Darcy Regier comments on NHL
 

Are you kidding me with this? It's not scoring that's the problem; it's what's going on in the game when there's NOT scoring. Which is next to nothing at this point.

Before the last lockout, 2-1 games and 1-1 ties were exciting because they were typically hotly-contested defensive battles with great, physical pace. When you talk about 2-1 contests today, you're looking at a lot of dump and chase, stalemate hockey were most players are afraid to make contact, with a couple scoring chances mixed in. THAT is the big difference. I loved watching those low-scoring games back in the day. It greatly ramped up the intensity, on the ice and in the stands, as everyone knew the next goal could decide the game. Sure, there's still that "next goal wins" vibe in some games, but the difference is everyone twiddles his thumbs and kicks popcorn around on the floor until that goal is scored.

This isn't a mystery.

Bull****. That myth was debunked after the lockout in 04-05. Of course the league assumed calling more penalties would translate to more scoring (long term) and that didn't happen. All that did was make people bitch and complain about how many soft penalties were being called. Penalty killing and systematic play is just too good for power plays to have that much of a significant impact. Furthermore, why anybody thinks fans want to see more PP's and specialty teams play is beyond me. When is the last time you heard somebody complain about a game because there weren't enough power plays? Never, because it doesn't happen. These imbeciles have no idea what the hell they are doing. And they are obviously way out of touch with what the fans really want to see. :no:

Maybe they should simply play back to back games on weekends and each team plays 5 on 4 the whole game once.

It's a good thing Duh'Arcy has no credibility anywhere but here in Blo.

If they would make the "trap" an illegal defense and not allow teams to simply play 1 man in, 4 across the redline it would open the game up much more... That and the fact that most teams now just play for overtime/shoot out, makes for boring hockey. Decrease goalies equipment size and go back to wooden sticks as well, all things that will open the game up more as well...

I honestly complain when I am watching a junior game and its all 5 on 4...even if its my home team who is continually on the advantage. In fact, the only sporting event I have ever left early is a hockey game in which there must have totaled only about 10 minutes of 5 on 5 in the first 2 periods.

Is there any logical reason why they don't do this other than goalies would complain? The goalies would still be aptly protected if they shortened the allowable width of their shin pads.

It's one of the least noticeable changes (it's not changing actual rules of the game) and would make one of the biggest differences I think.

Huh? Because there's less scoring players are going to change sports? Even as a Buffalo fan Regier sounds stupid here. He's rules ideas are laughable. I third making goalie pads smaller.

I've been saying this for a long, long time, the NHL is boring to watch 90% of the time. It just is.

They've squeezed just about all the passion out of the game, they're trying to get rid of fighting and in their quest to rid the game of head shots and concussions, guys are less likely to go for a big hit now so it's basically just skating around, waiting for one team to make a mistake, a turnover or whatever, and the team that takes advantage of it will win most of the time, only a super goalie will change that and as has been mentioned, their friggin equipment is so big, it's very difficult to score anyway.

People like Regier just make it worse when they think they know what they're talking about and obviously don't. The NHL has definitely lost its way.

The golden age for the game was in the 1980's, loads of scoring, hitting, and fighting, you know, the stuff us moron fans want to see! What else is there? That's when the game was great, why wouldn't they go back to that?

It got stupid in the 90's and just before the last lockout when teams like New Jersey and Detroit would hook, hold, clutch, and grab their way to Stanley Cups and THAT was boring! Sorry if you're a fan of those teams but those were the worst cup finals I've ever watched until.......after the lockout! Then it just became trap, trap, trap, wait for a power play, wash, rinse, repeat.

Why wouldn't you want it to be like the 80's? Hotly contested, passionate, fun to watch. Just take out the bench clearing stuff which they already have and get rid of that retarded no fights in the last 5 minutes crap and you have yourself a passionate game where the goalies aren't the stars. Sorry, I don't want to watch a 1-0 or 2-1 game most of the time and see giant goalies with giant pads make save after save. Snore! Give me an 8-5 game with 7 fights!!

Rant off. The NHL is so out of touch with what we really want to see.

A lot of people say this, and while I don't disagree with you, how can a league outright ban a team from playing the trap? There are less subtle variations of the trap which essentially serve the same purpose. It's rather difficult to tell a team they can't play defensive minded hockey. Especially because it can be very effective when executed properly.

Don't take this the wrong way as I'm not trying to call you out on this. I've pondered the same question myself countless times over the years. But I can never come up with a viable answer or "solution" if you will.

Much rather hear from Darcy Hordichuk. ;)

The NHL dropped the ball back in the early 90's when franchises were building new arenas, they all should have been built to olympic size rinks. Players today are so big and fast that it only takes a few strides and they are on the puck shutting down offensive opportunities. The bigger ice surface gives players more time to make plays IMO.

It's tough, but you'd just have to do the same thing that the NBA did with illegal zone defenses... If the team is blatantly lining up in trap formation, call them for a delay of game or unsportsmanlike penalty. Make puck pursuit the main goal again instead of the "prevent" defenses that are in place now. For example most times now if a defenseman has the puck behind the net, nobody goes near him - they clear the zone and wait across center ice, giving up the break out. That's not hockey, that's playing like a coward and it shouldn't be rewarded or encouraged. Penalize all teams that use this "technique" and things will open up again.

That is an idea that could work. I suppose the issue I have here is where do you draw the line? Should the league be able to dictate what player(s) the coach is allowed to use in a certain situation? How much control should the league have when it comes to team and coaching philosophy's?

In my opinion I don't necessarily find the trap boring. Can it be? Of course. But so can run and gun pond hockey. If there is little to no hitting, I don't care how much offense there is, I'm probably going to lose interest. I guess that what separates me from most hockey fans. Offense isn't he most important aspect to entertaining hockey, IMO. The Devils teams of the 90's trapped all the time. But I found them entertaining because they were physical and mean.