-TSS- Posted January 9, 2013 Report Posted January 9, 2013 I know that it will never happen in North-American professional sports but just toying with the idea that there should be a lower tier as well to which the weakest team(s) would be relegated into and from which the strongest team(s) would be promoted from to the top tier. That would increase competition also at the bottom of the league-table for teams which have long lost their chances of making it to the play-offs. Quote
The_Squid Posted January 9, 2013 Report Posted January 9, 2013 Why? Getting rid of 4 unsupported franchises would make the profits better for existing owners and improve the financial health of the league. However, a league without the Coyotes or Blue Jackets wouldn't make a difference to my enjoyment of the game. Eliminating the 80 or so worst players and having more good players per team would certainly increase the quality of the hockey. Quote
carepov Posted January 9, 2013 Report Posted January 9, 2013 Eliminating the 80 or so worst players and having more good players per team would certainly increase the quality of the hockey. Yes, certainly in the short term but it may be counter-productive in the long term. Quote
carepov Posted January 9, 2013 Report Posted January 9, 2013 Evidence for this? Do you know people who say that they like hockey but the occasional fighting is just too much to take? Evidence? The OP was asking for one's opinion, and my opinion is that hockey is better without fighting. The best hockey is Olympic hockey and also NHL playoff hockey- especially games when there are no fights. Do you think violence is just too much for American hockey fans? No. I think that bare-knuckle punches to the head are barbaric and no longer are a good fit with today's NHL hockey. Quote
Mighty AC Posted January 9, 2013 Author Report Posted January 9, 2013 Eliminating the 80 or so worst players and having more good players per team would certainly increase the quality of the hockey. True enough, in theory. However, I doubt the improvement would be noticeable overall. Only a tiny fraction of players add a noticeable uptick in excitement to the game. Stars, big hitters and villains could all have an effect on enjoyment so it would really depend on the teams that are removed. When considering excitement, I would argue that the Panthers and Blue Jackets have no impact players to offer. The Coyotes only notable player (again when just considering excitement) would be the villain Raffi Torres. The Hurricanes and Lightning currently have several players that would make a noticeable difference to a few clubs. They have two of the Staal brothers, Alex Semin, Stamkos, St. Louis and possibly Cam Ward and Lecavalier. The Islanders won't fold, nor will the Preds. Quote "Our lives begin to end the day we stay silent about the things that matter." - Martin Luther King Jr"Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities" - Voltaire
Black Dog Posted January 9, 2013 Report Posted January 9, 2013 (edited) True enough, in theory. However, I doubt the improvement would be noticeable overall. Only a tiny fraction of players add a noticeable uptick in excitement to the game. Stars, big hitters and villains could all have an effect on enjoyment so it would really depend on the teams that are removed. When considering excitement, I would argue that the Panthers and Blue Jackets have no impact players to offer. The Coyotes only notable player (again when just considering excitement) would be the villain Raffi Torres. Keith Yandle, Oliver Eckman Larson, Shane Doan? Edited January 9, 2013 by Black Dog Quote
Mighty AC Posted January 9, 2013 Author Report Posted January 9, 2013 At one time Shane Doan was exciting, but not so much anymore. Yandle and Eck are talented young D men but not really the types of players people anticipate watching. In my opinion. Quote "Our lives begin to end the day we stay silent about the things that matter." - Martin Luther King Jr"Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities" - Voltaire
Black Dog Posted January 9, 2013 Report Posted January 9, 2013 At one time Shane Doan was exciting, but not so much anymore. Yandle and Eck are talented young D men but not really the types of players people anticipate watching. In my opinion. Point being: no one pays to see Raffi Torres. Quote
Mighty AC Posted January 10, 2013 Author Report Posted January 10, 2013 He has always hit everything that moved and after last year's playoffs (and several other incidents) he is now notorious. I include him because villains draw interest. Exclude him if you like...my main point is that killing off four franchises would only create a barely noticeable uptick in excitement on the ice. Quote "Our lives begin to end the day we stay silent about the things that matter." - Martin Luther King Jr"Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities" - Voltaire
dre Posted January 10, 2013 Report Posted January 10, 2013 (edited) Just undo every rule change made since 1990. Get rid of the robocop gear... the kevlar elbow and shoulder pads that cause all the concussions. Roll back the size of the goalies pads. Roll back the size of the goalies blocker and stick. More fights. More open ice hits. More goals. More passion. Less referees. Less marginal calls deciding games. Roll back salaries so that players have a blue collar heart and work ethic. Roll back free agency so that players dont switch teams every year chasing easy cups. Roll back ticket prices so an ordinary family can go to a few games a year. All fixed Youre welcome. Edited January 10, 2013 by dre Quote I question things because I am human. And call no one my father who's no closer than a stranger
The_Squid Posted January 10, 2013 Report Posted January 10, 2013 Thank you Dre. You should be commissioner. Quote
carepov Posted January 10, 2013 Report Posted January 10, 2013 Just undo every rule change made since 1990. Get rid of the robocop gear... the kevlar elbow and shoulder pads that cause all the concussions. Roll back the size of the goalies pads. Roll back the size of the goalies blocker and stick. More fights. More open ice hits. More goals. More passion. Less referees. Less marginal calls deciding games. Roll back salaries so that players have a blue collar heart and work ethic. Roll back free agency so that players dont switch teams every year chasing easy cups. Roll back ticket prices so an ordinary family can go to a few games a year. All fixed Youre welcome. If you want this type of hockey it is already available - its called the AHL. Quote
Mighty AC Posted January 10, 2013 Author Report Posted January 10, 2013 Just undo every rule change made since 1990. Get rid of the robocop gear... the kevlar elbow and shoulder pads that cause all the concussions. Roll back the size of the goalies pads. Roll back the size of the goalies blocker and stick. I agree with this part completely. I think dangerous hits would drop drastically if players weren't armoured up. However, hockey in the late 90's until 5 years ago, was a slow, trap happy, clutch and grab fest. The 05 rule changes dramatically improved the pace of the game. Quote "Our lives begin to end the day we stay silent about the things that matter." - Martin Luther King Jr"Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities" - Voltaire
sharkman Posted January 10, 2013 Report Posted January 10, 2013 He has always hit everything that moved and after last year's playoffs (and several other incidents) he is now notorious. I include him because villains draw interest. Exclude him if you like...my main point is that killing off four franchises would only create a barely noticeable uptick in excitement on the ice. On Torres, he was in Vancouver for a while, and so I got to watch him frequently. He really can hit the stuffing out of people, though some of his hits were borderline. Then the refs took over and decided he should be reined in(or was it an NHL executive decision?). He was penalized and suspended for hits that were not illegal at all, and it's wrong to do this to an individual player. Where were they when Scott Stevens was putting people in the hospital and shortening careers? Then it was "good for the game". Anyway, in the playoffs Torres was worth the price of admission. Quote
Mighty AC Posted January 10, 2013 Author Report Posted January 10, 2013 I agree. I used to watch him frequently as a junior with the Brampton Battalion. The kid would hit like a player twice his size. Quote "Our lives begin to end the day we stay silent about the things that matter." - Martin Luther King Jr"Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities" - Voltaire
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