The future of the NHL?

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Cornuck
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The future of the NHL?

Post by Cornuck »

Just saw this link of a goal scored by a 9 year old...

LINK

It got me thinking - is this how the NHL will look in 15-20 years? Hot dogging and trick shots, brought on by the guys who are inspired by Crosby and others? Will the hitting and physical play be so removed that the next generation of players will have room to make these moves during a game?

Since the first expansion, the league has gone through some phases - The Broadstreet Bullies, the high flying 80s, the clutch and grab 90s, the current bad-reffing-nobody-knows play? Actually there is a great emergence of young talent in the league - is that the new trend?

Tell me - what do see the league looking like in 20 years? (Will it still be around?) Will all the games be on pay-per-view internet video only?

Sorry, but the long layoffs between games give me time to think...
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Re: The future of the NHL?

Post by Ridleyfan »

Twenty five teams, at the most.

Six preseason games maximum.

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Re: The future of the NHL?

Post by Jelly »

I can see some teams moving, Phoenix is on it's last leg, and if more support comes out from Winnipeg, we might just see the Jets back. My imagination tells me a Teemu return to Winnipeg to end his career there would be such a perfect end for him and a perfect start for the new Jets.

NHL doesn't want Atlanta to fail, cause if it does, then Hockey is probably done in Atlanta for good. But having Braves, Falcons and Hawks there fighting for sports fans, and all the crazy college sports in the states, the competition is going to drive the Thrashers. Their lack of success is also a major factor. Thrashers moving to Quebec?

Expansion is almost out of the question unless the people that are destroying the economy stop doing it. (ie. going to war, giving billions to some asshole that lost them cause he can't run his company well) stuff like that.

But enough rant about the teams.

Players wise, I can see another wave of young guns coming in the next 10-15 years. Crosby, whether you like him or not, has became THE poster boy for NHL, kids growing up now are ever more exposed to the idea that they can make it when their 18. The NHL needs to spam the networks with more ads, less focus on team marketing, more focus on players and their stories, grassroots building is the way IMO.

As much as it hurts me say, I can see fighting penalty being increased to 10 minutes to stop meaningless fights. Only to be undermined by Brian Burke who signs 3 goons and plays them on the fourth line, who doesn't really care if they sit in the box for 10 minutes. Instigator probably will be taken out in the next CBA.

No touch icing will be introduced for a year when some dumbass takes out another guy and cause him to be paralyzed for life. Only to be reverted back to touch icing with a twist. The goalie touching the puck behind the goal line can be credited as the touch for icing. Which basically takes out the whole chase element.

Steve Moore will file suit on the NHL.

But I still can't see the leaves winning a cup in the next 15-20 years.
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Re: The future of the NHL?

Post by the toucan kid »

I see a game that is played much more like the European game. Fighting will be gone in all forms but the out and out brawls we see occasionally in other sports. Nets will be bigger.

The NHL will still exist, but in a streamlined form. I wouldn't be stunned if there was some kind of intercontinental federation league or tournament. The brass tacks is that if the NHL isn't going to be subsidized by huge American television or online revenues, then it won't be able to have it's way with how the game structures itself overseas. I see the Euro leagues gaining prominence and keeping more of their own players.

Frankly, I think the game will improve once we ditch all the Pat Quinn dogma and get back to what makes it great, skating, passing, puck handling, great athletic - rather than positional - saves etc. I don't see hitting being taken out, but it will be purely for taking away the puck and not for injury/intimidation.

I think the game will be fine though, although we'll all be curmudgeon's whining about how the game is for pansies now like our fathers/grandfathers do/did.
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Re: The future of the NHL?

Post by nucklehead_88 »

i see teams going back to original markets like hartford, quebec city, winnipeg(all of which have apprached the league about regaining a franchise) losing teams in pheonix(duh), tampa bay, nashville, and long island(yes i said long island, i hate it but its already in talks), the canucks win at least one cup, the pittsburgh penguins lose both crosby and malkin due to cap issues, the leaves.....stay the same as they are now,Gary makes a crosby rule where every nhl game on T.V. have a small picture in the corner of the screen so everyone on the planet can watch is posterboy play while your team plays, there is another lockout due to Gary not allowing players to play in the olympics and the nhlpa revolting, nhl FINALLY fires gary. NHL finally accepts Alex Ovechkin as their real poster boy. League becomes a HotDog league like the NFL. NHL flourishes in the states, loses respect in Canada. thats how i see the next 5 years
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Re: The future of the NHL?

Post by Jelly »

so you want every game played like the all star game?

frankly, i appreciate watching teams playing quality defense. but i guess that's just me.
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Re: The future of the NHL?

Post by nucklehead_88 »

Jelly wrote:so you want every game played like the all star game?

frankly, i appreciate watching teams playing quality defense. but i guess that's just me.
me too, i like the style of the early 90's the most.
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Re: The future of the NHL?

Post by Tciso »

Jelly wrote: But I still can't see the leaves winning a cup in the next 15-20 years.
Amen, brother!
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Re: The future of the NHL?

Post by trouble »

I accually see it the other way.. At the moment the little guys are ruling,, I can see some teams going back to big hard hitting/fighting type players to slow down these guys..

Bettman will be gone in the next year or so and the league will take off after that.

Fighting and hitting is what makes hockey great. you put your head down.. You lose it
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Re: The future of the NHL?

Post by Jelly »

I really wonder, if Bettman is out of a job, walking on the streets, how many times will he get egged in Winnepeg.
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Re: The future of the NHL?

Post by Mikodat »

Ok... crystal ball in place...

Bettman gets fired next year over his misshandling of the Olympic situation...
Burke gets fired year after leading the leaves to a last place finish 2 years in a row..
Burke blames Nonis... or God or something..
Players get bigger and tougher.Hitting and fighting increase. ( fug the euro's .. this is our game )
League passes new rule on " over the glass" = must be intentional ( ref's call ) for penalty
SOB remains an SOB... but a Canuck
We look back at the team of 2009/10 and say.. " god they could of been a contender if "....... " ( insert excuse )
KHL challenges the NHL for the Stanley Cup .. ( Yeah its supposed to be a Challenge Cup )..
League moves Phoenix to Lima Peru... Bettman boasting about international expansion..
Tiger Williams is brought in as Associate Coach .All draft picks are from the World Wrestling Federation .. The Canucks go to the Stanley Cup and win in 7. Last game decided by a penalty shot by Shirikov. Grabner is seen selling beer in the concesion booth..
God ... I got toooooo much time on my hands.. waiting..
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Re: The future of the NHL?

Post by jchockey »

All this talk about the little guys ruling... myself, I don't think so... the guys who can play regardless of size are still having lots of success in this league, like St. Louis and Gionta... even Fleury in his short preseason stint was tearing it up...

Also, that move the 9-year old pulled can be done by any NHLer and it's pretty obvious why they can't in a game situation. There's too little room to operate and once he finishes that 360 he'll probably have Anton Volchenkov stepping into him. It's a hot dog move that can only be showcased in shootouts or ASG's. Rob Schremp can do things with the puck I have never even dreamed of and the guy can't even stick it on Long Island.

The game has opened up more, I'll agree, but that doesn't necessarily mean only the little guys are taking advantage. Chris Pronger has been just as effective, in my opinion, pre- and post-lockout.

My guess is that the league changes very little from now until 10, maybe even 15 years into the future. No instigator rule, no staged fights, no Gary Bettman, no Coyotes, no Thrashers. That's what I see.
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Re: The future of the NHL?

Post by Sid Dithers »

The great hope for the future of hockey rests in one man...Milan Lucic. He is almost single-handedly keeping Old-Time Hockey alive. He's big, he plays hard, he can score, he can hit and he's serious business when his mitts hit the ice. He is The Throwback Player. Once kids look around and figure out what a value it is to be able to bring all those things to the table, there will be more Lucic's coming along. Hey I love Ovechkin and Crosby and those guys. Great players, amazing talent and always fun to watch. But the common Joe responds to blue collar players who always let you know they were out there. That's why Tiger Williams is who he is. We need guys like that who wear it on their sleeves. We just need to get Bettman out of there and find someone who will let the players play.
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Re: The future of the NHL?

Post by the toucan kid »

Chris Pronger has been just as effective, in my opinion, pre- and post-lockout.
Pronger can rush and distribute the puck pretty well, he's big but not stationary. There have been plenty of post-lockout casualties.
The great hope for the future of hockey rests in one man...Milan Lucic.
Lucic is one of the few guys on other teams that I will put on an unrelated game to watch.
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Re: The future of the NHL?

Post by Jelly »

One of the biggest mistakes Nonis has ever made was to trade that 2nd round pick away that year.

I don't know about you guys, but I had Lucic marked on our pick, Vancouver resident, played junior here, physical, big, and a leader. We really should have gotten him. Burrows - Kesler - Lucic.../drool.

And now that Boston signed him, there goes my offer sheet wetdream.
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