This is the first of a four part series this
week, where I share my NHL political beliefs.
Please leave your comments.
Today’s installment: Three NHL Issues on which I am
conservative.
In the politics of politics, everyone likes to frame the
words liberal and conservative into definitions that suit themselves best. For my purpose in this piece, I am defining a
belief as conservative if it represents something thin the NHL that I would not
like to change, or the rejection of a major change in the league.
1 Standings/Shootout
This is probably the single change of the past decade the
NHL has made that I hate the most. And
there are so many things to hate about it.
First thing to hate, the introduction of the shootout
following the last lockout ushered in an era in which the actual league
standings, which determine actual playoff teams, were actually going to reward
the winner of a tie-breaking contest that is not actually much like hockey.
Second thing to hate, the idea that the two points for a win
and one point for forcing overtime motivates implicit collusion. It’s hard to say if the statistics prove
collusion. In the first four seasons of
this system, there were 281, 281, 272, and 282 games that went to overtime or a
shootout in ’05-06, ’06-07, ’07-08, ’08-09, respectively. In the three following season, there were
307, 297, and 300 overtime or shootout games in ’09-10, ’10-11, and ’11-12,
respectively. It’s hard to say if the
jump in the past three seasons represents teams figuring out it’s logical to
play not to lose.
Actual numbers aside, the appearance itself that it’s
logical for teams to collude would lead to dead 3rd periods I think
is problematic. I could do a whole post
on alternative standings, but suffice to say, just about any system I’ve seen
out there is better than the one in place now.
2 Realignment and Playoffs
I would define my position as conservative on this issue
because I favor a return to a four division setup. (Though I would say I’m ambivalent about
naming the divisions and conferences after important names in hockey as was
done before 1993.) I think the plan that
the board of governors passed this year would have fixed a lot of what is wrong
with the current setup. I have done many
other posts on this if you’re interested in specifics. To summarize, particularly in the Western
Conference, there needs to be a more geographic division, and one that would
place Minnesota with more traditional rivals.
And keeping playoff matchups within a division (at least for one round)
again would only bolster rivalries in all division games.
Fighting
I am aware that my support of the continued place of
fighting in the NHL is as hockey-politically incorrect as it gets right
now. There is still something about the
notion that players can hold each other accountable where officials fail that
seems logical to me. The further the NHL
gets from this idea, the more cheap shots that the league’s rats are going to
get away with.
Head-shots are a very sensitive subject right now, and that
is why fighting is in the cross-hairs.
However, I still like to think fighting is a deterrent to dirty hits
during full speed play, but I understand this view is finding its way to the
minority. But until the NHL gets its act
together on headshots, I’ll hope there’s still a place for it in the league.
Well I've set the definition of three beliefs on which I believe I am conservative. There will be another piece tommorow, but in the interim State of Hockey, what say you?
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