When was it the most fun to watch NHL hockey?

[Pablo El Perro]

Having watch the Cats since they joined the league and the Wings before that, Now.

 

[Finster8]

80’s was still in the prime of tough old time hockey. Being biased playing Junior then in the Golden Horseshoe Junior Hockey League. These were some of the best years of my life. The style of the game has changed drastically but it was exciting and not for the week at heart. Fighting was just a part of the game and full out brawls would get the adrenaline through the roof. Right or wrong in the day when the gloves came off the whole rink was buzzing and fans standing cheering for their player.
Rules were different after 60 min. a tie was a pt each. The red line was in play eliminating the cherry pickers, only one head ref, not that many players under 20 cracked the lineup mostly 20 + and more players 30 yr olds and up, goalie equipment was hilarious compared to now and Cooperalls were introduced.
Stats were primitive compared to today, no internet so you had to do your own homework to prepare for your opponent. Still had wooden sticks but the day of the steel blades are replaced with a lighter product (plastic), the introduction of the tuck blade. For myself the 80s were a great era for the NHL.

 

[TheStatican]

Objectively, the last truly great NHL season was the 92-93 one.

Don't ask me why. I just know.

Yes. Just not for the reason your thinking lol.

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.

^ This. The 90's were fun and 92-93 was the peak. Here's my (long)take of that season;

Revisiting the greatest point and goal scoring races in NHL history; The 1992-93 season.

With a new season on the horizon and considering we are coming up to the 30th anniversary of the 1992-93 season I figured now might be a good time to revisit what I firmly believe to be was the greatest goal and point scoring race in NHL history. Last year's scoring race was undoubtedly one of...

forums.hfboards.com

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I'd argue It's right now.

I mean every night you can watch Matthews, or Mcdavid, or Makar, Crosby and Ovechkin are still appointment viewing, you have Bedard now, Kucherov is incredible

I think we are in a golden age of talent where every night there is somebody to watch and they are all incredible.

And Gavin Meckenna isn't even here yet.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

80’s was still in the prime of tough old time hockey. Being biased playing Junior then in the Golden Horseshoe Junior Hockey League. These were some of the best years of my life. The style of the game has changed drastically but it was exciting and not for the week at heart. Fighting was just a part of the game and full out brawls would get the adrenaline through the roof. Right or wrong in the day when the gloves came off the whole rink was buzzing and fans standing cheering for their player.
Rules were different after 60 min. a tie was a pt each. The red line was in play eliminating the cherry pickers, only one head ref, not that many players under 20 cracked the lineup mostly 20 + and more players 30 yr olds and up, goalie equipment was hilarious compared to now and Cooperalls were introduced.
Stats were primitive compared to today, no internet so you had to do your own homework to prepare for your opponent. Still had wooden sticks but the day of the steel blades are replaced with a lighter product (plastic), the introduction of the tuck blade. For myself the 80s were a great era for the NHL.

Ties being gone is a good thing.

Baseball doesn't have ties, basketball doesn't have ties, football does but It's so hard to get a tie in the NFL that it doesn't matter.

give me a winner and a loser any day.

 

[Bagels24]

80s AND 90s, all day

 

[thefutures]

Now

 

[Kryten]

The 90s with the invention of the goalie

 

[HockeyVirus]

Depends on when your youth was most likely

 

[blundluntman]

Gotta be the 90s. There were so many iconic/memorable moments:

Brett Hull's 86 Goals
Lindros Draft Ordeal
93 Season in General
Selanne's 76 goal rookie season
Roy's 93 Smythe Run
Mario's 160 in 60 after cancer
Gretzky hitting 802
Messier's Guarantee
Ranger's 94 Cup Victory
Roy/Tremblay/MTL ordeal
Red Wings/Avalanche rivalry
Red Wings Back to Backs
Konstantinov Holding the Cup
Hasek's Breakout & Hart seasons
Hull's cup clincher in 99

The league's been pretty enjoyable since 2018 (and those few years after the 05 lockout when the big 3 were in their primes). The early 2000s and 2013-17 were unbelievably boring though.

 

[SEALBound]

Man, the 90s were special but looking back, so much of my hockey knowledge of players was based on highlights from Sportscenter and the like. I didn't get to watch as many games as I do now. So I know more about the game and players now. In the 90s you had legends of the game still going strong - Gretz, Mario, Yzerman, Jagr, Sakic and Forsberg, Kariya and Selanne, Lindros and LeClair, Pronger and McGinnis, Hasek, Roenick and Tkachuk trying to make it work in the desert. I mean, it was fun to watch.

I loved the game more right after the lockout. 2005 was a hell of season.

 

[byrath]

Very age dependent for me.

I didn't get to pick my exact most joyous time watching hockey but it was maybe 1998 until pre-lockout so what, 2004 or something?

Those were good times, but I was also younger.

Now I am old and bitter about wasting my time on this crap. I've got better things to do

Like enjoying a drink and a smoke and a guitar at the same time while wearing a hockey jersey and ludicrous sombrero

 

[bringbacktheskate604]

Objectively, the last truly great NHL season was the 92-93 one.

Don't ask me why. I just know.

The 90's were fun with all the goals and brutality but honestly going back and watching it now, it hasn't aged well. The violence has but right now like last season was the most fun I've had watching hockey. The amount of skill in all three areas is insane and even tho I'm a nucks fan, or maybe because of it, I love watching how much skill there is from south of the border. Sure having Demko, JT, Brock and Quinn, four locks for team USA, making us a top team again helps but seeing the growth in non traditional markets has been cool.

Plus ive always hated how entitled Canadians are towards hockey.
It's nice seeing Goliath get knocked down a peg or two.