What happened to playoff hockey?

[PatriceBergeronFan]

This new version is awful.

Was it last postseason where officials started ejecting players within the final 12 minutes of a 3rd period scrum across the board to exert authority?

It appears to have worked. Players are hardly sending messages or playing with physicality. Dull, dull product. Several match ups being what they are does not help (Carolina/NJ, Washington/Montreal?) but there should be hatred and pride and there is very little of it this year.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Yea this has been the worst playoffs I’ve ever seen so far. Only Toronto & Edmonton are allowed to play physical according to the rulebook.

 

[57special]

Hey, you guys should watch the Vegas/MN games. Plenty of physicality and cheap shots, with nary a whistle to be heard. Vegas is clearly getting away with things(Kaprizov getting punched in the face twice by Hague, JEE getting slewfooted in a manner that any judoka would be proud of), but MN is so bad on special teams that they would rather put up with it, than get the calls, and the subsequent evening up calls that would make for instant GA.

Bottom line, there is plenty of old school hockey there. As someone who live through that shit, it really wasn't all that. Lotta lousy, untalented players dragging down talented players, slow play filled with interference, and endless, boring scrums and fights. If i want that, i'll watch WWE, who does it better.

 

[BMOK33]

That Batherson fly by last night on the Domi goal was something else....

Honestly if he connected he'd probably have gotten 5 and a game for it. That type of hit these days unless the arms and shoulders are totally down is gonna be a major more often than not.

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

I have long been a proponent that if its a penalty in the regular season, its a penalty in the playoffs. The sport needs consistency so that players learn to play every game the same because the rules are being applied the same way. I hate how there is this expectation that everything loosens up in the playoffs, either call it that loose in the regular season, too, or tighten it up in the playoffs.

Also, I have also long loathed game management. If one team is fouling like crazy, well then let them play a man down all game, they only have themselves to blame. I hate penalizing one team because their opponent is playing way over the line and the refs just need to "even it up"

there's a penalty on every shift

 

[Nikishin al Gaib]

there's a penalty on every shift

Then call it.

Eventually the players will adjust their playing style to not get penalized and the end result will be better hockey. If that means dealing with a few games of absolute slog fest hockey games while teams struggle to realize they aren't getting away with that kind of shit anymore, then so be it, as long as the end result is an overall improvement.

 

[Ekiru]

Sports contact needs to be legal and in a manner that isnt blatantly injuring opponents. If hockey can do that, along with football and all other sports, then thats the physicality I want. If they cant, then Id rather it be less prominent for the health of the players

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

Watching jets/blues
No complaints about lacking rough playoff hockey

This series is a literal bloodbath. So many huge, hard , heavy hits going both ways. Its some good ol’ fashioned rock em sock em hockey.

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

I want violence, I want hatred, I want brutal hits, I want fights. I love nastiness, and I love the testosterone-fueled edge that Playoff hockey used to bring. All of what made the NHL playoffs special is mostly gone, neutered, now we just get glorified regular season hockey because Playoffs hockey of years past is just too offensive and manly and violent for some, apparently.

You should watch the Blues Jets series if brutal hits, and nastiness is your thing in hockey.

 

[Romang67]

I have long been a proponent that if its a penalty in the regular season, its a penalty in the playoffs. The sport needs consistency so that players learn to play every game the same because the rules are being applied the same way. I hate how there is this expectation that everything loosens up in the playoffs, either call it that loose in the regular season, too, or tighten it up in the playoffs.

Also, I have also long loathed game management. If one team is fouling like crazy, well then let them play a man down all game, they only have themselves to blame. I hate penalizing one team because their opponent is playing way over the line and the refs just need to "even it up"

I've got some bad news for you about penalties in the regular season.

 

[jfhabs]

The problem is , once you let one slide that is that obvious, how can you call some weak things a few minutes after...

 

[The Shadow]

This series is a literal bloodbath. So many huge, hard , heavy hits going both ways. Its some good ol’ fashioned rock em sock em hockey.

I need to check it out

 

[DarrylshutzSydor]

last season was exciting, every series this year is watered down

 

[Curufinwe]

Talk about aging like milk

 

[The Shadow]

Talk about aging like milk

Lots of people disagree

 

[coolboarder]

Agree with this, refs pulling 1 guy out of a scrum but not calling blatant stuff is wild. I've watched 75% of the round 1 games so far and have seen sucker punches, cross checks and trips not get called. But take 1 guy out of a scrum. Refs don't make sense.

They will do that if the league wants a certain team win. Most often the case than not, they are targeting Canadian teams and other teams that is not on league's radar.

 

[pdavemoney]

Umm, Blues/Jets game 3 just had 130 hits, 60 plus PIMS, and 9 goals scored. The first period saw the Blues score 3 goals with 30 plus hits delivered alone. Are you not entertained?!

 

[vcanuck]

let's be honest, the playoffs is just not the same when Vancouver aint in it.

ratings are down by a lot... doesn't help that the 1st round matchups are boring.

 

[tfriede2]

Umm, Blues/Jets game 3 just had 130 hits, 60 plus PIMS, and 9 goals scored. The first period saw the Blues score 3 goals with 30 plus hits delivered alone. Are you not entertained?!

I’m pretty sure it’s a modern day record for the most hits in an NHL game (not just a playoff game) (edit: I think it actually shattered the record)

 

[Team_Spirit]

 

[Dickie Dunn]

“Playoff hockey” usually boils down to specific games and series like Avalanche vs. Red Wings that get burned into memories and everything since is compared to that. Otherwise it’s more myth than reality. The average series now is as good as the average series then.

 

[Nineteen67]

Maybe they should retire the Cup after this year and play for a new trophy. No need to taint it anymore.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Umm, Blues/Jets game 3 just had 130 hits, 60 plus PIMS, and 9 goals scored. The first period saw the Blues score 3 goals with 30 plus hits delivered alone. Are you not entertained?!

Amazing series so far imo

 

[hockeyFan029]

Honestly, I think the game has gotten too dangerous in the playoffs, and it takes away from the actual skill on the ice. The league talks about speed and talent, but then allows all kinds of dirty hits and after-the-whistle nonsense that goes uncalled. It’s not “tough hockey” — it’s just reckless. And the worst part is, it’s usually the star players who get targeted. How does it make sense to let the most skilled guys get taken out or neutralized with cheap shots? It doesn’t make the game better — it drags it down.

 

[Mrb1p]

Josh Anderson says playoff hockey is back on the menu