Happy Times... Good Times... Hockey Time!
Seriously, things cannot be going better for the NHL at the moment. Sure, they lost a ton of fans, they lost a full year of revenue, they made the league and the players look awful, but hey, this lockout (not a strike) had to be done. It had to be done to make the game healthy. If it went on like it currently was, it would've been insane. Chris Pronger was due to make $10M this year. That's only $11M less than the ENTIRE Nashville Predators team! Anyway, those days are over. They won't be back for a while, so, lets focus on the good stuff.
The end is almost here. Honestly, it is. They have been meeting for 15 hours A DAY for about 2 or 3 weeks now. They hav ethe rest of the week off and will be back next week to, if the rumors are correct, wrap the new CBA up. If not next week, it is almost a certain thing it will be wrapped up the following week. So, what is next?
After the Competition committee is set up, there will be a brief time period to get some team things done. First things first, the draft lottery. The NHL would be stupid not to have it rigged so that the number 1 pick, Sidney Crosby (Sid the Kid), is the NY Rangers. As much as I want my Pens to have him, they won't. The NY Rangers will have the #1 pick.
Teams will then be allowed to buy out contracts. Think about it - Chris Pronger makes $10M a year and the cap is $34M or so... Not gonna happen. Even AFTER the 24% automatic rollback in salaries, teams will still be forced to buy out contacts.
Then the fun stuff begins - news rules. The NHL will not be the same, no way. It will be a totally different game. Totally different. Smaller goalie pads and equipment, done. Tag-up offsides, done (thank god, as I hate the current offsides rule). Goal line, how do you feel like moving back a few feet? Well, you will be. Done. Obstruction? You think the refs will allow a stick to glance Mario while he cruises through the neutral zone? No way. EVERYTHING will be called so this game is open, fast and FUN. Those are certain, now, for the uncertain.
Shootouts are coming, but how will OT work? If the rumor is correct, I like it. After 60min of regulation, play 4 minutes of 4 on 4. Then, if you're still tied, 3 on 3 for 3 minutes. Great. Then a shootout if you're still tied. Well then, how about, in addition to this, you add 3 points for a regulation win, 2 for an OT/Shootout win and 0 (ZERO) for any type of loss. How is that good? Because team will HAVE to score. They will be aggressive. The game will be fun.
Fatter blue lines? Yeah, I like it. It was good in the AHL, make it good in the NHL. and the gruesome red line? See ya. At this point, take it out. I was a fan of it, but hey, if the game is going to be drastically different, get rid of it. The last thing I want to hear is, "Well, there is still a red line."
All of these things will make the game different, and more exciting. I love the game, love it. Will watch it when it comes back and I don't care if Joe Schmo doesn't. It will be more exciting, more interesting and easier to watch. Fewer whistles, more horns (goals) and more "Pittsburgh GOAL scored by number sixty-six, MARIOOOOOOOO LEMIIIEEEEUUUUUUUUUUXXXXX!"
The end is almost here. Honestly, it is. They have been meeting for 15 hours A DAY for about 2 or 3 weeks now. They hav ethe rest of the week off and will be back next week to, if the rumors are correct, wrap the new CBA up. If not next week, it is almost a certain thing it will be wrapped up the following week. So, what is next?
After the Competition committee is set up, there will be a brief time period to get some team things done. First things first, the draft lottery. The NHL would be stupid not to have it rigged so that the number 1 pick, Sidney Crosby (Sid the Kid), is the NY Rangers. As much as I want my Pens to have him, they won't. The NY Rangers will have the #1 pick.
Teams will then be allowed to buy out contracts. Think about it - Chris Pronger makes $10M a year and the cap is $34M or so... Not gonna happen. Even AFTER the 24% automatic rollback in salaries, teams will still be forced to buy out contacts.
Then the fun stuff begins - news rules. The NHL will not be the same, no way. It will be a totally different game. Totally different. Smaller goalie pads and equipment, done. Tag-up offsides, done (thank god, as I hate the current offsides rule). Goal line, how do you feel like moving back a few feet? Well, you will be. Done. Obstruction? You think the refs will allow a stick to glance Mario while he cruises through the neutral zone? No way. EVERYTHING will be called so this game is open, fast and FUN. Those are certain, now, for the uncertain.
Shootouts are coming, but how will OT work? If the rumor is correct, I like it. After 60min of regulation, play 4 minutes of 4 on 4. Then, if you're still tied, 3 on 3 for 3 minutes. Great. Then a shootout if you're still tied. Well then, how about, in addition to this, you add 3 points for a regulation win, 2 for an OT/Shootout win and 0 (ZERO) for any type of loss. How is that good? Because team will HAVE to score. They will be aggressive. The game will be fun.
Fatter blue lines? Yeah, I like it. It was good in the AHL, make it good in the NHL. and the gruesome red line? See ya. At this point, take it out. I was a fan of it, but hey, if the game is going to be drastically different, get rid of it. The last thing I want to hear is, "Well, there is still a red line."
All of these things will make the game different, and more exciting. I love the game, love it. Will watch it when it comes back and I don't care if Joe Schmo doesn't. It will be more exciting, more interesting and easier to watch. Fewer whistles, more horns (goals) and more "Pittsburgh GOAL scored by number sixty-six, MARIOOOOOOOO LEMIIIEEEEUUUUUUUUUUXXXXX!"
posted by Vandelay Industries @ 5:19 PM
0 comments
