Official NHL 2005-2006 Season Thread

[Matrix XII]

The new rules are rediculous. I've played hockey all my life and love the sport so much, and I just have to ask this question:

WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO HOCKEY?!?

The game is bogged down by a million crappy penalty calls, which in turn made the game less tough. Now the defencemen can't even tap the fowards with their stick, and quite frankly that's just rediculous. The goalie trapezoid rule is a joke, and Ohlund shooting it over the glass by accident got him a penalty and helped the Canucks lose, again another stupid rule. There are way too many goals!! I don't know why they thought it would make it more exciting, because I find it less exciting now that there are more goals because it doesn't seem as special to score anymore. The only rule I like is taking out the centre line, it opens up the neutral zone more.

So far, I just hate the new NHL. They took out the part of the game that made hockey infamous: toughness.

[Nasapion]

Markus Naslund is lookin damn sharp.

4 goals in 2 games. Better keep your head up Detroit!

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Edited :D

Edited October 10, 2005 by Nasapion

[Matrix XII]

Yeah man, I hope he has a good game tonight.

[Steffan]

OLN said they would show the Pens and Sabers game tonight. I turned on the channel at 7pm and they are showing something else. They didn't even mentioned anything about blackout. At least ESPN would put the disclaimer on the commerical and ads on their site. They are getting slammed on their forum. I might get sirius sooner then excepted.

[bigbluepride35]

Oof. After a nice start the Rangers have had three tough losses (2 in OT). I knew I shouldn't get too excited lol. The two OT losses really sting. Both were not on the greatest of goals. I think Ovechkin is going to do juuuuust fine in the NHL.

[Matrix XII]

Yeah, he's really lighting it up :p

[R-Flex]

I didn't expect any less of Ovechkin. When I saw him play in the World Cup, I knew he would make a fine NHLer.

As for other rookies, Dion Phaneuf hasn't received much attention so far, but what do you expect from this NHL that makes sticks useless? Under the old, true-to-hockey NHL, he would have been the top rookie. He still could, but the only way he can win the Calder is scoring.

Thomas Vanek needs to get into a groove. He could do very well. So far he's been off the radar, but that will change fairly soon. Same with Corey Perry.

Brent Seabrook has been a surprise offensively for the Blackhawks, but I doubt he'll be a real contender for the Calder.

Marek Svatos (is he still a rookie?) just got a hat trick. From last year's playoffs, I knew he would do very well. Few really saw any potential in him though. But why, why did I forget to put him into my hockey pool?

Zach Parise will definitely be an NHLer, everyone knew that, especialyl after his performance in the World Juniors a couple years ago, but will he make an impact so soon in his career? His breakout season will be next year, I believe.

This Brandon Bochenski came out of nowhere. He's playing on the Ottawa top line. He'll pick up some points if he can stay on the team.

Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, on the Flyers, need to do well. Not only to emerge as stars, but Philly needs them to produce.

I'm not even going to talk about Crosby...

[Matrix XII]

Why aren't you going to talk about Crosby lol :p

[Fred Derf Veteran]

The rule changes seem mostly appealing to fans, an entertainment sanction. Yet, I have to feel for some players. Defencemen are being sacrificed for higher goal production. I would absolutely detest being defence in the new NHL, especially since the stick has been deemed useless. Might as well just leave it on the bench, because all the NHL wants is goals.

586636235[/snapback]

I think that Bryan McCabe and Thomas Kaberle would disagree. They are both tied at the top of the Leafs leaderboard with 5 points in 4 games.

[Ayepecks]

The new rules are rediculous. I've played hockey all my life and love the sport so much, and I just have to ask this question:

WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO HOCKEY?!?

The game is bogged down by a million crappy penalty calls, which in turn made the game less tough. Now the defencemen can't even tap the fowards with their stick, and quite frankly that's just rediculous. The goalie trapezoid rule is a joke, and Ohlund shooting it over the glass by accident got him a penalty and helped the Canucks lose, again another stupid rule. There are way too many goals!! I don't know why they thought it would make it more exciting, because I find it less exciting now that there are more goals because it doesn't seem as special to score anymore. The only rule I like is taking out the centre line, it opens up the neutral zone more.

So far, I just hate the new NHL. They took out the part of the game that made hockey infamous: toughness.

586650564[/snapback]

Glad to see someone agrees with me :)

[Fred Derf Veteran]

At the moment we are seeing more goals due to more powerplay opportunities. It will be interesting, once the players truely learn the rules, to see if the goal production continues once the number of penalties drop.

Presumably, the number of penalties will indeed drop (either because the players adjust or because the referees get more lax as the season wears on).

I certainly am not a fan of shootouts but I accept it as an eventuality. I understand that many fair-weather fans do not like to see a game left in a tie as it makes the game somehow redundant or unresolved. I haven't seen a study but I assume that support is low in hockey hotbeds but higher in non-traditional hockey cities.

Just about everyone agrees that two-line passes are a good thing. We have seen it work well in international hockey.

It's only been a week or so for the new rules. I suggest we all give it until Christmas with a somewhat open mind.

[Nasapion]

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20052006/GS020056.HTM

No way.

[R-Flex]

think that Bryan McCabe and Thomas Kaberle would disagree. They are both tied at the top of the Leafs leaderboard with 5 points in 4 games.

That's because the Leafs have no offensive talent in the forwards... :D

Ever heard of Rod Langway? Amazing defenceman, but he wasn't offensive. I think he's one of the most underrated players ever. Sometimes goals and assists aren't the most important things. Would Bobby Orr have been as famous without his offensive talent? Definitely not. As for pure defensive ability, that is a thing of the past, with Rod Langway.

[Matrix XII]

Yeah McCabe is on fire right now.

[Arbiter]

so i just joined a league (kind of late)...any advice for someone who feels very naive about hockey at this point?

[Ayepecks]

Red Wings are on fireeeeeeeeeeeeeee! :) Too bad I can't watch any games... no OLN. lol

[Tran]

Wow... an 8-0 win for Ottawa over the Leafs... Go Ottawa!

[dL]

Wow Avs fans are funny... they boo more than they cheer. Quite sad.

dL

[Billthy]

Red Wings are on fireeeeeeeeeeeeeee! :) Too bad I can't watch any games... no OLN. lol

586742041[/snapback]

Wings are playing amazing!

To bad Ottawa and the Wings don?t play each other... Stupid new scheduling

[RichieNine9]

Wings are playing amazing!

To bad Ottawa and the Wings don?t play each other... Stupid new scheduling

586743259[/snapback]

Yeah, not sure if i like the new scheduling either. When I wanna go see a game i have a lot fewer options of the teams i get to see.

[bayrider]

Yup, i understand theyre trying to build rivalries, but playing the same team in the division 8x a season isnt exactly a rivalry, it just becomes all too common.

It also makes for the Western Conference teams to have more points cause they play more weaker teams. All the teams in the North East division are fairly strong, so my team (Montreal) has to constantly play tougher teams while Detroit gets the luxury of playing Columbus, Chicago, St. Louis and so on.

[rajputwarrior]

habs got revenge, should clean up florida today too

[rajputwarrior]

9 wins for the habs :)

[Ayepecks]

Yup, i understand theyre trying to build rivalries, but playing the same team in the division 8x a season isnt exactly a rivalry, it just becomes all too common.

It also makes for the Western Conference teams to have more points cause they play more weaker teams. All the teams in the North East division are fairly strong, so my team (Montreal) has to constantly play tougher teams while Detroit gets the luxury of playing Columbus, Chicago, St. Louis and so on.

586755046[/snapback]

Whaaaaaa whaaaaa whaaaaaaa :p

[D1g1talMan]

What the heck is with then Pens? They have no excuse to be this bad....