Greg Wyshynski’s Puck Daddy blog over at Yahoo! (which I highly recommend), has been running a daily feature throughout the month of August entitled “5 Ways I’d Change The NHL”. He’s had hockey writers, retired players, coaches, and celebrities contributing lists of serious and not-so-serious suggestions for improvement in the league. I’m a little late to the party (and couldn’t narrow it down to 5!), but I thought I would contribute to the fun. In no particular order:
1. The Trapezoid — Get rid if it. Am I biased as a fan of Marty Brodeur? Maybe a little. But I think it was the worst of the rules instituted post-lockout, and I don’t think it’s done anything to “improve” the game. If only a handful of teams get to benefit from their goaltenders’ puckhandling skills, great for them. Brodeur has always been fantastic running the show behind the net, Marty Turco was, and still is, like a third defenseman for the Stars. Let these guys flaunt their skills — I’m willing to bet guys will get better at handling the puck if they’re given more of an opportunity to do it.
2. Consistency — The handing down of punishments from the Colin Campbell and the rest of the higher ups in the league has to get more consistent. Chris Simon’s stomp to Jarkko Ruutu’s ankle warrants a 30 game ban, but a stomp from Chris Pronger only gets 8 games? Both have bad reputations including multiple suspensions (granted, Simon’s is much worse following the Hollweg incident last year), both incidents were fairly similar. Why such a huge difference in punishment? What sort of statement does this make for the players, for the public? The league wants so badly to be seen in a positive light in the media, but it can’t even figure out it’s own suspension policy. Figure out a system and hand things out as consistently as can reasonably be expected.
3. “The War Room” — Something needs to be fixed in the goal review process. I saw at least two good goals get waved off in the playoffs this year. The “war room” in Toronto has High-Definition cameras from every angle possible to view the goals and make a call conclusively in either direction, and they’ve still managed to bungle calls through this season and playoff year. I don’t care how they implement it (one of the lists on Puck Daddy hit on this a little bit), but some sort of sensor system seems to be the answer. Why have a bunch of guys staring at cameras when you can just have a sensor be set off as soon as all of the puck is over the line. Half of the current goal review problems would be solved. Then there’s just the problem of that damn “distinct kicking motion” rule. But that’s a complaint for another day.
5. Marketing– I know Sidney Crosby is God’s gift to the NHL (with Alex Ovechkin running a close second), but there ARE other players out there that would be great marketing tools for this league. Guys like Jerome Iginla, who is probably one of the classiest players in the game, should be used by the league for promoting the sport. How about sticking Marty Turco or Vinny Lecavlier in some commercials? So many of these guys have such great personalities — and do so much in the community, as well — and the NHL isn’t using it to their advantage.
Oh, and getting games on a network people actually have would probably help too.
6. Bettman– I know 75% of the lists on Puck Daddy said this, but its time for Gary to go. The players don’t like him, the fans boo him everywhere he goes, and that’s not a good environment for the league to build on. Move on.
Less than a month til preseason!
As I have watched zero hockey in the post lockout era, outside of the game played outdoors last year, what exactly is the trapezoid rule?
What are they no longer allowing goalies to do with the puck? I remember Marty used to be all over the place handling the puck as though he were a skilled forward.