1. #1
    Isaiah
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    You've Just Been Named NHL Dictator

    No players union, rules committees or red tape to go through to get your decrees enacted. You are hockey god. What changes would you implement to make the NHL better?

    I hereby decree:

    1) Contraction: Reduce the number of teams by at least 8. Too many teams have diluted to talent level of the League and has reduced the quality of play. Less is better. The number of players in the NHL with minor league talent is ridiculous.

    2) Fewer Games: Reduce the regular season schedule to 62 games. Again, too many games being played have made them less meaningful, players just going through the motions and created more injuries. Less is better. Less is more, making games more meaningful and points earned precious commodities. Healthier teams with fresher legs going into the best playoffs in sports. FANtastic!

    3) Eliminate the shootout. Play a 5 minute overtime period 4 on 4. If the game is still tied at the end of OT so be it. Points earned accordingly could present some very interesting scenarios with dramatic playoff ramifications.

    4) Change the point system. A regulation win earns 3 pts. Overtime win earns 2 pts. Ties each team wins 1 pt. Losing team receive 0 pts.

    5) Begin the regular season November 1st. Dropping the puck in early October and playing till next June makes the season too long. Most fans grow weary of the season by then. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Move the start of the playoffs up 1 month as well.

    I'd like to do something with fighting but am not sure what. Don't want to eliminate it but would like to make it less frequent and stop the phoney staged fights. Would like to peruse the ideas of whatever hockey gods respond to this thread.

    Your turn.
    Last edited by Isaiah; 08-21-14 at 08:54 PM.

  2. #2
    Vegas39
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    Will address #1 I don't think they need to downsize. Though there are teams that need moved to different cities. Like Arizona who gets shitty support for that team unless its in playoffs

  3. #3
    Isaiah
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    Contraction has playoff implications and raises some interesting questions. For the sake of discussion, the NHL goes to 24 teams - two divisions of 12 teams. How many make the playoffs? Eight teams from each division is too many so the number looks to be six with first round byes going to top two point winners.

    Or scrap the division concept entirely and have the top 12 point earners in the NHL earn playoff births and have the #1 seed play #12 etc. in the first round. With the highest point earners during the regular season keeping their seeds throughout the playoffs and playing the lowest seeds still alive. Thus making the regular season all the more meaningful and intense.

    Your thoughts?

  4. #4
    Rich Boy
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    Overall I would say NHL is well run and they always try to improve the game.

    I think they should implement coaches challenges for offsides calls, icing etc.

  5. #5
    M2gster
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    Draw is a very bad idea.
    I live in Europe so I've mostly watched football when I grew up and the one thing I don't like about soccer is the possibility of a draw.

    Less games is a top notch idea, but at the same time, with each game being less meaningful, it's easier to wager

  6. #6
    Isaiah
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    Quote Originally Posted by M2gster View Post
    Draw is a very bad idea.
    I live in Europe so I've mostly watched football when I grew up and the one thing I don't like about soccer is the possibility of a draw.
    You are comparing soccer with hockey? You cannot be serious.

  7. #7
    jamiebenn20
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    NHL makes most of its revenue from ticket sales. No chance they will reduce the number of games and they should not.

    Contracting teams is not a bad idea. 2 teams in Florida? That is a joke.

    These leagues all want parity. That is why the current point system is in place. I do prefer your point system too.

    The shootout blows. 3 on 3 will end quickly and be more entertaining.

  8. #8
    Isaiah
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    I am not through. Each franchise will be required to allocate 5000 very low priced tickets per game for Mr. & Mrs. Local Taxpayer who likely are paying for the ice arena the game is being played in. Every family should be able to afford to attend a NHL game should they wish to. Another 1000 tickets are to be set aside for disadvantaged/poor kids whose parents cannot afford to attend games. There is to be no cost for the kids admission. All of the above tickets must be rink side or mezzanine level.

    It will be the responsibility of the teams to find corporate sponsorship to offset the lost ticket revenues attendant to these changes. The era of billionaire owners bilking and extorting the taxpayers is now officially over.

    Now cry me a river Mr. Billionaire franchise owner. I am not through with you!

  9. #9
    hockey216
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    Quote Originally Posted by Isaiah View Post
    Change the point system. A regulation win earns 3 pts. Overtime win earns 2 pts. Ties each team wins 1 pt. Losing team receive 0 pts.
    regulation win shouldn't be 3x a tie.

    too heavily favors teams in weak divisions. tieing the top teams in league every night is better than beating a shit team, yet the latter gets rewarded 3x the former?

  10. #10
    hockey216
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    Quote Originally Posted by Isaiah View Post
    2) Fewer Games: Reduce the regular season schedule to 62 games. Again, too many games being played have made them less meaningful, players just going through the motions and created more injuries. Less is better. Less is more, making games more meaningful and points earned precious commodities. Healthier teams with fresher legs going into the best playoffs in sports. FANtastic!
    the league would collapse.

    media contracts are only worth a couple million per franchise. NHL makes all its $ off ticket sales.

    League would cease to exist by 20 games off the season.

  11. #11
    hockey216
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    Quote Originally Posted by Isaiah View Post
    3) Eliminate the shootout. Play a 5 minute overtime period 4 on 4. If the game is still tied at the end of OT so be it. Points earned accordingly could present some very interesting scenarios with dramatic playoff ramifications.

    5) Begin the regular season November 1st. Dropping the puck in early October and playing till next June makes the season too long. Most fans grow weary of the season by then. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Move the start of the playoffs up 1 month as well.

    I'd like to do something with fighting but am not sure what. Don't want to eliminate it but would like to make it less frequent and stop the phoney staged fights. Would like to peruse the ideas of whatever hockey gods respond to this thread.

    Your turn.
    shootout isn't fair, and that's why they don't do it in playoffs. They do it during regular season to sell tickets. NHL makes all of its $ off tickets, and can't survive without them. shootouts are fan-friendly to people in stadium. this change was made during the lockout (when almost all teams were bankrupt because hockey didn't have enough fans).

    beginning regular season november 1st is also bad idea. Starting in october gives it an advantage over basketball. The NHL can't compete with the NBA on tv if they both air the same night. Having a month of exclusive rights may draw some nba fans that are mild hockey fans to watch hockey when they otherwise wouldn't. also good for ticket sales.

    besides, i am a fan. i don't want to wait until november. that's too long of an offseason.

  12. #12
    hockey216
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    Quote Originally Posted by Isaiah View Post
    1) Contraction: Reduce the number of teams by at least 8. Too many teams have diluted to talent level of the League and has reduced the quality of play. Less is better. The number of players in the NHL with minor league talent is ridiculous.
    contraction will drive per-team salaries up, and drive teams into bankruptcy (which many are already in). fewer players means stacked rosters and higher team-spending on salaries as a whole. teams can't spend $10mm more on salaries and be profitable. most clubs have operated in the red or treading water for many years. this would drive the salary cap up (players would strike when stars are making 3.5mm). salaries going up by 10mm per year would kill and end the league.

    no offense, but i feel that every single one of your proposals is a bad idea.

    you need to understand the business component.

  13. #13
    hockey216
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    i would issue 3 game suspensions for diving.

    i would oust brendan shenahan for horribly inconsistent rulings on suspensions.

    i would hire a top industry marketing expert to figure out some damn way to develop a marketing plan get the average American sports fan to start watching hockey again.

    i would lower contract price of NBC Sports and NHL network to TV providers to make sure that basic-medium television packages have the nhl network and nbc sports network, so that people don't have to buy the most expensive TV package and spend $130 bucks/month to get hockey on TV. What are they trying to drive the small amount of fans they have away? get every TV in america to have the hockey channels. at least try something to get America watching hockey again. It starts with accessibility.

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