What’s your unpopular hockey opinion?

[ZeroPucksGiven]

I could see it for a winger but I have a hard time seeing it for the defender. That's something the team can adjust for.

You don't understand how much more difficult it is to pull a rimmed puck off your backhand from the point with a forward coming to crash into you, then onto your forehand to control it?

Have you played much hockey?

 

[Filthy Dangles]

While the back-and-forth wide-open exchange of chances in pond hockey is certainly fun, I much prefer to see a tight solid game. I like seeing tight gaps in the neutral zone and little chip plays where the center comes across and fills the wingers lane to try and recover a puck. Love watching puck races and defenseman making quick up and over plays on the breakout.

Enjoy watching elite defensive players as much as I do explosive offensive players, especially live when you can really iso them.

 

[Eisen]

You don't understand how much more difficult it is to pull a rimmed puck off your backhand from the point with a forward coming to crash into you, then onto your forehand to control it?

Have you played much hockey?

I played a little some time ago. Mostly defense. Uncoached. I'm hardly a regular.
It's a little more difficult but not THAT hard. But we are talking about pros. Backhands shouldn't be a big problem for them. I would also argue that it gives you other advantages. Shooting right playing on the left (or vice versa) gives you better lanes to pass and a better angle at the goal. Of course you need to move your feet a little.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

You don't understand how much more difficult it is to pull a rimmed puck off your backhand from the point with a forward coming to crash into you, then onto your forehand to control it?

Have you played much hockey?

I played a little some time ago. Mostly defense. Uncoached. I'm hardly a regular.
It's a little more difficult but not THAT hard. But we are talking about pros. Backhands shouldn't be a big problem for them. I would also argue that it gives you other advantages. Shooting right playing on the left (or vice versa) gives you better lanes to pass and a better angle at the goal. Of course you need to move your feet a little.

Yes it definitely gives you an advantage offensively and you will often see the D switch sides on offensive zone faceoffs to be on their one-time side but like that other poster said, trying to fish pucks out of the corner and make quick strong plays is very hard on your backhand especially with such limited time and space and with forwards trying to obliterate you on the forecheck. It's a big reason why not many D play their off-side. you say 'but they're nhl players' and my response is 'yeah but other NHL players are influencing them'

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

'

I apologize if that came off as snobby. Definitely wasn't my intention

 

[I am not exposed]

The Presidents Trophy is the true indication of the best team in the league, not the Stanley Cup.

 

[pi314]

The Presidents Trophy is the true indication of the best team in the league, not the Stanley Cup.

Booo.

*Throws tomato.*

 

[HanSolo]

I don't know how widely unpopular this is but Carey Price is getting a lot of benefit of the doubt from strong performances in the past to gauge some into saying he's a top goaltender. He's middle of the road at this point.

 

[sandysan]

You don't understand how much more difficult it is to pull a rimmed puck off your backhand from the point with a forward coming to crash into you, then onto your forehand to control it?

Have you played much hockey?

my understanding is that this is a question you are not allowed to ask directly.
gatekeeping and all.

 

[sandysan]

I don't know how widely unpopular this is but Carey Price is getting a lot of benefit of the doubt from strong performances in the past to gauge some into saying he's a top goaltender. He's middle of the road at this point.

have you seen the defense he plays behind ?
that gives him the benefit of the doubt, and more.
you know of a team that waived 4 starting D in the same year in which every one of them cleared ?

And for a team that can't score (the habs) there is probably no other team in the league who depends on their goalie more. he essentially has a mandate, keep the goals against at two or less or we are almost certain to lose.

we are where we are because of carey price, not in spite of him. Don't beleive a habs fan ? You can ask the players.

 

[x Tame Impala]

The Presidents Trophy is the true indication of the best team in the league, not the Stanley Cup.

This opinion and the “playoffs are mostly luck” opinion should die in the dumpster where they belong (no offense)

 

[I am not exposed]

This opinion and the “playoffs are mostly luck” opinion should die in the dumpster where they belong (no offense)

None taken.

 

[HockeySniper]

Unpopular only on here and on TV but in reality Ovechkin>Crosby

 

[HanSolo]

have you seen the defense he plays behind ?
that gives him the benefit of the doubt, and more.
you know of a team that waived 4 starting D in the same year in which every one of them cleared ?

And for a team that can't score (the habs) there is probably no other team in the league who depends on their goalie more. he essentially has a mandate, keep the goals against at two or less or we are almost certain to lose.

we are where we are because of carey price, not in spite of him. Don't beleive a habs fan ? You can ask the players.

When I say middle of the road I mean top eleven to top fifteen. If I'm presuming that I'm being personally too hard on him I'd concede to top ten but I wouldn't take him over Gibson, Valiveski, Rask, Andersen, or Bishop and I'd have to think about it when it came to guys like Bobrovsky, Holtby, Fleury, Rinne, and Anderson.

My beef is there was a time that Price was clearly the best goalie in the league in spite of a poor defense. But his numbers aren't at that level anymore and there are some who still think he's number one.

 

[JoeThorntonsRooster]

have you seen the defense he plays behind ?
that gives him the benefit of the doubt, and more.
you know of a team that waived 4 starting D in the same year in which every one of them cleared ?

And for a team that can't score (the habs) there is probably no other team in the league who depends on their goalie more. he essentially has a mandate, keep the goals against at two or less or we are almost certain to lose.

we are where we are because of carey price, not in spite of him. Don't beleive a habs fan ? You can ask the players.

Have you seen how that defense actually performs, in terms of the quality of shots they allow with Price in net?

 

[VoluntaryDom]

ive got a few

skater defense especially forward defense is hella underrated
there are many nhl level players not on nhl teams and league expansion would be good
raw pts is the laziest form of player analysis ever

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

Unpopular only on here and on TV but in reality Ovechkin>Crosby

It’s not just unpopular on here and TV. Everywhere outside of DC, that opinion is unpopular.

 

[SUX2BU]

Toronto’s goaltending is fine

 

[sandysan]

Have you seen how that defense actually performs, in terms of the quality of shots they allow with Price in net?

I have.

We give up tons of odd man rushes and we played two ahl call ups as a pairing in the NHL.

We have 2 proven NHL defensemen, old man mountain and Jeff petry. Petry is good on the second pair but our defense last year was the result of getting rid of 4 NHL starters to waivers.

They all cleared. Quelle surprise.

 

[unknown33]

The salary cap is terrible
There are too many games, too many teams and too many playoff spots

 

[KWP]

the neutral zone trap was one of the greatest styles of hockey in the 20th century, as evidenced by being used to perfection by a franchise which would become one of only four non-original-six franchises to win at least three stanley cups.

Kinda frustrating to watch - as in boring - 'eh?
Can't argue w/ its effectiveness tho.

 

[KWP]

I couldn't care less if a player is left- or right-handed.

I'd use a stick w/ blades at both ends - really throw the Dman off his game.

Bonus - It could double as a kayak paddle, too.

 

[KWP]

Nobody watches individual players in isolation enough to accurately analyze them.
Your "eye test" is entirely reputation. ...

Okay, I know this will make some jealous but ...
I was born w/ independent ocular muscles that is, the ability to focus each eye on separate sights (sorta like how opposing thumbs work but w/ your eyeballs); so I can "scout" two skaters at once. My game reports to the VP in charge of scouting have twice as many players.

Full disclosure - I'm not actually a team scout and none of my faxes to HQ have ever been acknowledged, let alone responded to, but I am kinda proud of the work put in.
Also, in all candor too, I should say, I've been asked to vacate numerous rinks b/c people think a guy whose eyeballs are wobbling about like mine do looks goofy but ... those who can, do & those who can't, call security.

 

[KWP]

I say amen, as a guy who gave up on trying to follow Greco-Roman wrestling.

This is the greatest single comment I've ever read at HFBoards - or for that matter, anywhere on the internet.

 

[KWP]

The salary cap is terrible
There are too many games, too many teams and too many playoff spots

Strong letter to follow!