for an OT/SO win and 1 for an OT/SO loss would be a good system I think

 

Win you get two, lose you get none. Regardless of OT or shoot out.

 

The problem is that the current system keeps teams in the hunt so the NHL will be reluctant to change. According to what I heard on the radio yesterday Vancouver, who has some of the most terrible advanced stats on paper that you will ever see, would be 7 points back of a playoff spot if there was a 3/2/1/0 system.

The NHL wants tight races so don't expect them to make any changes. I'm not saying it's right but that's why they implemented the current system in the first place and it is working.

 

Exactly. The tight races are what they want, so it probably won't change.

However, with my team in the Metro, I must say that the current playoff format needs to go back to the 1v8 etc. The east is asinine under the current format.

 

If the playoffs started today team 1-8 would get into the playoffs. The only thing to complain about is that the top teams in the East will eliminate each other so that the semi finals won't be best on best from the East. However the best team from the East still gets into the Stanely Cup so it's somewhat of a moot point.

I like that the current system forces Toronto/Montreal/Ottawa into a situation where there will be a Canadian matchup in all likelihood in the first round. Same with the Metro, there will be some great first round matchups. Even if someone like Toronto/Montreal/Ottawa makes it to find a juggernaut from the Metro in the semis it'll be a good series.

 

If it ends up that the '7th team / wildcard' is better than the division winner of the Atlantic, then the system is flawed. The 4th best team in the Metro could have more points than the Atlantic winner. The Atlantic 2-3 match-up will be comprised of 2 of the weaker teams in the East, while the Metro 2-3 will eliminate 1 of the best teams in the league. Plus, The Metro teams will have a much tougher road to the Finals. I get the 'best team' still goes, in theory, but you shouldn't have a tougher road then teams that you are better than. But I understand there are 2 sides to it, I just happen to hate the current format. I thought the Central got a raw deal last year and this year it will surely be the metro. Plus, it could leave you with a Conference Finals which really isn't the 2 best teams. Those 2 teams would have already eliminated themselves earlier, which sort of ends up being anti-climatic.

 

By that logic though it should be 1-16 in the league. To be fair as well the old 1-8 system used to regularly place a division winner far ahead of several teams from other divisions who had better records. Not to mention that for a while several teams in the East would get in that had no business being in the playoffs. There really hasn't been a totally fair system in decades in any major North American league. Crappy divisions always get a bit of help. It's just a matter of how much help they get. The current system at least gives us a good first rounds. To be fair usually whichever team makes the Conference Final has had a pretty good trial by fire.

Just be honest, you just hate that the Metro will beat itself up this year.

 

I like how they take the top 3 from each division, currently, plus the 2 WC teams. That part is cool. And each division winner gets 'rewarded' by getting to play the WC teams. But it just seems like the 2-3 is always the question mark. Plenty of positives to the format, like you mentioned. But also, we have seen a potential Cup contender eliminated in the 1st round, that likely would not have been, under the old format. But there is no perfect format, which I understand. And yes, of course I'm salty about the Metro lol. But it was somewhat like that last year too, in our division. I thought the Central was worse though. Either way, it is what it is, I suppose.

 

30 wins for Dubnyk!

 

WTF 10:00am start tomorrow

 

Sens vs Isles @ 1pm EST

 

Craig Anderson returns , Sens put the Hamburglar on waivers

 

God Damn you Stupid Bear

2:00 left too