# NHL is Back



## kenpo0324 (Sep 2, 2005)

I was wondering What everyone thought about the rule changes and about the 
Salary cap.
And Who do you think will Win the Cup this year..


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## tshadowchaser (Sep 2, 2005)

Hard to tell who will win the cup  so many players are now across that big pond playing in other areas.

Salary cap was long over due.

I'd like to see the goalies fair game if they come way out of the crease.
I think the game will be faster but less fun to watch  (I like hard checking)


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## mrhnau (Sep 2, 2005)

ditto tshadow, too early to tell cup. Still many players being traded. Once rosters get firmed up, we will get a better idea. Its going to be interesting to see what perenial power houses like the Red Wings and Avalanche will do w/ the cap, and if they will retain power. Its been shown that money does not necessarily get you the cup, but it sure helps 

Personally, I think the players got the raw end of the deal. As far as rule changes, I'd enjoy seeing smaller pads on the goalies. Having a shoot off like in the minors would be awesome to see. Seems like sometimes teams were simply playing for the draw, and not being aggressive just to get that one point.

Personally, I'll be rooting for the Carolina Hurricanes


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## Paul B (Sep 2, 2005)

I'm still on the fence about the NHL....I'm a died-in-the-wool Blackhawks fan..but I am still kinda leary about attending home games. 

Unless some major concessions (and how about an apology for starters,Wirtzy?)are made,you won't be seeing me at the UC,although,I have to admit I'm geeked about Nikki P. and Aucoin..now how about some forwards who can stay healthy?...whoa...<rant over>

That being said,with the cap and the talent being as spread around as it is,it's really anyone's guess. Can you say offer sheets?

I do think we're all going to be surprised by the turn-around in Pittsburgh. They are just stacked! I'm not saying they'll win the cup,but last place? Uh-uh.

If I had to choose conference champs,for the east I'd say Flyers..they just have too much firepower.

The west is just an all out gamble,but all in all I'd say..uhhm..yeah..I just don't know. I do think it'll be a small-market team,though.

As far as shoot-offs go..it's about time! I hated tie games,it was just so...unfinished. 

Smaller pads? Goalies whine,and they probably would whine about bigger pads,too. "Oh..but I can't move as quick..they're impeding my butterfly..wah"..I think they'll be fine. Look for some good acting early in the season,though.

I do like the center-line being eliminated..look for people like Pavel Bure to have record years.

We'll have to keep this thread open..it's hard to find other hockey fans who can actually type..lol.


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## detroitfan102 (Sep 26, 2005)

Can you guess who will be rooting for?


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## arnisador (Sep 26, 2005)

detroitfan102 said:
			
		

> Can you guess who will be rooting for?


 The fans, I hope!


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## CanuckMA (Sep 27, 2005)

Salary cap was overdue. I like removing the red line. As a goalie myself, I don't think the new equipment and puck handling rules will make a whole lot of difference. The pads are reduced by 1". Take a ruler, look how small that is. The net is 72" wide. The goalies now cover 22" instead of 24. The goos ones will adapt. As for the restriction on puck handling, there are less than 5 goalies in the NHL today who can actually go into the corner and handle the puck. Won't make a difference. As for making the goalies fair game out of the crease, that's just stupid. By virtue of the equipment, goalies lack the balance and peripheral vision. It would lead to too many injuries.

Go Habs.


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## Flatlander (Sep 27, 2005)

CanuckMA said:
			
		

> Go Habs.


 :lol2:

 Seriously, I'll be watching Calgary go for the cup this year.  Also, I'll be following Phoenix, just to see how Wayne does as a coach.

 The removal of the red line was a good idea.  And, yeah, let the goalies be fair game outside the crease - why not?  Don't want the risk - stay inside the crease.  Let the D work the corners.  The salary cap was necessary, and will help spread the talent.  Detroit was irritating me.  

 However, more important than who will win the cup this year is who will lose to Canada on February 26 2006.  artyon:


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## arnisador (Sep 27, 2005)

Yeah, the red line _was_ pretty annoying.

We have minor league hockey in town, apparaently, and my son and I hope to go see some of that. When we lived in San Jose we used to go see the Sharks once a month.


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## mrhnau (Sep 30, 2005)

My wife just won free tickets to the Hurricanes season opener! Yay! There is a decent chance we might get to ride on the Zamboni or visit the press box! yay! The game was sold out too, so I'm excited! It will be against he Penguins, so I'll get a chance to see Crosby in action in his first game. Lemeiux too  yay!

MrH


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## arnisador (Sep 30, 2005)

That's great luck!


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## Paul B (Sep 30, 2005)

That is awesome luck!

Sid "The Kid" has just a tad of pressure,no? Jeez..playing with SM..what a break!

I'm thinking he's either going to burn out gloriously or just take over like Nash in Colombus. Either way..it'll be fun.



Oh yeah..I hate Detriot.:2xBird2:  Go Hawks! *like you didn't see THAT coming*:boing1:


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## mrhnau (Oct 6, 2005)

Yay! Its finally back! so glad... it stinks that shows are on OLN though. I'll miss them on the major networks. Still, I hope I get to see enough local games at least...


anyone get to go to opening night? I heard that attendance was up.

MrH


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## mrhnau (Oct 27, 2005)

well, its been a few weeks now. I think the games have been exciting! I've been to a few, and tried to watch a bit on TV. It stinks that the games are so hard to find on TV. Think they will ever regain major station support? (ESPN, ABC, ect) I've enjoyed seeing the shoot off at the end of ties. thats been pretty exciting!

On a side note, Go 'Canes!

MrH


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## arnisador (Oct 27, 2005)

I haven't seen any games yet--as you say, they're hard to find!


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## kenpo0324 (Oct 27, 2005)

When its all said and done, Detroit Red Wings will be standing tall with the 
Stanely Cup again...Where it belongs.


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## Kenpobldr (Oct 27, 2005)

CanuckMA said:
			
		

> Salary cap was overdue. I like removing the red line. As a goalie myself, I don't think the new equipment and puck handling rules will make a whole lot of difference. The pads are reduced by 1". Take a ruler, look how small that is. The net is 72" wide. The goalies now cover 22" instead of 24. The goos ones will adapt. As for the restriction on puck handling, there are less than 5 goalies in the NHL today who can actually go into the corner and handle the puck. Won't make a difference. As for making the goalies fair game out of the crease, that's just stupid. By virtue of the equipment, goalies lack the balance and peripheral vision. It would lead to too many injuries.
> 
> Go Habs.


 
I agree with everything that CanuckMa had to say I would add though that I dont like all the interferance calls. It takes something away from the game. 

I also agree with not making the goalies fair game I used to play defense and I would take it personally if anyone went near my goalie. Goalies really dont have the balance or vision. They are also usually a stationary target and would get pummled by a fast moving forward.

I dont know who will win the Stanley Cup but as a Bruin ticket holder I will route for them to go but I really dont think that they will make it. At least untill their owners and general managers wake up and get their head out of their.........................


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## Paul B (Oct 27, 2005)

Allright..I'll admit it,I have NHL Center Ice...so they aren't hard to find for me. 

That being said..these new obstruction rules are killing me,or more specifically the Hawks.

I don't think I've ever seen so many frickin penelties!

The goalies seem to be having a little trouble getting adjusted to the new gear,but I think they're having more trouble with noone being able to clear the crease. I think that little tid-bit needs some type of leniency from the NHL. Otherwise my gripes are few..other than the Hawks are sucking it up. Not a word from you Detroit boy!!!%-}


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## Solidman82 (Oct 27, 2005)

I live in BC and as such I do not get coverage from outside of BC. I was wondering if anyone in the U.S. or in other provinces got as much coverage on the Bertuzzi incident as BC did. Just curious really.


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## mrhnau (Oct 27, 2005)

Solidman82 said:
			
		

> I live in BC and as such I do not get coverage from outside of BC. I was wondering if anyone in the U.S. or in other provinces got as much coverage on the Bertuzzi incident as BC did. Just curious really.


 
we got alot of it here in North Carolina. Incidents like that go beyond local coverage.

MrH


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## mrhnau (Oct 27, 2005)

Paul B said:
			
		

> Allright..I'll admit it,I have NHL Center Ice...so they aren't hard to find for me.


 
If I had the money, and the foresight that so few games would be on TV, I'd get Center Ice. I'd enjoy it. I wish I could afford me some season tickets! after graduation I hope!

 :apv:  <--- Zamboni heheh

MrH


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## Solidman82 (Oct 27, 2005)

well I'm just wondering if it's as big a deal for the rest of the world as it is here.


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## mrhnau (Oct 27, 2005)

Solidman82 said:
			
		

> well I'm just wondering if it's as big a deal for the rest of the world as it is here.


 
Depends on what you mean... in parts of the US, they are quite rabid about their NHL. You start moving south and it starts getting a bit less popular. Teams are moving south, but it takes time for it to catch on. Alot of the fans in the south are just relocated Yankees. You get up into old established US markets (detroit, pittsburgh, ect) and they most likely follow things quite closely. Newer markets (carolina, florida, atlanta), less so. If you are talking about Europe or other markets, I have no idea. In parts of europe, the game is quite popular, but not sure how closely they follow the NHL.

MrH


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## Paul B (Oct 27, 2005)

mrhnau said:
			
		

> ....I wish I could afford me some season tickets! after graduation I hope!


 
That makes two of us..but I don't think I'll be dropping $8K for tickets to go see the BHawks lose all year. Televise home games and I'll think about it...

The Bertuzzi incident received a ton of media. The problem is in the majority of the U.S.,people's eyes glaze over when they hear the word "hockey". 

As for putting the games on OLN..Come on,seriously. I went through the DTV guide to find out when the next game was on and buttoned through 12 hours of Rodeo!!! Who watches 12 hrs of rodeo? They've gotta do better than that. That doesn't exactly send the message that they're overly confident in their "new" product.


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## mrhnau (Oct 28, 2005)

Paul B said:
			
		

> As for putting the games on OLN..Come on,seriously. I went through the DTV guide to find out when the next game was on and buttoned through 12 hours of Rodeo!!! Who watches 12 hrs of rodeo? They've gotta do better than that. That doesn't exactly send the message that they're overly confident in their "new" product.


 
There was some difficulty with OLN and the cable/satellite distributors. They refused to air the first game, and I'm not sure if the situation has been resolved yet. I heard that OLN demanded to be on a certain percentage of cable/satellite stations and that request was not met, so they did not show! (don't have a link, heard it on a local sports radio station)

The only games I've been able to see have been local games on Fox Sports Net, and most games have not been broadcast! so far I've only got to see one on TV 

MrH


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## mrhnau (Nov 18, 2005)

I was perusing a recent game recap, and noticed something I did not see in the game... you don't see this often 



> Played was stopped in the second period when the puck got lost in the shorts of New York left wing Ville Nieminen. After a delay of about 10 seconds, he sheepishly handed the puck to the referees.


 
LOL only in hockey...

on another note, I'm enjoying the higher scoring this year.. its been outstanding so far... go 'canes!

MrH


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## arnisador (Nov 18, 2005)

I expect we'll be hearing baout this one from Jay Leno at some point soon...


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## mrhnau (Feb 6, 2006)

The olympic break is coming up soon... hockey is an interesting sport, in that its mostly international. Alot of your local stars are going back to their respective countries to compete. I don't have a problem with this, but it does bring about a delimna.

Do you find yourself rooting for your country, or do you graviate towards your favorite stars? I tend to root for the country, but I'd not mind seeing one of my team members come back with gold 

Go 'Canes!


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