Low Scoring

[Playa]

I just read an article that asked what the NHL was going to do to improve scoring. I got to wondering, do you think maybe NHL brass were happy that scoring was low because better individual stats means higher salaries? It sounds like a conspiracy theory, but maybe Bettman was waiting until a cap was put into place before making any strong changes or having the refs enforce the rules beyond October.

Here is what I read:
HOW LOW CAN THEY GO?: Only 27 goals were scored by Tampa and Calgary in the 2004 Stanley Cup final, an average of less than four a game, that took a league mired in a swamp of obstruction and interference to a new low of punchlessness.


Baseball lowered the mound. Football freed up receivers and protected quarterbacks. In an era of sports when offense sells, what will the NHL do to open up the game? More tinkering?


Or, after a year in which no player got anywhere close to the magical 50-goal mark, will the Bettman administration simply let the Dead Puck Era continue?


It got so bad last spring that a hockey fan had to tune into the European soccer championships to see a few goals.


There were encouraging signs last winter when the league's GMs OK'd a variety of innovative notions designed to address the balance between offense and defense. Nothing has been implemented, however, and even the inability of the NHL to achieve growth in the U.S. television market hasn't stopped many traditionalists from arguing the game needs no alterations at all.


This may yet get worse before it gets better.

 

[Hurricane]

I like the low scoring. Goals are special. You can't fuck with that.

 

[JrMonarchs AAA]

Not like I need to tell you, but that's why Mario quit. Too much clutch and grab, trap and obstruction going on.

Let's see, they tried more distance between the goal and the back boards, they tried calling everything under the sun and all that did was to make the game choppy with all the whistles.

Why not try getting rid of the red line? That would open up the game. No more two line passes so the speed picks up and the guys that can skate, blow by the clutch and grab losers that wouldn't even have had a second glance if we didn't have so many damn teams out there.

 

[Playa]

I cant for the life of me understand why they havent gotten rid of the red line yet. What is stopping them? I've heard them say if you get rid of the red line, that means teams will keep a D-man back to prevent a break, but I dont see what's wrong with that. It's not necessarily the goals that this game needs to bring back, it's the exciting play. When I 1st started watching hockey in the late 80's, it was end to end, filled with odd man breaks and 1 on 1 battles. Now if you get 2 minutes of that in a game it's an unexpected thrill. I cant remember ever watching a game and thinking to myself, "Damn, that was a sweet clutch" Are the minor leagues going through the same thing? If this is choopy, it took me about a 1/2 hour to type. I have to keep looking over my shoulder and clicking to word files to make it look like Im working

 

[Slans]

This Game is fine if everybody stoped screwing with it.

Whats the average score of a MLB game cant be more than 5 or 6.

so if a hockey game is 3 or 4 what the difference !

Soccer has seen a gain in popularity in the last few years and theres like no goals in that game ....ever ! And the net is 20 times bigger than in hockey. Nobody seem to complain about that !

Football what the average touch downs....... forget that each touch is 7 point with the conversion. The avererage is what 24 to 30 points a game so 4 to 5 touch downs a side !

What more do people want ? You have speed, Hitting, fighting and people hitting other people with sticks !

F*&$#* GREAT !

 

[JrMonarchs AAA]

You have speed

You do?

This is just a goalie perspective here people. Of course he doesn't want to see too much rubber. I think from this post, he's seen too many to the head lately!

 

[Hurricane]

You do?

This is just a goalie perspective here people. Of course he doesn't want to see too much rubber. I think from this post, he's seen too many to the head lately!

I have to agree he's a little fucked in the head.

 

[Slans]

You do?

This is just a goalie perspective here people. Of course he doesn't want to see too much rubber. I think from this post, he's seen too many to the head lately!

It just a guy who loves hockey ......perspective? Last I heard I was even near to playing in th NHL. So what does that have to do with when I play. Right now I see about 40 - 60 shoots a game.

When we hear of a NHL giving up that many shoots, well we say "that team has worst defence then the Canadiens!"

True you want some shoots but there is realy only one team that can't shoot .....Toronto.

Perspectiive aside I play hockey be it In net or in Front and after all my life of playing and watching the game I say what I said !

 

[Slans]

I have to agree he's a little fucked in the head.

:shakehead

 

[JrMonarchs AAA]

Slans,

Look, I was poking fun at you is all. The only thing I disagree with you is that the clutch and grab shit needs to go. You wanna do that in the corners, fine. Good back checking, fine. Stand someone up at your blueline, fine. Grabbing sweaters, holding... it's gotta stop. The NHL has too many teams in it and the talent level has dropped significantly. Open up the skating and let the real players play.