Paul Stewart: Today's NHL and the Baskin-Robbins

It used to be that skilled players were allowed to make their mistakes -- and learn through self-assessment and coaching on what would or wouldn't work from them at the NHL level. Sadly, that's being lost more and more. Even trailing (but with the game still within reach) in the third period, there's an emphasis on playing it safe....with corresponding trust given to the players who don't really push the envelope. Again, this does not apply if your name is Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Erik Karlsson, etc. For the rest of the guys, though, it does.

The name Shane Gostisbehere comes to mind.......

The NHL needs to scrap the rule book and start from scratch.

Unfortunately, it's much easier coaching defense than it is offense. Most head coaches were fourth line players, bottom pair defenseman or minor leaguers. What do they know about creating offense? It's the Roger Neilson effect. It was likely his dream to coach his team to 80 ties each season.

It seems the more the NHL tries to open up the game and create more offense, the more creative coaches become to try to stifle or eliminate it. Coaches are paid to win. They don't care if it's ugly or not. You need talent to win. With so many teams, it's spread out like never before

The Salary cap era has produced more parity than before. Powerhouse teams don't exist anymore. So if you want to win then you have to adapt and play a system which is conducive to your teams level of talent. You can't put lipstick on a pig and expect it to look like Natalie Portman. You can't teach Luke Glendening how to score or make a creative offensive play.

But you can teach him how to run not so subtle, subtle interference. You can teach him how to ice the puck when he's in trouble. You can teach him how to cheat on faceoffs, effectively block shots and how to water ski an opponent and not get called a penalty for it.

Star players now are targeted. Look at Kadri on Ovechkin. Back in the 80s, Kadri would have had his ass pummelled into the ice for going after the Caps best player. Now it's part of the game. When I was a kid, if a player sneezed on Steve Yzerman, Bob Probert or Joey Kocur would use your face as a speed bag. But now players are much braver. No accountability. Hello Brad Marchand.

Is this affecting the way star players, play? Is it limiting their offensive ability because they're getting hacked and whacked more? I say it is. When you let the rats run the league then this is essentially what you get. A parity driven league with limited offense.

Players are taught in junior and in the AHL how to play in all 3 zones. Look at Babs in Toronto. All he ever talks about his playing a 200 foot game and playing heavy. Shouldn't coaches be talking about creating offense and scoring goals?

So what's the answer? Do we make shot blocking illegal and call a penalty when it occurs? Do we penalize the goalie for playing the puck? Do we make icing the puck a penalty like we do when it's shot over the glass?

I'm all for more offense and opening up the game. I just don't see coaches promoting it when their jobs are on the line and they are coaching teams with inferior talent. The diving today is embarrassing. Get rid of the Instigator rule so rats like Marchand can't run around and hide like a coward and face no accountability for his cheapshotting.

Do we make playing the neutral zone trap illegal? Didn't the NBA do this? Should playing the 1-3-1 be a penalty? The league made up a new rule in the 80s so the Oilers couldn't beat everyone 7-0. They only beat them 5-0 afterwards.

Also too many players take one timers now and they suck at it. They're all trying to pretend they're Brett Hull. Most times the puck misses the net, is deflected into the cheap seats or hits the goalie square in the chest. Players spend so much time looking for the perfect play and it gets them nowhere.

Look at the Caps. Classic case of playing regular season hockey in the playoffs. They got away with it against the inexperienced Leafs. But the Pens will mop the ice with them with their team speed advantage.

Also, is anyone else sick of the exploding sticks? It's ridiculous. Each time a player shoots the puck now his stick explodes.. Al MacInnis had one of the hardest shots ever and I can't recall his wooden stick exploding like the sticks of today.

There's so little operating space

Again you fail to tell us the truth. Really, the goalie equipment is to blame for lack of scoring? Call the neutral zone interference, hooking and holding, and more space will become available. You know, not all fans are dumb and blind.

You know, not all fans are dumb and blind.
- powerenforcer

Perhaps not, but with your intellect and between-the-lines vision, you appear to be just one check-mark away from completing the keyboard warrior hat trick. Congrats.

Unfortunately, it's much easier coaching defense than it is offense. Most head coaches were fourth line players, bottom pair defenseman or minor leaguers. What do they know about creating offense? It's the Roger Neilson effect. It was likely his dream to coach his team to 80 ties each season.

It seems the more the NHL tries to open up the game and create more offense, the more creative coaches become to try to stifle or eliminate it. Coaches are paid to win. They don't care if it's ugly or not. You need talent to win. With so many teams, it's spread out like never before

The Salary cap era has produced more parity than before. Powerhouse teams don't exist anymore. So if you want to win then you have to adapt and play a system which is conducive to your teams level of talent. You can't put lipstick on a pig and expect it to look like Natalie Portman. You can't teach Luke Glendening how to score or make a creative offensive play.

But you can teach him how to run not so subtle, subtle interference. You can teach him how to ice the puck when he's in trouble. You can teach him how to cheat on faceoffs, effectively block shots and how to water ski an opponent and not get called a penalty for it.

Star players now are targeted. Look at Kadri on Ovechkin. Back in the 80s, Kadri would have had his ass pummelled into the ice for going after the Caps best player. Now it's part of the game. When I was a kid, if a player sneezed on Steve Yzerman, Bob Probert or Joey Kocur would use your face as a speed bag. But now players are much braver. No accountability. Hello Brad Marchand.

Is this affecting the way star players, play? Is it limiting their offensive ability because they're getting hacked and whacked more? I say it is. When you let the rats run the league then this is essentially what you get. A parity driven league with limited offense.

Players are taught in junior and in the AHL how to play in all 3 zones. Look at Babs in Toronto. All he ever talks about his playing a 200 foot game and playing heavy. Shouldn't coaches be talking about creating offense and scoring goals?

So what's the answer? Do we make shot blocking illegal and call a penalty when it occurs? Do we penalize the goalie for playing the puck? Do we make icing the puck a penalty like we do when it's shot over the glass?

I'm all for more offense and opening up the game. I just don't see coaches promoting it when their jobs are on the line and they are coaching teams with inferior talent. The diving today is embarrassing. Get rid of the Instigator rule so rats like Marchand can't run around and hide like a coward and face no accountability for his cheapshotting.

Do we make playing the neutral zone trap illegal? Didn't the NBA do this? Should playing the 1-3-1 be a penalty? The league made up a new rule in the 80s so the Oilers couldn't beat everyone 7-0. They only beat them 5-0 afterwards.

Also too many players take one timers now and they suck at it. They're all trying to pretend they're Brett Hull. Most times the puck misses the net, is deflected into the cheap seats or hits the goalie square in the chest. Players spend so much time looking for the perfect play and it gets them nowhere.

Look at the Caps. Classic case of playing regular season hockey in the playoffs. They got away with it against the inexperienced Leafs. But the Pens will mop the ice with them with their team speed advantage.

Also, is anyone else sick of the exploding sticks? It's ridiculous. Each time a player shoots the puck now his stick explodes.. Al MacInnis had one of the hardest shots ever and I can't recall his wooden stick exploding like the sticks of today.
- gergeswillems

Wow, a really insightful post here and I agree with your assessment. Its too bad Stewart only responds to a post when his ego is attacked. What a shame!

The underlying issue, to me, is the diluted talent pool that expansion has created. It was widely complained about 15-20 years ago that as the league approached 30 teams, there were many players that could not keep up with the game. Thus resulting in chip and chase, clutch and grab hockey. The rule changes of the 04-05 lockout decreased that clutch and grab for a while, but it was coaches that adapted, not the players. The systems play was the answer here, and that is why the quality of the game has not improved with the advent of better training. Grinders are now just much better athletes, not better hockey players.
There should be some cautious optimism, given the influx of fast and talented young players coming into the league, but I totally agree that short-sighted rule changes have not helped the game.

Unfortunately, it's much easier coaching defense than it is offense. Most head coaches were fourth line players, bottom pair defenseman or minor leaguers. What do they know about creating offense? It's the Roger Neilson effect. It was likely his dream to coach his team to 80 ties each season.

It seems the more the NHL tries to open up the game and create more offense, the more creative coaches become to try to stifle or eliminate it. Coaches are paid to win. They don't care if it's ugly or not. You need talent to win. With so many teams, it's spread out like never before

The Salary cap era has produced more parity than before. Powerhouse teams don't exist anymore. So if you want to win then you have to adapt and play a system which is conducive to your teams level of talent. You can't put lipstick on a pig and expect it to look like Natalie Portman. You can't teach Luke Glendening how to score or make a creative offensive play.

But you can teach him how to run not so subtle, subtle interference. You can teach him how to ice the puck when he's in trouble. You can teach him how to cheat on faceoffs, effectively block shots and how to water ski an opponent and not get called a penalty for it.

Star players now are targeted. Look at Kadri on Ovechkin. Back in the 80s, Kadri would have had his ass pummelled into the ice for going after the Caps best player. Now it's part of the game. When I was a kid, if a player sneezed on Steve Yzerman, Bob Probert or Joey Kocur would use your face as a speed bag. But now players are much braver. No accountability. Hello Brad Marchand.

Is this affecting the way star players, play? Is it limiting their offensive ability because they're getting hacked and whacked more? I say it is. When you let the rats run the league then this is essentially what you get. A parity driven league with limited offense.

Players are taught in junior and in the AHL how to play in all 3 zones. Look at Babs in Toronto. All he ever talks about his playing a 200 foot game and playing heavy. Shouldn't coaches be talking about creating offense and scoring goals?

So what's the answer? Do we make shot blocking illegal and call a penalty when it occurs? Do we penalize the goalie for playing the puck? Do we make icing the puck a penalty like we do when it's shot over the glass?

I'm all for more offense and opening up the game. I just don't see coaches promoting it when their jobs are on the line and they are coaching teams with inferior talent. The diving today is embarrassing. Get rid of the Instigator rule so rats like Marchand can't run around and hide like a coward and face no accountability for his cheapshotting.

Do we make playing the neutral zone trap illegal? Didn't the NBA do this? Should playing the 1-3-1 be a penalty? The league made up a new rule in the 80s so the Oilers couldn't beat everyone 7-0. They only beat them 5-0 afterwards.

Also too many players take one timers now and they suck at it. They're all trying to pretend they're Brett Hull. Most times the puck misses the net, is deflected into the cheap seats or hits the goalie square in the chest. Players spend so much time looking for the perfect play and it gets them nowhere.

Look at the Caps. Classic case of playing regular season hockey in the playoffs. They got away with it against the inexperienced Leafs. But the Pens will mop the ice with them with their team speed advantage.

Also, is anyone else sick of the exploding sticks? It's ridiculous. Each time a player shoots the puck now his stick explodes.. Al MacInnis had one of the hardest shots ever and I can't recall his wooden stick exploding like the sticks of today.
- gergeswillems

Very well stated. I agree with most every point you raised. In some upcoming blogs, I will touch individually upon many of them. Re: Caps-Pens, that series could go either way. We will see.

I tried watching a flyers game from the 70's and it sucked. The players, skill, and systems are much much better. Also back around 06-09 was when the game was at it's best. The interference was taken out of the game. It is back now.

3 rules to open up the game.

1. Tighter line changes. New player cannot come over the boards until the changing player's skates leave the ice.

2. No intentional sliding to block shots or passes. Players can go down on a knee.

3. Goalie is fair game fully outside of the crease. Yes he can be checked.

Unfortunately, it's much easier coaching defense than it is offense. Most head coaches were fourth line players, bottom pair defenseman or minor leaguers. What do they know about creating offense? It's the Roger Neilson effect. It was likely his dream to coach his team to 80 ties each season.

It seems the more the NHL tries to open up the game and create more offense, the more creative coaches become to try to stifle or eliminate it. Coaches are paid to win. They don't care if it's ugly or not. You need talent to win. With so many teams, it's spread out like never before

The Salary cap era has produced more parity than before. Powerhouse teams don't exist anymore. So if you want to win then you have to adapt and play a system which is conducive to your teams level of talent. You can't put lipstick on a pig and expect it to look like Natalie Portman. You can't teach Luke Glendening how to score or make a creative offensive play.

But you can teach him how to run not so subtle, subtle interference. You can teach him how to ice the puck when he's in trouble. You can teach him how to cheat on faceoffs, effectively block shots and how to water ski an opponent and not get called a penalty for it.

Star players now are targeted. Look at Kadri on Ovechkin. Back in the 80s, Kadri would have had his ass pummelled into the ice for going after the Caps best player. Now it's part of the game. When I was a kid, if a player sneezed on Steve Yzerman, Bob Probert or Joey Kocur would use your face as a speed bag. But now players are much braver. No accountability. Hello Brad Marchand.

Is this affecting the way star players, play? Is it limiting their offensive ability because they're getting hacked and whacked more? I say it is. When you let the rats run the league then this is essentially what you get. A parity driven league with limited offense.

Players are taught in junior and in the AHL how to play in all 3 zones. Look at Babs in Toronto. All he ever talks about his playing a 200 foot game and playing heavy. Shouldn't coaches be talking about creating offense and scoring goals?

So what's the answer? Do we make shot blocking illegal and call a penalty when it occurs? Do we penalize the goalie for playing the puck? Do we make icing the puck a penalty like we do when it's shot over the glass?

I'm all for more offense and opening up the game. I just don't see coaches promoting it when their jobs are on the line and they are coaching teams with inferior talent. The diving today is embarrassing. Get rid of the Instigator rule so rats like Marchand can't run around and hide like a coward and face no accountability for his cheapshotting.

Do we make playing the neutral zone trap illegal? Didn't the NBA do this? Should playing the 1-3-1 be a penalty? The league made up a new rule in the 80s so the Oilers couldn't beat everyone 7-0. They only beat them 5-0 afterwards.

Also too many players take one timers now and they suck at it. They're all trying to pretend they're Brett Hull. Most times the puck misses the net, is deflected into the cheap seats or hits the goalie square in the chest. Players spend so much time looking for the perfect play and it gets them nowhere.

Look at the Caps. Classic case of playing regular season hockey in the playoffs. They got away with it against the inexperienced Leafs. But the Pens will mop the ice with them with their team speed advantage.

Also, is anyone else sick of the exploding sticks? It's ridiculous. Each time a player shoots the puck now his stick explodes.. Al MacInnis had one of the hardest shots ever and I can't recall his wooden stick exploding like the sticks of today.
- gergeswillems

Nice work Paul.

Thank you gergeswillems. Great post.

Nix the instigator rule ASAP. Also stop penalizing hard body checks that result in a player getting lit up. Not all hard hits are illegal. So tired of players taking umbrage when a teammate gets hit (and I'm not talking about Kadri/OV). Players need to protect themselves. Last time I looked this is a contact league.

Nice work Paul.

Thank you gergeswillems. Great post.

Nix the instigator rule ASAP. Also stop penalizing hard body checks that result in a player getting lit up. Not all hard hits are illegal. So tired of players taking umbrage when a teammate gets hit (and I'm not talking about Kadri/OV). Players need to protect themselves. Last time I looked this is a contact league.
- Pixote Andolini

Thanks. This is one of my pet peeves. When a player hits an opponent clean and the opponents bench acts like he committed a federal offense. Are players just too soft these days? Spoiled? Entitled? I know we all hear the "back in my day everything was perfect" stories. But you're right. Hockey IS a contact sport and clean hits shouldn't be punished. My God, Scott Stevens wouldn't be allowed to play today and he's in the Hall of Fame. LOL

I also hate how crowds react these days like each time one of their teams player is breathed on, it should be a penalty. Maybe this was always the case and I'm noticing it more now. Also, I don't like how today's players turn their backs at the last second to draw hitting penalties. Players don't take a hit to make a play anymore either. I feel like with each generation, the basic fundamentals of the game are being lost. Too many games and not enough practice I say. This is my main criticism of North American hockey at the grassroots level.

Mr. Stewart, you are dead on with this article. It will not go over with the Millennial hockey fans who are used to soccer on ice. For those of us who witnessed hockey in it's heydays of the 70s and 80s, we know what exciting hockey truly is.

My brothers and I have had this discussion quite often over the past 10 years. We've never seen players skate so fast, yet do so little in terms of puck control, passing and shooting ability. This fact combined with over-sized goalie equipment makes for very boring hockey.

Thanks for taking up for the true hockey purist, and for always being a man's man!

There has been one tweak that hasn't been tried - and it makes a lot of sense for several historical and physical reasons: Expand the net to 4 x 8.

The current system rewards coaches who overcoach because when scores end 3-2, or 3-1, the prevention of each goal becomes more valuable than the actual scoring of a goal. Unlike 30 years ago, every single player of NHL caliber is capable of shooting the puck and scoring a goal off a mistake (see John Scott, NHL All-Star). Thus the key to winning games today is to make the fewest mistakes.

But if we were to reward opportunity with legitimite scoring chances, this would force coaches to give up the system approach because their teams would be losing 5-2.

And the way to do that is to recognize that when the goal nets were created in 1898, the average hockey player was 5'6", couldn't skate backwards, never heard of forechecking, had a straight, wooden stick and played 20 minute shifts instead of 45 seconds.

The art of goaltending has evolved during that time as well. Instead of staying back in the net with cricket pads on and little else, goaltenders learned to play angles (let's call them 2-D angles), and now goalies suck as 6-foot-1 Jonathan Quick hhave learned to apply angles to three dimensions. By doing the splits, Quick can cover both posts and torques his body to reduce the shooting area where his legs should be (if he were a standup goalie).

To put the art back into the goaltending and defense, the easy solution is to expand the net. To my knowledge it's never even been tried besides a few inches at one of the development camps. I don't think you will see lacrosse-type scoring, but instead the true artistry and ability of today's top pros - with a little more scoring and less emphasis on system hockey.

I tried watching a flyers game from the 70's and it sucked. The players, skill, and systems are much much better. Also back around 06-09 was when the game was at it's best. The interference was taken out of the game. It is back now.

3 rules to open up the game.

1. Tighter line changes. New player cannot come over the boards until the changing player's skates leave the ice.

2. No intentional sliding to block shots or passes. Players can go down on a knee.

3. Goalie is fair game fully outside of the crease. Yes he can be checked.
- Just5

No one is saying we want to watch Flyers games from the 70's, it's time to move on. To say the talent is better today is a joke, and an insult to the players of that era. Now, if you told me the talent was all the same today, and players seem to be of one homogeneous breed, I'd agree. Players today are collectively bigger, faster and in better shape. Unfortunately, what that translates to is players who can skate really fast, and do absolutely nothing with the puck on the rush. Watch any game today, and what you see is soccer. Center ice action, with few if any great chances to score.

Unfortunately, your solutions are nothing more than gimmicks. The only way to open up play at this point is to enlarge the ice surface, or reduce the number of players on it.

Respectfully

Wow! Some great responses. I think you hit a nerve Paul, especially with those of us who saw hockey in a different era. It used to be that "off the glass and out" was for your 3rd defensive pair, now it's first line strategy.

-Reduce the size of the goalies equipment. Its gotten ridiculous.
-The instigator rule was a joke from the start. Refs had the unsportsmanlike option, among others, already. THey know if a rat needs to pay and they can always throw 10 minute misconducts when they need to.
-The one thing I haven't seen addressed is rivalries. In a watered down, defense first league who really gets excited to play a team you play a few times a year? They should break the league into divisions that play many more times within the division. Then, every game would count more towards playoff seeding. It builds interest and rivalries.
- 1-3-1 should be penalized.