The New NHL

[rezadue]

Lat night I ended up watching the whole leafs-Sens game and I must say that although I was not totally impressed with the Senators performance, I was pretty impressed with the quality of the game itself.
Hardly any icings, tag up offside, no red line. It all made for a fast paced end to end action that was very entertaining from the begining to the end. And the ovetime culminating in the shootout just made it more nail biting.

Thumbs up NHL.
Go Sens Go.

[EDSGOLF]

The shootout was awesome! A great change/addition to the game.

[em69]

The new rules make me want to watch the game again.

I hated watching when hooking, interference, clutching and grab etc. were never called. It is nice to see the refs are being firm with the rules.

[dbleber]

I didn't like it that much. I thought the game was very sloppy and some of the calls were very eak. I am all for no clutching and grabing but they were calling some pretty cheesy stuff, I just don't want to see this game go like soccer or basketball where if you sneeze on someone you get called.

On another note, the Sens were just plain flat out of the gates. There passes were awful and they didn't shoot the bloody puck, not to mention the missed call by the refs and coaching staff on that first goal. That would have changed the tempo of the game if they would have gone upstairs. Either way a W is a W.

[The Shtick]

Unfortunately, I couldn't watch any game last night. I heard though that this year the referees are wearing microphones ala NFL and announce calls to the crowd themselves. Is this true?

[el tigre]

Hardly any icings, tag up offside, no red line. It all made for a fast paced end to end action that was very entertaining from the begining to the end. And the ovetime culminating in the shootout just made it more nail biting.

Thumbs up NHL.
Go Sens Go.

I liked some of the changes like the stricter officiating, tag up offside and the larger offensive zone, but others I didn't care for:

1) Shootouts. Fun to watch, but they generally come down to which team has the best goaltender, and I don't think you should have one player decide the outcome in a team sport.
2) Goaltenders playing the puck. He's on the team, so why can't he play the puck in the corner? The rule discriminates against goalies with good puck-handling skills. Plus it makes the game LESS exciting - it encourages dump-ins and eliminates those close calls/goals when the goalie misplays the puck or makes a bad pass.
3) No line change on icing. I think it is a pretty harsh consequence for missing a pass. I hope the refs adjust by waving off more icings - IMHO they were always pretty generous in deciding that the puck was "not playable". Perhaps if they restricted it to icing from inside the blue line (maybe that is the rule now?).

I'm kinda on the fence regarding the 2-line pass. On one hand, it will make for less "trapping" and more breakaways - which are always exciting. OTOH, it encourages "net hanging" and laziness on the part of forwards coming back, and makes it more difficult for defencemen to join the rush. I think it actually favours the less-skilled, slower teams, since ultimately it is easier to pass the puck up the ice than skate with it. We'll see.

[mberube]

I also noticed that the game was disorganized. It looked like player did not know what to do or what not to do.

One thing I did like is the minimal stick work on the bobby. This was great for the faster player. I was flipping between the Habs and Boston game. I loved the Bulis goal. He moved in the D on the off wing while protecting the puck with his body. There was no way he would have done this if that was last season.

You can really see the better, faster and more agile player on the ice. We will see a lot of goals and points this year. Records could be broken.

Mike

[davevandyk]

i thought that the sens played utterly aweful for the first period and a half. But, as he always does, Alfie comes thru when it matters the most.

[Steelhead]

Referees do wear microphones to call the penalties like they do in the NFL. However the system is not quite up to par yet in all of the arena's. Watching the Habs vs Rangers game yesterday the refs could only be slighlty heard on the PA system at MSG. I guess its doing to take a couple of games to iron out the kinks.

All in all pretty entertaining hockey. I do think that the refs call some pretty cheezy penalties but if that's what it takes to have a more entertaining sport then I'm all for it.

[broken27]

1) Shootouts. Fun to watch, but they generally come down to which team has the best goaltender, and I don't think you should have one player decide the outcome in a team sport.
2) Goaltenders playing the puck. He's on the team, so why can't he play the puck in the corner? The rule discriminates against goalies with good puck-handling skills. Plus it makes the game LESS exciting - it encourages dump-ins and eliminates those close calls/goals when the goalie misplays the puck or makes a bad pass.
3) No line change on icing. I think it is a pretty harsh consequence for missing a pass. I hope the refs adjust by waving off more icings - IMHO they were always pretty generous in deciding that the puck was "not playable". Perhaps if they restricted it to icing from inside the blue line (maybe that is the rule now?).

I'm kinda on the fence regarding the 2-line pass. On one hand, it will make for less "trapping" and more breakaways - which are always exciting. OTOH, it encourages "net hanging" and laziness on the part of forwards coming back, and makes it more difficult for defencemen to join the rush. I think it actually favours the less-skilled, slower teams, since ultimately it is easier to pass the puck up the ice than skate with it. We'll see.

1 - The goalie can't decide the outcome alone, you still need someone to score. The shootout will in fact benefit the more skilled teams in the league, and make regulation time and overtime more exciting. Weaker teams that used to try to hang on to leads will think twice.

2 - Goaltenders can play the puck, just not in the corners. This was done because of the "no hitting goalies" unwritten rule. Too often a goalie would wander out of his net, then position his body between oncoming forecheckers and the puck, making it virtually impossible for the opposing player to get at it without taking a beating or a penalty. Unless you want to make goalies fair targets, this rule was a must!

3 - No line changes on icing is perfectly acceptable if you read the actual rule. Linesmen have discretion to decide if it is a missed long-bomb pass or a true icing. Only in the latter case will a team forego its right to change lines. Again, makes perfect sense to me...

As for the two line passes, I can't see how you would say that this will create nethanging. These guys are professionals, and know that even with nethanging (more likely cherry-picking in this case) you still won't score at a high percentage rate. However, by being out of position defensively you expose your goalie. So far I have seen little evidence of laziness from backchecking forwards, and have seen MORE defensive rushes than in years past...

I've watched 8 games so far in two days, gotta love repeats!

Dan

[Andru]

I didn't like it that much. I thought the game was very sloppy and some of the calls were very eak. I am all for no clutching and grabing but they were calling some pretty cheesy stuff, I just don't want to see this game go like soccer or basketball where if you sneeze on someone you get called.

On another note, the Sens were just plain flat out of the gates. There passes were awful and they didn't shoot the bloody puck, not to mention the missed call by the refs and coaching staff on that first goal. That would have changed the tempo of the game if they would have gone upstairs. Either way a W is a W.

Just an FYi it wasn't a missed call. They looked at it several times and there was no conclusive evidence and they have the best angles available.

They also invited any media member,coach,GM etc who doubted it to come in to the replay booth and see it for themselves. Other than Dean, Gord and a few paranoid sens fans. most agreed it really wasn't as clear as day.

The puck has to cross all the way over the red line. and remember the camera over the cross bar ( the you saw on TSN) is NOT directly over the crossbar. If it were level it would be 30-40 feet away. Because it's so high you get the illusion it's right on top.

[Andru]

As for the two line passes, I can't see how you would say that this will create nethanging. These guys are professionals, and know that even with nethanging (more likely cherry-picking in this case) you still won't score at a high percentage rate. However, by being out of position defensively you expose your goalie. So far I have seen little evidence of laziness from backchecking forwards, and have seen MORE defensive rushes than in years past...

I've watched 8 games so far in two days, gotta love repeats!

Dan

I agree, The two line pass has been awesome. The defense have to back up now creating so much room in the neutral zone. The trap doesn't work anymore. The trap worked so well for two reasons 1) The hooking and grabbing and 2) Average defensmen trying to make passes into crowded areas ( Namely the blueline and Centre. )

It's working, the best game on Opening night was the NYI and Sabres. Love the Centre Ice package man. Even though my Maple Leafs are getting slammed by the new economics I still love the new NHL.

[dbleber]

Just an FYi it wasn't a missed call. They looked at it several times and there was no conclusive evidence and they have the best angles available.

They also invited any media member,coach,GM etc who doubted it to come in to the replay booth and see it for themselves. Other than Dean, Gord and a few paranoid sens fans. most agreed it really wasn't as clear as day.

The puck has to cross all the way over the red line. and remember the camera over the cross bar ( the you saw on TSN) is NOT directly over the crossbar. If it were level it would be 30-40 feet away. Because it's so high you get the illusion it's right on top.

It wasn't reviewed at game time. I watched it and they didn't even go up stairs. I also saw a slow motion shot on the NHL Network and the WHOLE puck was over the line, along with Belfours glove which batted out quickly. Doesn't realy matter, Sens won!

[broken27]

It wasn't reviewed at game time. I watched it and they didn't even go up stairs. I also saw a slow motion shot on the NHL Network and the WHOLE puck was over the line, along with Belfours glove which batted out quickly. Doesn't realy matter, Sens won!

It WAS reviewed at game time (just not by the on-ice official). Had the Senators' coaching staff been a little slower in sending out their lineup following the next whistle, they may have called down from the booth. The coach can't ask for a review. That being said, from all the replays I saw, it was fairly obvious that in order for Belfour to get his glove on it it would have to be in the net. Problem is that you need to SEE the PUCK in its entirety, which you could not. So it's Schroedinger's cat. Is the puck inside the glove which is in the net? One would have to assume so, but without seeing it, we don't know for sure...

Dan

[LobWedge]

I've looked at the TSN replay over and over again, and even as a Leaf fan, I am certain that the puck crossed the line, based on the speed of the puck and the position of Belfour's arm when the puck hits it. The problem with the overhead view, which would be the prime angle for a review such as this, is that the water bottle and holder are obstructing the camera shot at the moment of truth, and like the old saying goes, "you can't call what you can't see".

[broken27]

I've looked at the TSN replay over and over again, and even as a Leaf fan, I am certain that the puck crossed the line, based on the speed of the puck and the position of Belfour's arm when the puck hits it. The problem with the overhead view, which would be the prime angle for a review such as this, is that the water bottle and holder are obstructing the camera shot at the moment of truth, and like the old saying goes, "you can't call what you can't see".

If even a Leafs fan gets it, the case is settled...

Dan

[TheNextTiger]

I have to admit I'm not a huge hockey fan but I do follow the scores and watch it when its on...and I just have to say that I'm very happy with the new rule changes, especially how they've taken out the two line pass, and how the refs are cracking down on interference...it makes the game so much more exciting and creates so many more scoring oppurtunities...and the scores in the games have reflected it

[Andru]

It wasn't reviewed at game time. I watched it and they didn't even go up stairs. I also saw a slow motion shot on the NHL Network and the WHOLE puck was over the line, along with Belfours glove which batted out quickly. Doesn't realy matter, Sens won!

YES, it was reviewed. THe off ice officials began reviewing the play immediately after it happened ( NOt at the first stoppage of play as you assumed ). By the time the play stopped they had already determined that it was inconclusive. It's like the NFL. Can't overturn a play if it's not conclusive. As in you can see the puck over the line not asume it's probably over the line. Over the course of a season every team will get one in it's favour and one not in it's favour, it's sports.

2nd. NHL Network uses TSN's feed. Yawn.

3rd. It does matter the leafs ended up with a tie in the end. 1 point. Then again woudl the sens have the same urgency at the end of the game. Who knows. It's sports.

[Andru]

I've looked at the TSN replay over and over again, and even as a Leaf fan, I am certain that the puck crossed the line, based on the speed of the puck and the position of Belfour's arm when the puck hits it. The problem with the overhead view, which would be the prime angle for a review such as this, is that the water bottle and holder are obstructing the camera shot at the moment of truth, and like the old saying goes, "you can't call what you can't see".

The problem with the over headview is it isn't an overhead view. It's not directly over the crossbar. It's slightly back. Not directly on online like the endzone cam in football. Not quite as bad as the Tampa-Calgary non-goal in 2003-2004. I wish the broadcasters would mention this when they're looking a replays. It's grade nine science. That being said. Looked to be probably in the net. Can you imagine the Stanley cup being awarded on a goal like that? Not even after. 38 years would I want that.

haha tried to do a drawing didn't work.

[wopstergolf]

The problem with the over headview is it isn't an overhead view. It's not directly over the crossbar. It's slightly back. Not directly on online like the endzone cam in football. Not quite as bad as the Tampa-Calgary non-goal in 2003-2004. I wish the broadcasters would mention this when they're looking a replays. It's grade nine science. That being said. Looked to be probably in the net. Can you imagine the Stanley cup being awarded on a goal like that? Not even after. 38 years would I want that.

haha tried to do a drawing didn't work.

Wouldn't that be horrible. Came close when Dallas beat Buffalo with a questionable one. But nobody is perfect and no system is perfect, there will always be mistakes made.