Buffdog
Registered User
- Feb 13, 2019
- 8,017
- 19,377
When I was a kid I was the same way - knew every player on every team, etc. There were 21 teams then, and that means about 250 less players in the league.Oh yeah don't get me wrong, as much as I loved the physical nature of hockey I care more about player health and am a strong proponent of safety.
My issue is that they've got hockey in a middle ground now where they allow dangerous things to happen and things that show the game down and allow less skilled players to cheat to equalize.
If they called something to a standard and adequately held their officials to it, they could remove it from the game but there never seems to be the dedication to do it.
Basically each team's worst 4 forwards and 2 defense wouldn't have jobs. It would make for a much less watered down product, and each team would have more good players.
Yes there were big hits and fights back then but the obstruction was WAY worse. I remember guys "water skiing" behind each other and outright clutching and grabbing.