The point total of the top players is a joke

[jacks*]

Maybe if holding and hooking were called like they're written in the rule book...

 

[Brooklanders*]

I want more scoring.

 

[Hobnobs]

Wait till expansion teams are added and people will say McDavid is better than Gretzky, when he scores 150

Like when the Preds, Thrashers, Wild and BJs joined the league you mean? Who scored 150 then?

 

[Gemini]

What point would it serve to artificially inflate total points in the league?

 

[amin723]

More power plays is not the answer. They need to find a way to increase 5on5 scoring. I swear half the games I watch are so boring until there's a penalty. It shouldn't be that way.

Presumably calling penalties a certain way would affect how teams play at even strength, so as not to draw penalties. The penalties in question have a direct impact on the offensive flow of the game.

 

[ShootIt]

What point would it serve to artificially inflate total points in the league?

To help my fantasy hockey team, duh.

 

[Tripod]

Even-strength goals per game has been about the same since 1992.

Yup.

About a week or so ago I posted that for Pittsburgh, they were getting about half the power play opportunities than in 2005/06

For Sid...it worked out you an additional 26 points if they kept the same PP% success rate.

 

[SmCurse]

They should:

make the nets 2 ft taller

If you change 2 ft to 4 inches.
That might not be the worst idea.

 

[Bps21*]

When pitchers became too dominant MLB lowered the mound.

When defenses got bigger, faster, stronger the NFL made it illegal to touch WRs and QBs without fear of flags.

When basketball defenses get too good...the NBA flat out just makes them illegal to run.

...the NHL is also, I'm told, a sport of note.

 

[Got One Cup]

Am I the only one that thinks hooking, holding, and interference was more common in the 90, 80, ect? I remember forwards skating down the ice with a guys drapped all over them. Imo the overall skill level has improved dramatically while elite talent is not as good as what it was. Defensmen/ goalies and the systems they use is big part of it alas well. I would like to see more scoring but not at the expense of changing the game a whole lot. I miss the NHL of the 80's and early 90's.

 

[RedBruin]

Meh. Just call obstruction/hooking/holding/picks. Power plays will go up, and you'll get your points total increases. The flow of the game will get better. And if they call charging legitimately the defensemen won't have to worry about injuries, so all the stuff that slows the game down won't be needed either.

No, the flow of the game won't get better with more powerplays.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

Am I the only one that thinks hooking, holding, and interference was more common in the 90, 80, ect? I remember forwards skating down the ice with a guys drapped all over them. Imo the overall skill level has improved dramatically while elite talent is not as good as what it was. Defensmen/ goalies and the systems they use is big part of it alas well. I would like to see more scoring but not at the expense of changing the game a whole lot. I miss the NHL of the 80's and early 90's.

Holding and interference was way more common then and youre right, the top offensive players would have guys all over them trying to stop them from getting on a break away or free for a better scoring chance.

I feel like the people saying interference and hooking need to be called more are young and or didnt watch hockey in the 80's and 90's. hell the early 2000's had it going on too.

 

[His Beardliness*]

They should:

make the nets 2 ft taller and wider
make the goalie's pads smaller
take away offsides and icing
force defensemen to play with their stick upside down
invent a time machine and travel back to 1983

Woo! Bandy!

 

[Cult of Hynes]

Woo! Bandy!

lmao wow.

 

[jpchabby]

If the 4th lines in the NHL were as bad as they used to be, you'd probably see the top scorers in the league score a whole lot more, considering they would often play against these worse players.

The problem isn't that the teams are too balanced one compared to the other, it's that there are more good players now, the difference between the best and worst players in the league is smaller than it used to be 20 years ago.

I therefore think expanding the league would spread the talent even more, bring worse players in the league, and maybe it won' raise overall scoring, but it would probably increase the top players' production.

 

[BruinsBtn]

You're just not a "real fan". Stifling over-coached defensive hockey is where it's at! Creativity be damned!

That cracks me up. Brilliant. Hockey snobs around here are the worst

 

[rintinw]

Don't care. The only difference between now and a decade ago is more powerplays, which is not more entertaining.

The number of powerplays per game is 2nd least since 1964 (only in 1978 there were less powerplays). Also last 4 seasons have managed to get into top8 for the least pp opportunities.

 

[Malkin4Top6Wingerz]

No, the flow of the game won't get better with more powerplays.

The idea is that teams would adjust to the new rules and hook / hold less which may lead to more scoring at even strength. I don't think anybody wants to see powerplays left and right, but constant obstruction as a form of defense doesn't make for a terribly exciting product either.

 

[Sidgeni Malkby]

Reasons IMO....
1) Hard plastic covered pads -> with foam pads, you would basically have 1-2 shot blockers on the team before. Now everybody gets in the way of the shot.

2) Bigger goalie equipment -> much less room to score.

Put 1 & 2 together, and you can see why hockey is turning into soccer .

 

[frivolousz21]

In 1996 when number #99 debuted for the blues he played 28 minutes that night.

It was common for the top forwards to play half the game and he was 34 then.

That is not even possible now.

I remember Hull taking 90 second shifts regularly.

 

[Hyack57]

Reasons IMO....
1) Hard plastic covered pads -> with foam pads, you would basically have 1-2 shot blockers on the team before. Now everybody gets in the way of the shot.

2) Bigger goalie equipment -> much less room to score.

Put 1 & 2 together, and you can see why hockey is turning into soccer .

I was not aware that soccer players wore that much protection.

 

[542365]

This thread again....

 

[Tarasenko]

Presumably calling penalties a certain way would affect how teams play at even strength, so as not to draw penalties. The penalties in question have a direct impact on the offensive flow of the game.

Ding Ding Winner Chicken Dinner.
Calling penalties like they should be called would open up the game, accelerate the flow of the game and create more scoring chances.

 

[PuckSeparator]

Woo! Bandy!

Yeah, and make the pitch...ehm ice about twice as long but keep it at 5 skaters a pop.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Gotta admit.. it is pretty boring compared to the past.

Would be nice to see some creative play flourish again.