The point total of the top players is a joke

[OVs Gold Chain*]

We're stuck in this purgatory of poor officiating because the refs clearly are told not to call the game by the book, but they're given so much discretion that they get bullied by coaches into b.s. like phantom make-up calls. The players know they can get away with certain things at certain times, so they clutch & grab the skill players who would otherwise work their way into open ice more often, leading to more goals and more highlights. They know they may as well try to get away with stuff, because eventually they're gonna get called on some ticky tack call later on so the Coaches wont throw temper tantrums.

The league needs to stop rewarding bad players, call it by the book, and the play will change as players realize they can no longer get away with all the b.s. Skill players will "magically" start making more plays that will appeal to the casual/non-hockey fan.

 

[RedWingsForPresident]

I'm so sick of these threads. Change the channel if you don't like it

 

[mja]

What gets called for hooking these days used to be a legal stick check. 80s & 90's style waterskiing hooking doesn't occur. Holding is generally called a lot more tightly these days than it was in the past.

It's the straight up interference that gets me. Guys interfere with each other all the time, like literally set picks and **** and it doesn't get called. I don't remember that happening in the past the way it happens these days.

 

[Coastal Kev]

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

Exactly... It takes a "real fan" to appreciate ugly deflection goals. Last night Pens vs Flyers. Flyers first goal, deflection, second goal deflection and third goal, scrum in front knock in a loose puck.

3 ugly goals.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

I'm so sick of these threads. Change the channel if you don't like it

i agree.

 

[Tripod]

forget the top players, a 60pt/season player is considered elite now.

Considering a 68 point player from last year was being called the best player in hockey....you are not wrong.

 

[mja]

I'm so sick of these threads. Change the channel if you don't like it

Well, that's ironic.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

What gets called for hooking these days used to be a legal stick check. 80s & 90's style waterskiing hooking doesn't occur. Holding is generally called a lot more tightly these days than it was in the past.

It's the straight up interference that gets me. Guys interfere with each other all the time, like literally set picks and **** and it doesn't get called. I don't remember that happening in the past the way it happens these days.

yea, i dont remember that either. but i do agree that what is being cold holding and hooking today is not what i would call holding and hooking. i really dont know what the hell half of the people in the thread are talking about when they bring it up.

 

[PlaceboFan]

They should have a monster truck competition on the second intermission between the team captains. Whoever wins, get's 3 shootout chances at the end of the game. Hockey isn't supposed to be a highly tactical, tense, team sport. It's supposed to be brainless entertainment with big hits, fighting and goals every four minutes.

 

[eklunds source]

56 points? This is *****ed honestly.Scoring has to go up again.

Scoring is up this year over last (5.34g/g to 5.39g/g). I'm sorry that you are disappointed with the distribution of points among top scoring forwards.

 

[Bee Sheriff]

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.

This.

 

[nobuddy]

Look at music, the new song writers and singers are garbage,

LMAO you are listening to the wrong music.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

LMAO you are listening to the wrong music.

What's the right music?

 

[PsYcNeT]

Everyone who posts in these threads should also be required to post which team they watch most frequently, so we can laugh at their misfortune of watching a boring team.

 

[Cursed Lemon]

What do you people want?

It's hard to score a goal by just shooting it at the goalie. It SHOULD be hard to score that way.

Do you know how much room there is to score when you catch a goalie out of position? It's almost literally the broad side of a barn.

You want more scoring, tell players to make better plays. It has nothing to do with clutch & grab.

 

[Bee Sheriff]

What's the right music?

There's so so so so much music out there. Just find it.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

What do you people want?

It's hard to score a goal by just shooting it at the goalie. It SHOULD be hard to score that way.

Do you know how much room there is to score when you catch a goalie out of position? It's almost literally the broad side of a barn.

You want more scoring, tell players to make better plays. It has nothing to do with clutch & grab.

the supposed clutch and grab isnt even remotely an issue.

I dont get why people whine about scoring being down. oh well, its not the 70's / 80s anymore. defense is apart of the game. if you really need more scoring to entertain you / hold your attention, sorry, idk what to tell you.

 

[Gardner McKay]

I am fine with a number of suggestions as long as it doesn't include making the nets bigger. I think making the rink a bit bigger will help free up some space and allow players to be more creative. It will also help in terms of safety.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

There's so so so so much music out there. Just find it.

Oh I know, I have about 80 hours worth of music sitting on my computer and another 90 on an external hard drive.

 

[mja]

The single biggest thing driving down scoring is the evolution of goaltending and I'm not even strictly talking about the wholesale adoption of the butterfly, though that's been huge.

Goalies are just so much bigger on average than they used to be. Only 5 goalies under 6' have played a game in the NHL this season, and none of them are under 5'10". The overwhelming majority of NHL goaltenders are 6'2" or taller. Go back to the 80's and that was most definitely not the case. A 6'3" guy like Ron Hextall was a freaking monster back then, size-wise. He'd be thoroughly average today.

If increasing scoring is your goal, you have to look to the nets. There's just a lot less net to shoot at then there used to be. The only way to change that is to increase the size of the nets.

 

[Bee Sheriff]

I am fine with a number of suggestions as long as it doesn't include making the nets bigger. I think making the rink a bit bigger will help free up some space and allow players to be more creative. It will also help in terms of safety.

Evidence is the KHL. Not a humongous scoring differential (besides Radulov scoring almost 2PPG) but it's flashier and more exciting.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

I'm of the belief that fantasy sports has ruined certain sports. Football fans specifically have gotten silly. It's not surprising that some hockey fans feel the same way. They wanna see all offense, no defense games.

 

[member 151739]

Call things by the book. There's too much obstruction that is allowed. Yes, penalties will go up... until the players learn. It won't be 2005 every season. It's ridiculous to assume that. Rule changes happen in sports frequently and it takes time for players to fall into a new pattern so to speak.

I'm also not against making the net a couple inches higher because of how tall the average goalie is nowadays. Mike Babcock said something about not changing anything is really changing it, because players are changing, and it's a good point. Every major sport has come to a point like this where they had to change something about the game for more offense.

And lastly, it's not just goals we need. It's more scoring opportunities. Scoring chances. That's the entertainment right there. Opening up the game a little would see an increase in scoring chances, which guess what? Also leads to better saves. Seems like most saves are just positioning and using your body rather than your stick or glove. Jonathan Quick is very fun to watch because he's unorthodox. And yeah, unfortunately for some, this would lead to more goals.

 

[Stu Grimson]

And the top teams aren't that good anymore either. Any one of like 18 teams can win the Cup. It's just an overly-balanced league.

18 teams? LOL maybe 4 with a legitimate shot.

 

[Nordique]

And the top teams aren't that good anymore either. Any one of like 18 teams can win the Cup. It's just an overly-balanced league.

never heard that phrase before. Is such a thing possible?

I guess NYC can't buy the Cup like they bought the Pennant in the past.