Big ice?

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Per
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Big ice?

Post by Per »

So, did anyone watch Canada playing in the recent world championship? They played a beautiful skill game based on ferocious forechecking and persistant possession. This tournament, as well as last year's Olympic tournament, was ample proof that the bigger ice surface on iihf rinks no longer is detrimental to Canadian teams. In fact, they seemed to thrive on it.

Which brings to mind that Jari Kurri a few weeks ago in an interview with a Finnish newspaper claimed that he knew that the NHL leadership is contemplating switching to a broader ice surface to help make the game more interesting.

The reasoning behind it was that today's players are faster and bigger and that the narrow rink makes it harder to create offense. By making the ice wider, forwards have a better shot at getting past the blueliners, making size less imperative and rewarding skill while opening up the game more, which in turn should hopefully lead to more goals.

It's interesting, as up till now it has been more common that you hear about people suggesting European leagues should switch to NHL style narrow rinks, in order to increase the physicality of the game, which many feel makes the game more exciting.

Of course, with concussions being a major concern for the NHL, maybe a little less physicality would not be all bad. Especially if combined with more goals being scored.

Thoughts?
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Hockey Widow
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Re: Big ice?

Post by Hockey Widow »

The NHL has been thinking about this for years, with much debate on both sides. One of the biggest hurdles is arena reconfiguration and the loss of revenue from ice level seats. All existing arenas would have to be retrofitted
with significant cost. Some arenas are owned by the same company that holds the team, others are not. The trickle down economic effect to lesser leagues would also be a burden. I would think they would have to gradually start in the minors and eventually work up to the NHL.

But from a dollar and sense perspective I see it as a big reach right now. I also don't think there is enough talent to actually make it work from a team parity point of view.

I love the big ice when evenly matched teams meet but it cam quickly become a blow out if they are not. IMO
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Blob Mckenzie
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Re: Big ice?

Post by Blob Mckenzie »

Per I don't think the big ice has been detrimental to Canadian teams for the past twenty years . Sure the players here grow up on a smaller sheet and it's what they know , but they have proven time and again that they can play on a soccer pitch and win . The question is whether it will be as exciting for fans and whether owners want to yank out three rows of seats . I'd like to see a bit of a variation where teams can set there rinks up as they please between 200x 85 and 200 x100 .

What sucks as a Canucks fan is that they would thrive in neither a small rink or a big one . They are old , small and slow . Maybe they could have a 175x120 rink where the Sedins would turn people in knots with their cycling
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Per
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Re: Big ice?

Post by Per »

Blob Mckenzie wrote: I'd like to see a bit of a variation where teams can set there rinks up as they please between 200x 85 and 200 x100 .
I actually think that the Finnish league goes by those rules, so a handful of teams have chosen NHL style home ice, whereas most teams go by the IIHF standard. I like this idea, because that also means a good team will have to be able to perform on both types of surface. A bit like tennis, where some players are better on clay, some on grass, but a true master can win on both.
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