12/21/24
November 07, 2002
Endangered Species:: Is the NHL serious this time? Can anyone imagine a Playoffs called like this? Admittedly, I'm liking the game thus far, despite the Leafs dismal record, and I can see most of the regular season being called/played like this, but the Playoffs...I just can't see it. And what does a Playoff team look like? Enough boo-hooing, enforcers who can play will stick around. I found it somewhat ironic that the best fighters are also some of the more offensively talented....which I guess isn't that ironic. My top 3, Brasher, Domi, A.Roy.
I think they're going to stick with the 15-second faceoffs for the rest of the year, playoffs included. Just as 86 says above though, the obstruction calls will undoubtedly taper off in the playoffs a bit. All calls generally do, and it's to be expected. No worries. Personally, I'm really enjoying this season, and hope that hockey is played this way from now on. My top enforcers who can play would be Laraque, Domi, and Brashear. Honorable mention goes to P.J. Stock for being the gutsiest little jerk in the NHL (plus his Journal entries are always fairly entertaining).
posted by Samsonov14 at 01:18 PM on November 07, 2002
I just saw a great fight in Columbus 2 nights ago (in their disappointing OT loss). Jody Shelley is quite popular in Columbus, I think he'll stay put. As long as there are Wayne Gretzky's there will always be need of a Marty McSorley here and there backing them up with fists.
posted by insomnyuk at 02:34 PM on November 07, 2002
I think the NHL is serious... Mostly because scoring is up somewhat and that is what they like to see. As for me, I like the way the game is being played. Sure, it's annoying to hear the whistle every few minutes, but I think the players will (and already have) learn to live with it and the game will be better for it. Over time whistles will decrease as the players get more and more used to it. And with all of that said, I think we'll see a reduction of calls when the playoffs come around. It always happesn. This year we'll be starting from a different spot, so the change will occur accordingly. The same change will happen with the speedy puck drops. They'll disappear come May.