I agree with Ek. Players should finish checks.

100% agree on your beef with interference! What makes it worse is the inconsistency in which it is called not only from game to game but period to period

I agree with Ek. Players should finish checks.
- JetsRawk

All it does is take you out of the play so yeah good idea.

Taking away from the skill players and decreasing scoring is something every sport should avoid.

Unless it's poorly run like the NHL.

If its a penalty call it. Frustration between teams happen because things go uncalled and it escalates. This happens in beer leagues far too often, you would think the quality of reffing would be better but seems the same. We lost a playoff game in OT because the puck went out of play, ref didnt blow it dead and the other team scored.

Less penalties? Please. We already have enough "ref you suck!" chants as it is.

All it does is take you out of the play so yeah good idea.
- Feds91Stammer

Absolutely. The very idea that rushing an opposing player to get rid of the puck because he is going to get leveled if he doesn't, only serves to take the guy who is delivering said check out of the play.

I will take 90's hockey without the extreme clutch and grab over this style any day.I still watch but its more back ground noise now than me actually into the game.I cant remember the last time i was pumped for a game.Proba ly the pitt vs flyer series when bryz was the goalie.

More hits please.
And a few more fights would be nice too.

Thanks

Less penalties? Please. We already have enough "ref you suck!" chants as it is.
- DevilsFanCirca91

more players taking on referees - dennis wideman style

Turning into figure skating with sticks..

In layman's terms - has NHL hockey become pussified ? It is getting there.
It needs to be a contact sport, guys need to finish checks, momentum changing hits need to continue to change the flow of games - and if somebody gets injured playing the game the right way, and they don't like it - I hear there are opportunities in cricket leagues all over Europe. On another note - Mitch Marner is a dynamo and never gets hit - man he's fun to watch. The NHL tracks hits thrown by players - I'd love to know how many Marner has received - I think I saw 1 a few weeks ago where he did actually take contact.

Eklund: Does the NHL Need to Be More Physical? NHL Memo....What is the issue?
- Eklund

he NHL essentially is afraid that the physical aspects of the sport are fading away due to the Refs cracking down on everything.


If this memo truly exists then the nhl have only themselves to blame with that damn instigator rule and rat like players taking some liberties.

No the concussion lawsuit has been settled so they can go back to not giving a crap

If it didn’t directly affect the play, don’t call it. If the guy deserves it, don’t call it. PP are boring. PK is cool to watch because blocked shots are one of the best parts of the game. I’d rather watch guys actually play not tip toeing around.

The game is sooooo bloody boring to watch now. There's no intensity, you can't throw a hard hit now without either talk of a suspension or a suspension. I know I'm not alone when I say this. Aside from a goal, you barely hear the crowd react to anything . The league is neutered.
I know quite a few people who don't watch anymore because they find the game boring. I can't remember the last time when I sat and watched a full game.

Did not see that trade proposal. Wow, that's an awful lot to give up for one player. I'd be ok giving those pieces and maybe one of our firsts. All 3 firsts? - No Way

Though, Skinner would cost less and we wouldn't have to give up anything

As far as penalties- I would like to see a lot less of the hooking calls where the defending player lifts or blocks the stick. Also can't stand how many times one or both players get tossed from the faceoff. Drop the F'ng puck and get the game going

So what do they want skill or fighting cant have both. They created this style of game now they dont want it. Nhl deserved to get sued. Did not think that until now. Pisses me off cause my team is built to the culture the NHL has created. So what now. I was a fan of the ruff stuff. Finally got around to appreciating the speed and skill thing. And see what a small player can bring to hockey. Marner is gonna get killed if this is true. And i have grown to love watching him play. More so than the fights i used to love. I did love watching wendal clarke just destroy guys with hits and fights and the guy could play too. But just got used to those days being gone. Now players on oppossing teams go on little dinner dates before games. Chat it up at the red line. Like i just finally got over caring about that stuff. And now we're going back. Make up my mind. Lol

Would like to see a 1 minute PP in overtime as well as 3 on 2. Why go 4 on 3 only to have the player exiting the box make it a 4 on 4 until the whistle blows.

There is zero consistency with anything.....does the NHL know what goalie interference is yet? Might have to say no not yet based on some of the calls in various games....one call it’s interference and the exact same play in a different game isn’t interference.....a type of hit is a two game suspension but a headshot with bad intentions doesn’t get a phone call?

Not calling penalties leads to games like Leafs / Bruins last game. Chippy, dirty, late hits, predatory hits, cross checks, slashes, roughing etc. None of that made it a good game, and it only results in injuries and suspensions.

I appreciate good checks, but every check requires a fight these days, followed by a retaliation predatory hit, followed by another fight, which just sucks out the momentum out of the game, and the fun out of the hits.

Oh yeah, I agree. The physicality involved in slashing someones hands, or hooking that stick in the belly and taking a free ride up the ice, grabbing the jersey to slow the opponents. Only the toughest of the tough can do that. Hell, while we are at it, why is it illegal to lick someones face? I mean come on, that's entertainment! Avery was on to something too with jumping around in front of the goalie to distract them. Maybe that could just be a new position each team gets to assign.

Give me a break.

Call the penalties and guys will stop doing that s**t. Stick with a crackdown for more than a few months a year and maybe guys will catch on.

As for less hitting and rough stuff, I don't think it's because guys are afraid to take penalties, it's because coaches/GMs are giving spots to skill guys over grit guys. If 9 players on the ice would rather shoot than hit, and the other 3 only get 8 minutes a night, there is going to be less hitting.

But yeah, for sure, lets stop calling penalties. I look forward to watching me some dead puck.

The instigator rule is the root cause of all of it.

Players take too many liberties because they know there will be no repercussions on the ice.

Suspensions don't keep players like Tom Wilson and Brad Marchand from being dirty POS's, but Ryan Reaves just might.....

As for the ticky tacky nature of the calls. It is beyond ridiculous. The penalties should call themselves.

The game is sooooo bloody boring to watch now. There's no intensity, you can't throw a hard hit now without either talk of a suspension or a suspension. I know I'm not alone when I say this. Aside from a goal, you barely hear the crowd react to anything . The league is neutered.
I know quite a few people who don't watch anymore because they find the game boring. I can't remember the last time when I sat and watched a full game.
- Gertner

But not calling penalties is not the answer. It's because most teams go with skill now since its proving to win and that's what teams will try to do. (Most) skill guys don't generally hit or fight back in any way. Not that many Wayne Simmonds in the league and they aren't effective for very long (Lucic). You can't force teams to dress guys who play rough because unless they have some skill, they will ultimately get beat by a faster, more skilled team.

So did anyone see the Sabres- blackhawks trade proposal on hockey news podcast. I obviously think it is the biggest over payment I ever heard but interested to hear other opinion.

Sabres get Kane
Blackhawks get Reinhart, pominville, top d prospect guhle, top forward prospect Olofsson top goalie prospect ukka pecca lukien, and three first round picks all this year. Blues ( if they finish in top ten it is 2020) sabres and sharks.
- Bigdog1991

Did you smoke all of Snoop Dogg's weed???!!! Did Ek give that an E4???!!! Talk about fake news, this site is the oasis for it!