canadian hockey

[Mr.Chimp]

any thoughts on the state of hockey in canada...i think its a disaster right now.

we play way too many games and not enuff practice. the NHL is in trouble and the pee wee leagues are horrendous

[Halbert]

I still think too many Americans have trouble following the puck on TV, which is one reason why it hasn't done better with viewers. If you've watched/played hockey for a while you don't even have to see the puck to follow the play but newbies can't. I din't mind it when Fox had that streak thing that followed the puck on TV but I guess that didn't work since they don't do it any more.

I hope Canada holds onto (and expands) its teams because hockey without Canadian teams would be tragic.

What's wrong with the pee wees?

[Billsman]

Halbert, I agree. No Hockey in Canada would flat out suck. I think it's terrible the way it is that many teams have left for the States. They need a hard salary cap on teams and something fair for the Canadian clubs too.

[Mr.Chimp]

honestly its because our system, right down to the pee wee leagues arent producing gretzky's or lemeiux's anymore. Theres no poster boy...no one to sell the game like jordan did for basketball or gretzky early on...

[bduff54]

i hear that chimp. Canadian youth hockey is too structured. Coaches are teaching system, like the trap instead of lettign the players create for themselves. they are robots!

[Joe Friday]

Although I can't speak for hockey in Canada, I have seen what they do here in the States. My oldest son plays on a house team and my youngest is in Initiation. I spend about 3/4 of my week at the rinks and see several of the teams practicing to include the travel teams. I think Duff hit the nail on the head. There doesn't seem to be much individual development. I see alot of the travel teams concentrating too much on team development and not enough on individual development. I can understand this in the older divisions, but it seems to me that at the Mite and Squirt level the kids need time to develop their own abilities. There are too many games that get scheduled and not enough practice.

[Mr.Chimp]

There are too many games that get scheduled and not enough practice.

thats basically whats wrong. but there are other things...

1. Players dont speak out (like brett hull said)
2. Fighting has to go...(even tho i dont wanna see it go, it has to)
3. 2 line pass( the stupidest rule of all)
3. rink is too small
4. there should be no ties, penalty shots in regular season would be exciting for fans.

[jimmifli]

I asked for some help from God. We should be OK now.

http://www.comedy-zone.net/pictures/images/sport/sport009.jpg

[Joe Friday]

Originally posted by Mr.Chimp
thats basically whats wrong. but there are other things...

1. Players dont speak out (like brett hull said)
2. Fighting has to go...(even tho i dont wanna see it go, it has to)
3. 2 line pass( the stupidest rule of all)
3. rink is too small
4. there should be no ties, penalty shots in regular season would be exciting for fans.


Fighting is one of the best parts!

I agree that the Red Line has to go and I would like to see the size of the rinks increased to Olympic size. If they would enforce the interference penalties a little more like they did earlier in the season, that would help.

[Halbert]

Hockey will always be a joke to a great many fans as long as they allow fighting like they do.

Of course, they need to stop the clutching and grabbing that hides the cheap stuff before they can really get rid of fighting. Protect the skill players by not allowing defenders to slow them down with anything but their body and you'll see much less cheap intimidation because the penalties would be much more damaging. Enforce the intigator rule and you minimize the bad player for good player swap tactic.

The NHL hasn't had the guts to clean up the game for years because they're afraid the lunch pail fans will leave. Well, that may be true but I'd still think the European style would be more popular in the long run. You'd still have plenty of clean toughness and a much more entertaining product, imo.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, but a good fist-a-cuff now and then is fun to watch.

[Halbert]

That's what the WWF is for.

Strap some skates on the 'roiders if that's what it takes, but let's make hockey a real sport.

[billsfanone]

Originally posted by Halbert
Hockey will always be a joke to a great many fans as long as they allow fighting like they do.

Of course, they need to stop the clutching and grabbing that hides the cheap stuff before they can really get rid of fighting. Protect the skill players by not allowing defenders to slow them down with anything but their body and you'll see much less cheap intimidation because the penalties would be much more damaging. Enforce the intigator rule and you minimize the bad player for good player swap tactic.

The NHL hasn't had the guts to clean up the game for years because they're afraid the lunch pail fans will leave. Well, that may be true but I'd still think the European style would be more popular in the long run. You'd still have plenty of clean toughness and a much more entertaining product, imo.

They have that already. It's called Ice Dancing.

[Joe Friday]

Originally posted by Halbert
That's what the WWF is for.

Strap some skates on the 'roiders if that's what it takes, but let's make hockey a real sport.


It is a real sport. And for those who don't like the fighting these days, look at the history of hockey. The North American game is much more tame than in the past. So for all the so-called hockey purist who say fighting has to go, there's a lot less today than there use to be.

[bduff54]

if yo utake fighting out of the game the game would be horrible. nobody would be accountable for their actions. You think stick work is bad now? How do you think a guys will get revenge on somebody if they can't fight?? They will spear them and slash them to death. it would never work!