so you would respect the Leafs more if we drafted multiple 1st and 2nd picks( overalls )?
- Garnie

I am not sure that would have helped you. just look at the oilers. to your 2nd comment. yes the oilers are about to take off but it took them 10 years of multiple 1st overalls to get there.

Anyone see this it's really well done. I always believed he was no t just an an NHL talent but a top pairing future star. https://www.facebook.com/...videos/10155099070708765/

A typical hot dog has around 4mg of iron.
- The Shrike

A typical leafs fan has about his entire life in disappointment and suckage.

Ok.. then let's talk about the team who has won the most cups in league history.

Still relevant?
- mlindsay

They need to split the record books up into 2 eras the first being when you had a 1 in 6 chance of winning the cup and the modern era which is about 40 years old and the Oilers and Islanders have the most cups. Nothing relevant about the original 6 days, they are actually pretty embarrassing when you think about it.

They need to split the record books up into 2 eras the first being when you had a 1 in 6 chance of winning the cup and the modern era which is about 40 years old and the Oilers and Islanders have the most cups. Nothing relevant about the original 6 days, they are actually pretty embarrassing when you think about it.
- Dcoms

Give 6 "points" credit for every cup with 6 teams, 21 "points" for each cup win when there was 21 teams, 30 "points" for 30 teams, etc...

Then divide it by the # of years in existence

Easy to say "We won a lot of cups", when there were only 5 other teams and you've been around for 100 years

Just looking at the comments for scoring.

Do power plays excite people? Why don't they play the full duration of a PP no matter if goal(s) are scored. Call a few more of the blatant fouls & run the PP's full duration. That will get teams going. It will stop some of the blatant poop because coaches will kill stupidity & make the games more exciting. It would only take 1 PP to possibly turn around a 2/3 goal deficit (possibly more ).

Get it done Bettman you ass.

Sorry to go off-topic so early, but I wanted to get people's thoughts on this. Posted it on the Flyers' blog too, but I know a lot of people on here have talked about it. I apologize for the length.

There are a lot of people, both on this board and on other boards (as well as in league offices) who are crying about the need to increase scoring. While I agree that scoring could be increased, my question is simply: Why? Why do people feel the need to increase scoring for the game to be entertaining?

To an extreme, imagine a very dull game with putrid goaltending where there is a ton of neutral zone play, with each team getting only 15-20 shots but the score being 6-5. Now, that’s a fairly high-scoring game, but it was be a very boring game for the most part. To the other extreme, imagine a game with tons of speed, hard hitting, great goaltending with scoring chance after scoring chance, each team having 45-50 shots on goal, and the final being a 2-1 game. In terms of excitement, that would be a much more exciting game.

Now, all things equal (which, of course, they are not), more shots would equal more goals, meaning that more goals would be the result of a more exciting game. But again, the speed and skill is what drives the game. So I have heard people complain that the league’s unwillingness to “call things by the book” would lead to a more goals. I disagree.

In the late 80s/early 90s, even as the butterfly was being adopted and goalies were wearing bigger pads, you had guys like Hull, Gretzky, and Lemieux putting up huge offensive numbers. In order to draw a penalty in those days, you had to be completely obvious. Guys were continually hooked, grabbed, held, and slashed without a call at all, and no one had an issue with league-wide offensive output.

Today, as much as people are “taking away from skill players” or what have you, there are more power plays generally than there were in the 80s/early 90s. Generally speaking, a team is more likely to score on a power play and at even strength. And you know what? Unless you have a personal interest in the game, a power play is the most boring part of hockey. Upon gaining the zone, the offensive team generally stands in place, passing around the perimeter. The defensive team stays in a box formation, and if they gain possession, they just haphazardly throw the puck down the ice. So, while a power play is more likely to result in a goal than a “skilled” 2 minutes of even strength, the result would be much more boring.

So, again, why do we feel the need to increase scoring? If the issue is to call more penalties in order to force teams to adapt to not hooking/holding/etc. then that’s fine, as long as you’re willing to watch several months of games with 20 penalties per team. Even after the fact, there will still be a host (6-7) of penalties per game, again, if the rule book is enforced to the letter (it is 100% impossible to play 60 minutes of high-level competitive hockey without taking a few penalties). It simply cannot be done. No, I have never played professional hockey, but I have played semi-pro against NHL-drafted players, and I can attest to this happening at that level.

I have also heard people complaining that the league is attempting to level the playing field between 1st line players and 4th line players. I would argue that 3rd/4th line players in today’s game are generally just closer in skill to 1st/2nd line players than they were in the 80s/90s. The “goon” role is all but gone, and players today are generally required to be able to skate an effective shift without being a liability to the team. Again, in the 80s/90s, a less skilled player would grope his way through a shift without being a liability. That is less the case today, and with all of the training and clinics of today’s players versus the alcoholism and chain smoking of yesteryear’s players, the discrepancy in skill is more based on the players than the officials.

Admittedly, I have done no research on the subject or numbers, and these are simply the observations from my eyes and ears. I have watched hockey avidly from the early 90s, watched full games from the 1980s, and have seen the game evolve during that time. So I am sure that there are some stat people out there who will try to refute every piece that I have said, and if that’s what gets you off, go for it. Regardless, my point still stands: Why do people feel a need to increase scoring in order to improve the game?

/end novel
- jmatchett383

I think lack of scoring is a symptom of what's really going on and saying that the NHL needs to increase scoring totally misses the point. My issue with the NHL is that games are poorly officiated to the point that every little ticky tack clutch and grab is overlooked and while each miss call isn't that big of a deal it all adds up and really diminishes the product. A lot of ice is taken away from skill players and while yes, that causes less scoring, the real issue is that it causes less exciting hockey.

People that don't care about the officiating and think its a good idea to expand the goals or decrease goalie equipment don't get it. All that will do is make it easier for bad hockey players to score goals and further validate clutch and grab.

They could take off soon...so really.
- Garnie

They have been saying that for the last XXX years, but still, a team with a top three pick.

Best T shirt ever.


- powerhouse

I own this shirt

Lol they are all set to take off than trade Hall for a 2nd pairing d-man
- Barnaby36

Better than staying put and repeating IMO...I think they will be better this year and they desperately needed some D help...that was the cost to get Larsson and I think he's better than people give him credit for....but I guess we'll find out shortly.

I am not sure that would have helped you. just look at the oilers. to your 2nd comment. yes the oilers are about to take off but it took them 10 years of multiple 1st overalls to get there.
- martox

no for sure...you have to be horrific at the right times.

Lemieux
Jagr
Crosby
Malkin
Staal
Fleury

Let's see what Eric Fehr does this year when he isn't coming in following an injury that required surgery and couldn't have training camp. I suspect Fehr will be much better. Maybe the Rags should have looked at VerSteeg. Sounds like a better option than many on your roster.
- Oneonta Penguin

Lol no need for salt, I wasn't bashing your team at all. Anyways, that's kind of a redundant statement seeing that Versteeg is better than at least 3-5 players on any NHL roster. And if you think he would crack our top 6, you obviously don't follow hockey much outside of your team, because while our defense sucks, we have one of the deepest forward groups in the league.

A typical leafs fan has about his entire life in disappointment and suckage.
- Dcoms

They need to split the record books up into 2 eras the first being when you had a 1 in 6 chance of winning the cup and the modern era which is about 40 years old and the Oilers and Islanders have the most cups. Nothing relevant about the original 6 days, they are actually pretty embarrassing when you think about it.
- Dcoms

I agree, I don't even count cups from the Original 6 era...kind of silly...but drafting 1,2,1,2 in 4 years is just as silly....team goes from moving to a new town to a dynasty...all from sucking...while teams that were drawing fans and trying to make the playoffs just keep getting worse. They need to put a cap on top 10 picks or top 5 or top 3 or whatever they found to be the best recipe.

no for sure...you have to be horrific at the right times.

Lemieux
Jagr
Crosby
Malkin
Staal
Fleury


- Garnie

ye pittsburgh has been pretty lucky with when to suck. they have the one of the worst if not THE worst luck with injuries though so it balance it self out. I mean mario never played a full season in his entire career

ye pittsburgh has been pretty lucky with when to suck. they have the one of the worst if not THE worst luck with injuries though so it balance it self out. I mean mario never played a full season in his entire career
- martox

Ya he was tremendous and only needed to play about 66% of the year to have an impact. I've always had a soft spot for Pitts as I was a big Lemieux fan, I think he's the best to ever play myself...then you grabbed Jagr to go with him....man they had some great years.

Phil has been known to disappear for 5-8 games at a time at least once or twice during the season, he might as well do so at the start of the year and spend a few more days on a lake in Wisconsin. Bet he still gets 30 goals this year. It'll be like he wasn't even gone[/img]

Lol no need for salt, I wasn't bashing your team at all. Anyways, that's kind of a redundant statement seeing that Versteeg is better than at least 3-5 players on any NHL roster. And if you think he would crack our top 6, you obviously don't follow hockey much outside of your team, because while our defense sucks, we have one of the deepest forward groups in the league.
- SpeedBlue91

I would actually say that if you honestly think that Nash, Stepan, Zuccarello, Kredier, Zibanejad, Fast, Miller, Hayes, Vesey is 1 of the deepest forward groups in the NHL, you may be the person that needs to start watching more hockey outside of your team. It's by no means a bad top 9 but it's realistically slightly above average and would probably sit in the 7-10 range overall.

Phil has been known to disappear for 5-8 games at a time at least once or twice during the season, he might as well do so at the start of the year and spend a few more days on a lake in Wisconsin. Bet he still gets 30 goals this year. It'll be like he wasn't even gone
- leafsfann[/img]

So does just about ever player in the NHL so I'm not sure what the point is, I'd be surprised if you can find more than 8-10 players in the league who didn't have a 5-8 game slump at some point last season.

Lol no need for salt, I wasn't bashing your team at all. Anyways, that's kind of a redundant statement seeing that Versteeg is better than at least 3-5 players on any NHL roster. And if you think he would crack our top 6, you obviously don't follow hockey much outside of your team, because while our defense sucks, we have one of the deepest forward groups in the league.
- SpeedBlue91

Just looking at the comments for scoring.

Do power plays excite people? Why don't they play the full duration of a PP no matter if goal(s) are scored. Call a few more of the blatant fouls & run the PP's full duration. That will get teams going. It will stop some of the blatant poop because coaches will kill stupidity & make the games more exciting. It would only take 1 PP to possibly turn around a 2/3 goal deficit (possibly more ).

Get it done Bettman you ass.
- Aussiepenguin

Personally I would say no but I suspect the general consensus would be yes. In general, power plays tend to be a ton of stationary play with a lot of perimeter passing, personally I would rather see ever penalty result in a penalty shot and just get back to 5on5 play than to see a full 2 minutes of power play time every time a penalty is called.

I know it's absurd but for a minor penalty the shooter gets to start at the red-line and the player that commits the penalty starts at the blue line and gets to try to chase down the shooter and then for a major penalty they get 2 penalty shot attempts. To me that would be a hell of a lot more entertaining than watching 5 guys stand in 1 spot while passing the puck around looking for an opportunity to shoot.

Phil has been known to disappear for 5-8 games at a time at least once or twice during the season, he might as well do so at the start of the year and spend a few more days on a lake in Wisconsin. Bet he still gets 30 goals this year. It'll be like he wasn't even gone
- leafsfann[/img]

Most snipers in the NHL do... Stammer does it too..

Personally I would say no but I suspect the general consensus would be yes. In general, power plays tend to be a ton of stationary play with a lot of perimeter passing, personally I would rather see ever penalty result in a penalty shot and just get back to 5on5 play than to see a full 2 minutes of power play time every time a penalty is called.

I know it's absurd but for a minor penalty the shooter gets to start at the red-line and the player that commits the penalty starts at the blue line and gets to try to chase down the shooter and then for a major penalty they get 2 penalty shot attempts. To me that would be a hell of a lot more entertaining than watching 5 guys stand in 1 spot while passing the puck around looking for an opportunity to shoot.
- jaydogg1974

You're right it is absurd. Maybe power plays aren't exciting but short handed goals certainly are. Also power plays can be game changers. On both sides of the puck, a good penalty kill can ignite a team as much as a power play goal.

Eliminating power plays is changing the game way more drastically than changing goalie equipment could ever be.

Personally I would say no but I suspect the general consensus would be yes. In general, power plays tend to be a ton of stationary play with a lot of perimeter passing, personally I would rather see ever penalty result in a penalty shot and just get back to 5on5 play than to see a full 2 minutes of power play time every time a penalty is called.

I know it's absurd but for a minor penalty the shooter gets to start at the red-line and the player that commits the penalty starts at the blue line and gets to try to chase down the shooter and then for a major penalty they get 2 penalty shot attempts. To me that would be a hell of a lot more entertaining than watching 5 guys stand in 1 spot while passing the puck around looking for an opportunity to shoot.
- jaydogg1974

A good PP is a beautiful thing to watch.

You're right it is absurd. Maybe power plays aren't exciting but short handed goals certainly are. Also power plays can be game changers. On both sides of the puck, a good penalty kill can ignite a team as much as a power play goal.

Eliminating power plays is changing the game way more drastically than changing goalie equipment could ever be.
- Thunderbolt

I wasn't necessarily suggesting eliminating power plays, I was just saying that I would rather see them eliminated as opposed to seeing them play out for the full time regardless of whether a goal is scored or not. I'm fine with power plays as they are and don't think that is an aspect that needs changing in any manor. There are other aspects of the game(goalie equipment, how the games are called) that need to be considered long before discussing making changes to the power play setup.