The Campaign for Slower Hockey
I never thought I'd be arguing this, but maybe it's time to put some legal interference into the rulebook.
- Elliotte Friedman, CBC.ca"There are more high-impact collisions due to a faster game... collisions in the NHL have never been this huge."
- Pierre McGuire, TSN.ca
It's been said that journalists follow stories like birds on a wire. If one leaves, they all leave. If one comes back, they all come back.
The McGuire and Friedman comments appeared this week, with columnist Eric Duhatschek making similar noises.
A few days earlier, it was ex-player Bill Berg raising the "speed" issue on the NHL Network, a day after it was discussed on HNIC Radio.
All reached the same conclusion:
Without holding and hooking, hockey players are out of control, charging into each other like runaway freight trains.
It's a convenient blanket argument - Ottawa general manager Bryan Murray is convinced - but it doesn't hold up.
The hit that caused David Booth's concussion had some speed behind it.
But Darcy Tucker was a victim of plain, old dirty hockey. Willie Mitchell was gliding from the penalty box when he leveled Jonathan Toews.
And names like Eric Lindros and Pat Lafontaine are a reminder that brain-rattling hits have been around much longer than today's speedier brand of hockey.
If head shots are the problem, more hooking isn't the solution.
As for the recent spurt of other injuries, we've seen it before.
Hockey's a rough game. Sometimes injuries come in bunches.
The current cluster is making headlines only because it includes so many star players.
Until someone finds a prolonged spike in the numbers, there's no trend, and no reason to slow the game down.
(Photo: Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images)
Comments
How often have we heard that the players are bigger, faster and stronger than years ago? There’s no question that’s true, and then you throw in composite sticks and lighter equipment and we have a completely different game than we had 30 years ago.
There is only one thing that has remained constant over the years: the size of the ice surface (the old Boston Garden not withstanding).
There will unfortunately, be more serious injuries in the future unless body contact is taken out of the game. Who wants to see that?
If the NHL had TV contracts like the NFL, NBA or MLB, we would probably see franchise owners expanding their ice surfaces but with most of their revenue coming from gate receipts, don’t hold your breadth.
The bottom line is: there isn’t enough room on the ice to accommodate the size and speed of today’s players.
Colin Campbell and the NHL brass are helpless in trying to deal with a problem they have no control over.
If you reduce the game roster back to 17 players.
5 defensemen 9 forwards + spare and 2 goalies. with the players playing one minute to 1:30minutes ice term per shift. You will be able to see the skilled players using their skills more. You would reduce the speed a little but the majority of fans would rather see skill players. You don’t have to revert back to the hooking and crap that we had before the lock out. But 30 second shifts make the player go all out on every shift. 1:00 minute to 1:30 minute shifts changes the game. Dressing less players would reduce the budgets and then this saving could be passed on to the supporters by lowering the ticket costs.
There is a new modern definition of Hockey out there.
It will go Olympic in 2020.
It is based upon an American invention but developed (or exploded) in Sweden.
It is a modern sport – no destructive plays – only constructive.
With 2 million players and 50 countries active it is one of the worlds fastest growing games today.
It is more than fun – ask any European playing in the NHL / they have been raised with it in school.
It is considered by many “puck heads” to be the best off ice practice..
It is growing fast in CANADA.
You can find out the rest at
http://floorballcentral.blogspot.com/
or just try you tube or something….
Ehhh, forgot to say – it is a rather safe sport.
Michael
Where is Kate Hudson’s son playing this year,I hear he’s a good player.
Here in Finland and in Sweden floorball is very big, but safe? hell no, insurance companies rate it as one of the most statistically dangerous sports in planet, ahead of combat sports, hockey and football.
Floorball has passed volleyball as most risky sport for insurance companies due high frequency of ankle and knee injuries, and on our sunday-league-once a week-group, we’re missing all the time 1 or 2 players because of long-term injuries that had to be operated, granted we’re not what you would call athletes