News Article: Fluto: With decline of fighting, Bruins lose a key part of their game
- Thread starter Fenway
- Start date
Bruins Hockey is losing me to Big Bang reruns. If a hardcore fan is looking away,I can only imagine what that means.
This is how I feel. I've sort of lost interest.
And, you don't have to fight all of the time to be a "heavy," physical team, "hard to play against," or to play with aggression & menace.
I keep thinking of the Sinden/OC era. This feels a lot like that. I hate it.
It's not just the Bruins, as fighting is declining throughout the league as it wrestles with the concussion phenomenon.
It appears that teams are structuring their squads based on skill and playmaking. Bruins will have to adapt, too, if they don't want to find themselves at a disadvantage as the refs enforce the league's mandate.
I, for one, think they can find the talent to fit with skilled players such as Bergeron, Marshand, Krejci's, Pastrnak
And Krug. I like the prospects in the pool right now. Sweeney has drafted well. If he can only find that elusive defenseman to play in the top four.
It appears that teams are structuring their squads based on skill and playmaking. Bruins will have to adapt, too, if they don't want to find themselves at a disadvantage as the refs enforce the league's mandate.
I, for one, think they can find the talent to fit with skilled players such as Bergeron, Marshand, Krejci's, Pastrnak
And Krug. I like the prospects in the pool right now. Sweeney has drafted well. If he can only find that elusive defenseman to play in the top four.
Its evolution. It will happen.
I LOVE watching the fights. But I wont deny whats coming.
Litigation and insurance issues will be the final nail in the coffin. Some fans will leave or literally die out. The game will evolve and over time fans will be replaced.
I LOVE watching the fights. But I wont deny whats coming.
Litigation and insurance issues will be the final nail in the coffin. Some fans will leave or literally die out. The game will evolve and over time fans will be replaced.
Again, take much of the fighting out of it. I'm talking about physical, nasty play & standing up for one another.
The Kings do it. The Blues do it. So does ANA. Even the Capitols do it.
Why can't the Bruins?
More generally, if the NHL "evolves" into European style hockey, North American fans will leave in droves. You can say old timers like me will be replaced, but I'm not so sure.
Take the passion and physicality out of the game, and you ruin it. No one is going to care about fly by Lady Bing types holding the door for one another in 8-6 games. Bettman should understand this, because neutering the game will kill the golden goose. The crucial error for a guy like this is to think hockey is about scoring, or that high scoring games are the answer. (*Wrong.*)
If the league goes that way, no thanks. I'm not watching that crap.
DitClapper
Registered User
- May 15, 2014
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It's no surprise ratings are down. And I would say that has a whole lot to do with less fisticuffs.
- Jan 29, 2003
- 25,466
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I think I get more (or at least as much) enjoyment from knowing the a Bruin individually or the team as a whole has intimidated an opponent to the point where it affects their play.
Think about when scrums used to start and Looch, Horton, Chara and Boychuk were on the ice together.
3 guys would try to pair up with Krejci.
I think I get more (or at least as much) enjoyment from knowing the a Bruin individually or the team as a whole has intimidated an opponent to the point where it affects their play.
Think about when scrums used to start and Looch, Horton, Chara and Boychuk were on the ice together.
3 guys would try to pair up with Krejci.
Haha. I'm in mourning.
Over the volcano
Registered User
bruinmann77
Registered User
Fighting belongs in hockey but I really think Quaider did change the course of the game tonight.
I'm not sure about that. Fans were drawn to the rough and tumble high scoring product. Now it's low scoring, stop and start, passive hockey. If the trend continues to the new game,I can't see gaining a new fan for every lost one.
KrejciMVP
Registered User
Well the Bs did average 5 gpg in their first three on the trip. And seven last night. Not bad.
Didn't do a comparison, but looking at this year, Bs averaging 19, 200 + per game. Lowest attendance is in Carolina, and that's over 11 thousand. The rest of the league is 13k plus ave. Up to 21k.
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I dont know why you are mixing in low scoring where the subject is the future or lack thereof of fighting.
The two in no way are or need be related.
If you want me just to stay on fighting,well yeah,the whole league has lost a key part of its game and the result is a less entertaining product. Not sure that the success of the Bruins or any other team is directly related to fighting,but it sure is related to the entertainment value.
smithformeragent
Moderator
I'm totally fine with the phasing out of the 12th forwards and still the spontaneous fights with a McQuaid type player.
Bruwinz37
Registered User
- Feb 27, 2002
- 27,429
- 1
I don't know if it's all about the fights but I don't blame the league for forcing the Bruins down a gentle path. To me that's what they are doing on their own. Perhaps organizationally perhaps it's more Claude. How do you bring in a guy like Rinaldo who has all the Nasty you want in a player and then he looks scared to get involved. To me he is being directed.
The games are really boring for the most part and its a real problem.
The games are really boring for the most part and its a real problem.
Like I originally said I love watching fights in hockey. I dont argue at all that its entertaining. But the handwriting is on the wall. It is being phased out. The driverwill be financial. Law suits and inability to get insurance. The pro and con will be settled by the bottom line.
Its only a question of when. But the tide has already turned. Theres no denying that. Now its just a question of at what time does the snorkel go under water?
We are already being weaned.
KrejciMVP
Registered User
The facts havent supported that in over a decade.
There are a handful of enforcers nowadays. Many nightly scratches. While skilled players get their clocks cleaned routinely.
Days gone by............
