Are the playoffs becoming too violent?

[LPHabsFan]

Severity of suspensions has a lot of input from the players themselves along with the NHLPA. Their hands are kind of tied because of the whole "precedence" issue and how it relates to grievances.

If the NHL wanted to increase the severity of suspensions across the board, they'd need the NHLPA to agree to basically wipe the slate clean on what previous acts received in terms of punishments. They could create a database of plays and say this would receive X suspension under the new parameters.

So it's doable if EVERYONE wants it.

Fighting is the perfect example. It's the players who don't want to remove it from the game a lot more than the owners do.

 

[jackjohnson]

There have been dirty plays nearly every night in the playoffs. Lack of respect for opponents is astonishing and teams are trying to take out each other’s biggest stars. This is because the punishments for attempts to injure are either far too lenient or not given at all.

This issue could easily be addressed, but Bettman and Parros do nothing about it. That’s because they think violence could draw in new viewers, who now eagerly wait to see who will retaliate and how.

Apparently, the NHL wants to see star players taken out night after night. Hockey is a physical and tough sport, but there’s nothing tough about blindsiding or hitting a defenseless player from behind.

Right now we are not far from career ending injury any given night.

you are probably new to the sport if you think NHL has gotten too violent

 

[hurdemz]

Watch something less violent, if violence offends you

It's part of the game, and I for one hope it never changes completely.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Fair enough.

I just think a lot of the rough stuff and the big hits that elevates in the playoffs have dissipated a bit. In my opinion it makes things more exciting and more competitive and nasty. Sometimes it’s not always a bad thing.

Oh I like all the big hits. I just meant it seems to be less of that and more cheapshots.

 

[Evilhomer]

you are probably new to the sport if you think NHL has gotten too violent

I think lots of people on this site were not alive during some of the Montreal/Quebec series' in the 1980s. Or any series between the Islanders and Rangers. Or any Flyers game in the 1970s.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Yes, they do. People (in general)love violent sports.

It's weird then that the most popular sports in the US and in the world don't allow fighting and punish cheapshots pretty severely relative to the NHL.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Going by that logic it should have been massively popular in the 70s and 80s yet their numbers are increasing; owners are spending billions to buy their teams; ticket prices are much more expensive relative to inflation and purchasing power.

You can also more widely access games to watch.

Back in the day, so when Jagr was with the Rangers he had one of the highest contracts of the 4 major North American leagues and he wasn't behind by much.

Now Hockey trails behind all of them by a significant amount.

Your average American can't focus on the puck, that's why they needed to highlight the puck.

Americans love things they don't really need to pay attention to, thats why football is so popular. 3 hours to play, what like 11 minutes on an average game ?

You want to draw morr Americans than you already do, you need some animosity in the game.

These players might as well shake hands and hug after every game like they do in NBA.

f***in' Waffle House has more animosity than all of the sports.

 

[PistolPete]

It's weird then that the most popular sports in the US and in the world don't allow fighting and punish cheapshots pretty severely relative to the NHL.

Not to mention the most popular sport in the world.

 

[PistolPete]

You can also more widely access games to watch.

Back in the day, so when Jagr was with the Rangers he had one of the highest contracts of the 4 major North American leagues and he wasn't behind by much.

Now Hockey trails behind all of them by a significant amount.

Your average American can't focus on the puck, that's why they needed to highlight the puck.

Americans love things they don't really need to pay attention to, thats why football is so popular. 3 hours to play, what like 11 minutes on an average game ?

You want to draw morr Americans than you already do, you need some animosity in the game.

These players might as well shake hands and hug after every game like they do in NBA.

f***in' Waffle House has more animosity than all of the sports.

If violence sold, Americans should've been ordering SportsChannel in drives in the 80s to get access to the violence that they apparently love so much.

Weird ain't it that the top 3 sports leagues don't even allow fighting let alone curtail violence of any kind to a much greater degree than the NHL ever has?

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Look at the difference between the mid 90s and now, 30 years later.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

If violence sold, Americans should've been ordering SportsChannel in drives in the 80s to get access to the violence that they apparently love so much.

Weird ain't it that the top 3 sports leagues don't even allow fighting let alone curtail violence of any kind to a much greater degree than the NHL ever has?

I already mentioned why before you even asked that question.

Baseball and Football are the top 2 popular of the major 4 in the US.

Both sports have very low actually going on for a lot of it, so less attention span.

The two with the most action are hockey and basketball.

I always assumed Americans loved racing for the crashes mostly, but I could be wrong there.

 

[Fatass]

There have been dirty plays nearly every night in the playoffs. Lack of respect for opponents is astonishing and teams are trying to take out each other’s biggest stars. This is because the punishments for attempts to injure are either far too lenient or not given at all.

This issue could easily be addressed, but Bettman and Parros do nothing about it. That’s because they think violence could draw in new viewers, who now eagerly wait to see who will retaliate and how.

Apparently, the NHL wants to see star players taken out night after night. Hockey is a physical and tough sport, but there’s nothing tough about blindsiding or hitting a defenseless player from behind.

Right now we are not far from career ending injury any given night.

The playoffs lack fights. The violent collusions are great. More violence, wishing the rules, please

 

[kingsholygrail]

I already mentioned why before you even asked that question.

Baseball and Football are the top 2 popular of the major 4 in the US.

Both sports have very low actually going on for a lot of it, so less attention span.

The two with the most action are hockey and basketball.

I always assumed Americans loved racing for the crashes mostly, but I could be wrong there.

Basketball? You mean 3pt chuck? Basketball is like watching paint dry now.

 

[CupsOverCash]

I don't know how old you are but the NHL was just as violent if not more so in the 80s and 90s, during the heyday of the enforcers. There was an average of 1 or 2 fights per game yet you still saw cheap shots just as frequently as today of not more so

I think it's more about the integrity of the team to deal with it when you need to. Now days it's not there so you resort to cheap shot and passive aggressive things you see now. I think those things were more dealt and effectively than you see now.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

You can also more widely access games to watch.

Back in the day, so when Jagr was with the Rangers he had one of the highest contracts of the 4 major North American leagues and he wasn't behind by much.

Now Hockey trails behind all of them by a significant amount.

Your average American can't focus on the puck, that's why they needed to highlight the puck.

Americans love things they don't really need to pay attention to, thats why football is so popular. 3 hours to play, what like 11 minutes on an average game ?

You want to draw morr Americans than you already do, you need some animosity in the game.

These players might as well shake hands and hug after every game like they do in NBA.

f***in' Waffle House has more animosity than all of the sports.

This post is even stupider than you think Americans are.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Basketball? You mean 3pt chuck? Basketball is like watching paint dry now.

100% fair. I guess I tried to paint it in a better light.

Football seems to be actual fans who fork the money out. Their fan atmosphere is amazing. Especially when you consider f*** all goes on.

Basketball is just brutal. I swear people go to the games just to be there, like it's a social thing.

I tuned into game 6 I think it was, or whichever game the Raps clinched the title and it was terrible. Like the players didn't even seem that excited. Like, you not only helped a franchise win their first championship, it was the only (?) Championship outside the US and a country's first championship in that sport.

You may not care for the country, I get that, but you made HISTORY and this will likely be how all of them are remembered. Leonard has a chance to be remembered outside of this, but I believe he still doesn't play a lot..

That, or "the shot"

Sorry, my little rant.

I always thought basketball in the 90s was cool and seems to was better in the 70s and 80s.

 

[Oilslick941611]

Must be a new fan. This is the most neutered playoffs I’ve ever seen.

far from it

 

[Boyon90]

we are at that point where we need to replace george parros with sean avery

 

[FMichael]

There have been dirty plays nearly every night in the playoffs. Lack of respect for opponents is astonishing and teams are trying to take out each other’s biggest stars. This is because the punishments for attempts to injure are either far too lenient or not given at all.

This issue could easily be addressed, but Bettman and Parros do nothing about it. That’s because they think violence could draw in new viewers, who now eagerly wait to see who will retaliate and how.

Apparently, the NHL wants to see star players taken out night after night. Hockey is a physical and tough sport, but there’s nothing tough about blindsiding or hitting a defenseless player from behind.

Right now we are not far from career ending injury any given night.

Flag football...Flag hockey?

 

[Pablo El Perro]

It's always funny to me that people think watching the dirty violent plays somehow makes them tough by extension.

You're still just sitting on the couch watching tv like the rest of us.

Some of us flagellate ourselves after watching a good hit.

 

[End of Line]

This is some hyperbolic shit lmao

 

[Pablo El Perro]

and they completely ignore an elbow to the head of Marner from Bennett. Its league issue that the league caused. The league needs to fix it before someone dies.

Didn't know Bennie was Russian.

 

[Crunchrulz]

There have been dirty plays nearly every night in the playoffs. Lack of respect for opponents is astonishing and teams are trying to take out each other’s biggest stars. This is because the punishments for attempts to injure are either far too lenient or not given at all.

This issue could easily be addressed, but Bettman and Parros do nothing about it. That’s because they think violence could draw in new viewers, who now eagerly wait to see who will retaliate and how.

Apparently, the NHL wants to see star players taken out night after night. Hockey is a physical and tough sport, but there’s nothing tough about blindsiding or hitting a defenseless player from behind.

Right now we are not far from career ending injury any given night.

Violent?
Did you watch the playoffs from 1970 through the early part of this century? Broad Street Bullies? Big Bad Bruins? Calgary vs Edmonton any series? Game 1 of the Kings-Maple Leafs Semi Final Series in 92-93?
If you think this playoff season is violent, I advise you NOT to look at replays of playoff series from that eras or you will swear off hockey forever and become a lifetime season ticket holder to Disney on Ice.

 

[Mike C]

Seems like skilled teams like Florida have to change up their game to compete physically with the lesser talented gooner squads like Toronto

Florida is plenty physical

 

[Summer Rose]

100% fair. I guess I tried to paint it in a better light.

Football seems to be actual fans who fork the money out. Their fan atmosphere is amazing. Especially when you consider f*** all goes on.

Basketball is just brutal. I swear people go to the games just to be there, like it's a social thing.

I tuned into game 6 I think it was, or whichever game the Raps clinched the title and it was terrible. Like the players didn't even seem that excited. Like, you not only helped a franchise win their first championship, it was the only (?) Championship outside the US and a country's first championship in that sport.

You may not care for the country, I get that, but you made HISTORY and this will likely be how all of them are remembered. Leonard has a chance to be remembered outside of this, but I believe he still doesn't play a lot..

That, or "the shot"

Sorry, my little rant.

I always thought basketball in the 90s was cool and seems to was better in the 70s and 80s.

The Blue Jays won the World Series in 1992 and 1993. That was the first major league championship for Canada (excluding the NHL) I believe, assuming that's what you were referring to. Your second statement is correct; it was the first NBA championship won by a team based in Canada.