When was it the most fun to watch NHL hockey?

[HisIceness]

2005-06.

Coming off the lockout, all 30 teams played opening night. No more ties, no more two-line pass, the neutral zones got smaller, there were more high-scoring games with fun action. I don't particularly like it now, but I loved the shootout in the novelty years, again getting rid of ties was huge.

The TV situation in the States wasn't ideal, but just having the league back was huge.

Oh and the team I like won the Cup.

 

[Gurglesons]

Hard to beat the '90s.

You had Lemieux and Gretzky who are inarguably the two best forwards of all time.

Bourque and Lidstrom who you could argue are 2 and 3 in terms of defensemen.

Brodeur, Hasek, and Roy who are in the top five goaltenders.

You had the great franchises in the Penguins, Red Wings, Devils and Avalanche.

You had NYR winning.

Pretty much untouchable that decade in terms of story lines.

 

[VaporTrail]

80s/90s for me

 

[Xirik]

Is it just Nostalgia or did the Devils not ruin hockey as much as people say during the 90s?

 

[x Tame Impala]

2006-2017

-Crosby, Malkin, Ovechkin, Stamkos
-Grear Dmen like Lidstrom, Weber, Kieth, Doughty, Karlsson
-Flat out GREAT teams which I personally think we see less of today. 08-09 Wings, 2010-15 Hawks, 2012-14 Kings, 2011 Bruins, and the 2016 Pens were all just a ton of fun to watch

But this is the time period when I first started watching so a lot of that love could just be bias. Hockey is amazing and always will be.

 

[Leafshater67]

Huge fan of the 90’s and I miss a lot of the rough stuff and the stars I grew up watching but the game is so fast and smooth now, it’s hard to watch early to mid 2000’s hockey and get excited.

We were watching a game from Sid’s rookie season which was after the lockout so you’d think it would be fast but it wasn’t. Crazy back then we were marvelling at how fast the game was but it’s like 1.5x speed now. The skill level is incredible and we take it for granted aometimes.

 

[bleedgreen]

1993. Mogilny and Lafontaine tearing it up. The rise of Hasek. Mogilny and rookie Selanne both with 76 goals. Mario was on pace to break 200 pts, gets cancer….comes back and still wins the scoring title by scoring at a higher clip post treatment than he was before. Oates with 97 assists, five guys with 60 plus goals and Yzerman/Turgeon at 58. Like 20 guys over 100 pts. Bure one of the guys scoring 60.

Brad May eliminating the Bruins in OT with the May Day goal. Gretzky’s hat trick against the Leafs to eliminate them.

Just a great year from start to finish.

 

[CashMash]

No looking back! It's right now, boys!!!
Was about to pick 00-09 because Ovechkin and Crosby were awesome, but what's the point? Already saw it once.

I suspect people picking the 90s are doing so for similar reasons... Ahh, nostalgia. You never realize it's the golden years while you're living 'em. ^_^

Jagr
Lindros
Lemieux
Tail end of Gretzky
Forsberg

Good years, but would you really want to change the past?

 

[TruePowerSlave]

90s

The Avs Wings rivalry was majestic and nothing has come close since. Many of my personal favorite players ever at their peak, the game was very physical, stacked superstar teams, even the damn all star game had effort etc.

The current parity league and it's speed/skill game doesn't compete.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

90s were the best of course. Nice mix of offense, defense, goaltending, and physicality

Next would be post lockout 05-13.

I like the offensive side now, but the games lack intensity, hitting, physical play.

 

[sr edler]

If hockey was actually fun to watch nowadays people would talk more about the actual game and less about contracts and cap hits. When people obsess so much over contracts what they're really doing is outing themselves as being bored with the game.

 

[JPT]

Personally, I had the most fun watching hockey in the 90s. Part of that is probably because I was a kid who rooted for the Penguins and later the Avalanche. Part of it is because I didn't yet have a local team to become invested in to the point that it stopped being entertainment and started affecting my mood (that's why I ended up taking a break from sports to try to get back to where it's just entertainment again).

If hockey was actually fun to watch nowadays people would talk more about the actual game and less about contracts and cap hits. When people obsess so much over contracts what they're really doing is outing themselves as being bored with the game.

I think fantasy sports (and maybe video games) has a role to play in how fans look at the business side of the game so much more. People have fancied themselves amateur GMs, and that has bled over into the actual game. The NHL, imo, is more entertaining now than it was 10 years ago.

 

[Kane One]

I doubt the decade really matters for anyone. Age is probably more of a factor. I definitely enjoyed it more as a teenager and low 20s. Now I have more important shit in my life.

 

[Mrb1p]

05 to 14 I'd say. The excitement Ovi and Sid brought is unparalleled.

 

[digmor crusher]

in the 70's and 80's when men were men and didn't carry purses.

 

[BudBundy]

Mid to late 80s for sure. Lots of scoring chances as team play was far less structured. Goalies were tiny and pads weighed 120lbs! Skill was in style. The Trap and Left Wing Lock weren’t in place. Lots of hits. Lots of fights. Europeans were entering the league in a big way for the first time. It was just line rush versus line rush again and again. So much fun!

 

[Golden_Jet]

Is it just Nostalgia or did the Devils not ruin hockey as much as people say during the 90s?

They did. That’s why I feel instead of decades went by the 5’s
Ie 75-85
85-95
95-05 (most of the years you’re referring)
05-15 ( new rule changes)
15- currently

 

[BraveCanadian]

Is it just Nostalgia or did the Devils not ruin hockey as much as people say during the 90s?

The only really ruined the late 90s.

 

[ViD]

The only correct answer is right now. Players are the most athletic, skilled, with the state of the art equipment allowing us to see the best product on the ice ever

 

[MuckOG]

Since the '70s wasn't an option, I went with the '80s.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Since the '70s wasn't an option, I went with the '80s.

"other" is an option.

 

[ijuka]

When there were ties instead of OT/SO that ruin competitive integrity.

 

[MuckOG]

"other" is an option.

True, but that can also mean any decade from the founding of the NHL through 1980. My favorite decade to watch hockey was the '70s, but the '80s are a very close second, so I went with that.

 

[Dr Salt]

When the Blackhawks are good

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

True, but that can also mean any decade from the founding of the NHL through 1980. My favorite decade to watch hockey was the '70s, but the '80s are a very close second, so I went with that.

So, you had the option of voting "other", contrary to what you wrote...