Line brawl in wash NYR game to start.

The NHL is so dumb.
- ImThatGuy

assuming the caps didn't have the stones to put wilson on to start the game

hell yeah we went from the least watched major sport to still the least watched major sport by like maybe 1 percent less
- robz228

Zero non NHL fans tuned in for this.

But tomorrow sports shows are going to make fun of the NHL.

So congrats?

Looks like many of us watching the drama unfold. Methinks that is what Colin and Gary want. Eyes on the tube. Words on the page. Voices on the radio. Tommy W is making that happen.
- riptheguard

Pretty much, should still be ashamed of the this though. Even 1 game suspension keeps thi stuff from happening.

how funny is it going to be when F1 passes the NHL too

how funny is it going to be when F1 passes the NHL too
- robz228

My GF hasn't watched an NHL game in years.

She just finished Drive to Survive and now wants to watch the race in Barcelona on Sunday. The NHL is awful at being a league

Pass
- gerbe75pts

I bet the ratings for this game are a lot higher just because of the expectations of fights. I watch a lot of hockey and I tuned into this game only to see the Rangers response. They did well. Now they can play hockey.

A professional sport allows this

I’m amazed.

This is beer league bull poop.
- ImThatGuy

Honestly, it's embarrassing stuff like this that forces a league's hand to change.

They need to start by getting someone other than a former player in charge of handing out suspensions.

I bet the ratings for this game are a lot higher just because of the expectations of fights. I watch a lot of hockey and I tuned into this game only to see the Rangers response. They did well. Now they can play hockey.
- Camel

It was watched by hockey fans and that’s it so what did the NHL gain from this.

Pretty much, should still be ashamed of the this though. Even 1 game suspension keeps thi stuff from happening.
- Buff36

That’s all it would have taken. And none of this stuff would happen. They knew that too.

Honestly, it's embarrassing stuff like this that forces a league's hand to change.

They need to start by getting someone other than a former player in charge of handing out suspensions.
- buffalofan19

Until they get a visionary commissioner, nothing will change. Bettman got his 32 teams and new TV deal but it's going to take new blood to drag the NHL from the 20th century.

And that person is not Bill Daly

Until they get a visionary commissioner, nothing will change. Bettman got his 32 teams and new TV deal but it's going to take new blood to drag the NHL from the 20th century.

And that person is not Bill Daly
- jcragcrumple

Bettman runs the league the way the NHL owners want it ran.

That is the difference

Until the old boys of the league don't have owners ears nothing will change.

Bettman runs the league the way the NHL owners want it ran.

That is the difference

Until the old boys of the league don't have owners ears nothing will change.
- Stripes77

Completely agree.

The NHL has no interest in rooting itself into mainstream American culture. It loves the "farm boy from Alberta" mentality and they don't care if it costs them money.

It's the only league that doesn't prioritize showcasing their stars

I am horrible at fantasy hockey, but if fan duel counts penalty minutes then I guess a lot of rangers and caps are in lineups tonight

Completely agree.

The NHL has no interest in rooting itself into mainstream American culture. It loves the "farm boy from Alberta" mentality and they don't care if it costs them money.
- jcragcrumple

they have done zilch to grow the sport

Completely agree.

The NHL has no interest in rooting itself into mainstream American culture. It loves the "farm boy from Alberta" mentality and they don't care if it costs them money.
- jcragcrumple

I don’t even think it’s that

I think it’s - let’s let the players police themselves so we don’t have to do anything and that way the owners and NHLPA will leave us alone

Completely agree.

The NHL has no interest in rooting itself into mainstream American culture. It loves the "farm boy from Alberta" mentality and they don't care if it costs them money.

It's the only league that doesn't prioritize showcasing their stars
- jcragcrumple

This 1000% this.

That clip WGR plays with the Canadian congressman complaint about Americans says it all.

I don’t even think it’s that

I think it’s - let’s let the players police themselves so we don’t have to do anything and that way the owners and NHLPA will leave us alone
- sbroads24

Imagine it’s the NFL and one of the Bills players had a dirty head on a dolphin and then the next time they played on the kick off the dolphins just started attacking the Bills players.

See how dumb that sounds.

they have done zilch to grow the sport
- homiedclown

Every other sport makes life easier for their stars and makes the rules to benefit them and showcase their skills. Not the NHL.

I mean FFS Josh Allen gets touched a second late and it's a 15 yard penalty

Every other sport makes life easier for their stars and makes the rules to benefit them and showcase their skills. Not the NHL.

I mean FFS Josh Allen gets touched and it's a 15 yard penalty
- jcragcrumple

But the second you get that up you are told to “go watch soccer” if you don’t like it.

Okay cool great. There is a reason half of your teams lose money every year.

My GF hasn't watched an NHL game in years.

She just finished Drive to Survive and now wants to watch the race in Barcelona on Sunday. The NHL is awful at being a league
- jcragcrumple

It was watched by hockey fans and that’s it so what did the NHL gain from this.
- ImThatGuy

Most fans do not want to see fighting at all and rely on suspensions to take care of cleaning things up. That hasn’t proven to be much of a deterrent at all. I do not think fighting should occur as an intimidation factor but when someone like Wilson beats the crap out of a skilled player someone needs to send him a message. What the Rangers did tonight pulls that team together more than any suspension to Wilson would.

But the second you get that up you are told to “go watch soccer” if you don’t like it.

Okay cool great. There is a reason half of your teams lose money every year.
- ImThatGuy

We got a glimpse of what the league could have been when they called obstruction for two years in '05-'07 and then they backslid and embraced it again. Likewise when Shanahan ran DPS and actually suspended guys 10 years ago.

Both times the NHL said "nah, don't like it"

Remember when defensemen couldn't interfere on the forecheck? That actually happened for 2 glorious years

We got a glimpse of what the league could have been when they called obstruction for two years in '05-'07 and then they backslid and embraced it again. Likewise when Shanahan ran DPS and actually suspended guys 10 years ago.

Both times the NHL said "nah, don't like it"

Remember when defensemen couldn't interfere on the forecheck? That actually happened for 2 glorious years
- jcragcrumple

Remember how we almost lost Crosby halfway through his career because of cheap shots.

Fun times.

Wonder how long it takes before a player gets mad and runs McDavid for “embarrassing” them

Remember how we almost lost Crosby halfway through his career because of cheap shots.

Fun times.

Wonder how long it takes before a player gets mad and runs McDavid for “embarrassing” them
- ImThatGuy

It's a joke. The definition of a joke

We got a glimpse of what the league could have been when they called obstruction for two years in '05-'07 and then they backslid and embraced it again. Likewise when Shanahan ran DPS and actually suspended guys 10 years ago.

Both times the NHL said "nah, don't like it"

Remember when defensemen couldn't interfere on the forecheck? That actually happened for 2 glorious years
- jcragcrumple

In the name of player safety too.

Same with blowing the whistle early on icings