It really pisses me off when I see so many empty seats during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. If you watched the Red Wings games, you would see that there were a bunch through out the entire game. There is no way so many people are all getting a beer 10 minutes into overtime. Don't take this luxury of having NHL hockey for granted.
210489
Yeah tell me about it.  Tickets are always supposedly sold out, but then you see so many seats empty at games.  And then theres those mother f-ers who leave when the game isnt even over! If youre a REAL fan, you stay the whole time.  Appreciate being at those games you ingrates.
429357
I do agree with you!  I think the role of enforcer is an important one and teams need to be able to "police" themselves!  But you've already covered all that.  The only thing I would add is that people need to look at both sides of the hit.  Not just the guy who dished it out.  It really frustrates me when guys see a hit coming and turn their back to it, or slow up so they are not close enough to the boards to take the hit safely.  And of course then there is always the open ice hits  KEEP YOUR FREEKEN HEAD UP!!  I'm sorry but I have no sympathy for any guy who gets labeled on open ice while staring at his skates.  You learn in minor hockey to skate / stick handle with your head up long before you learn how to hit.  If your in the NHL and you don't have that mastered yet, your going to get plastered!  And I don't feel bad for you!
280401
I'm not satisfied!!\n\nI'm a Duck's fan and I wish they could win the cup this year; however after game one I told my girlfriend... "My prediction is either Edmonton will sweep us or the series will go to seven games."  After tonight it looks like (sadly) I will get it right with the first guess.  \n\nEdmonton is not a true Cinderella, they finished eight but the bottom three teams were playing musical chairs at the end of regular season... it won't a big surprise if they go all the way.  Too bad for the NHL and tv ratings.\n\nAs consolation to all Duck fans out there we can say the Ducks are mightier than at least 26 other teams in the NHL (by virtue of actually making it to the conference finals).
391296
I loved that game in Edmonton.  I don't know if there is logistics to it though.  I mean last year in Ottawa you couldn't skate the canals a lot of the time.\n\nDamn Global warming could screw it up!  \n\nI think the big prob is you can't have as many seats and like it or not this is a big business.  \n\nPersonally I love the idea too!
645004
yeah i am. the trick is looking forward to the next season and finding a replacement sport. i suggest soccer with the fIFA world cup on every day it is a great way to get your mind of hockey try it. if it doesnot work im sorry my be play your own hockey games with your friends.
164422
It's made regulation time more important and games more interesting. In past seasons, before O/T and shootouts, if teams were tied going into the third period, both were more likely to play for the tie and get at least one point rather than zero. That meant that games became boring and a lot of games ended as ties. Fans were bored and the owners realized they needed fans. However, it was recognized that since the teams were tied at the end of regulation both deserved one point. Now comes the interesting part. To make the game more exciting for fans, the teams get the chance for another point by playing O/T with four aside. If still tied, then comes the shootout. Fans are rewarded with the more exciting play in OT/Shootout and the winning teams gets the extra point for their winning effort. The losing team still gets to keep their single point. The whole purpose is to please, attract and hold fans with more exciting hockey.
316003
the population is too small.  their money is worth half of an american dollar which amounts to the player getting paid less.  they have great fans but the teams can't get arenas to fill up unless the more popular teams come to town.  the arenas are costly to build.  the nhl has six canadian teams.
546955
Yes it's true that Montreal got whooped, but they were playing better in the first few minutes than Toronto...haha.  Well, I have to say that it seemed like one team was favoured over the other in terms of the calls...completely obvious if you ask me.  I was hoping that the Habs were gonna win, but Toronto was the better team that night.  Two many bounces on the ice that weren't going Montreal's way!!!
662767
Yeah. I'm Canadian, and while I would have liked to see the cup back in Canada - I remember visiting some friends in North Carolina and looking at the stats last November and the Hurricanes were at the top of the conference.  I kept an eye on them all year - and you know what - as cool as it would have been to see eighth place (in the west) Edmonton come and win it - The Hurricanes totally DESERVED to win - they worked their butts off all year and game 7 - they were relentless and outplayed the Oilers hands down.  I'm happy for them.  I feel bad for the Oilers, but they've won the cup more than a few times - and The Hurricanes haven't.  Given they are an expansion team I think it's good for the south to have a Stanley Cup winner and spread the thrill of hockey to a region that is learning the joy of the game!
477529
To some extent if you are referring the cricket.5 days,full day for a single game,it is too much.\nOur hockey is far far better as within two hours the game is over.But alas there is no interest and no money for the players,i feel sorry for the National game.\nIf people do not go to see the cricket matches the trend can be reversed.One can not imagine how much loss is being generated\nby wasting manpower and also in betting.
36322
Yeah, hockey is pretty dumb.  What would happen if the violence were eliminated?  Bet people would quit watching.  Maybe they should just let the players bludgeon each other to the death, then "Game Over".
126283
A game continues with 20 minute periods until someone scores and the game has a winner and a loser.  During the season, they don't want games to go on for hours and hours (mostly because of the TV contracts).\nThe shootout that just was instituted is a fast ending to games (again, TV).  I'm not a big fan because it turns a team game into 1-on-1.  It is exciting and that was the idea . . . i just don't like it.  They want the best TEAMS to advance to the finals . . .  . hence OT til the game ends
113157
The NHL is thriving and has never been better! Attendance is up! TV ratings are up! Everything is up!\n\nYou sound like a dinosaur fan lamenting the "glory days" when no-talent thugs ruled the game and bench-clearing brawls were a nightly occurrence. I found that to be abject and embarrassing! All it did was made the NHL look like some bush league where professional wrestling fans and other such losers could go to swill bear, scream obscenities and pick fights in the stands. No thanks!\n\n*Update: I'm glad we had our little offsite IM exchange, bugman, as I think we understand each other better now. We might not be on the same page, but we both love the game. And I promise you it is only going to get better! Go Sabres!
604812
I feel like the games would be only slightly better if they had overtime...however most countries don't have overtime in regular season games. it would be wierd for MLS to have it. I am going to see the Rapids play Salt Lake on Friday....Go Rapids!
394925
NHL was rejected by ESPN, not the other way.  I get OLN.  ESPN will never get the NHL back.  They will sign elsewhere.
322668
Yes I wanted to see the Stupid ducks go down in flames no pun intended :) Go Canada Go Canadian players. If you back up you see that its not really teams vs teams its who's Canadians are better. I'm still pissed off about the Sens game I just watched.
5652
Ram had it right. The rules are set to encourage people to go to the stadium/arena to watch the game (increases revenue from concessions, souveneirs, etc.). Without these rules, nearly everyone would watch the games on TV, thus hurting revenue (though they'd have more commercials to compensate for the lack of people attending the games). \nI'm assuming this is like NHL Center Ice on either satellite or cable, and they use the local feeds in most cases (though I do know "National" televised games have been blacked out in the location of the game if the venue hasn't been declared "Sold Out."\nIn addition, some venues will have different numbers for capacity (usually physical and "sell-out"). Most of the time, there will be little difference, but this will accomodate things like skyboxes and exclude walk-up seating like "standing room only" or "general admission."