NHL debating on ending shoot outs.Going 4on 4 in overtime.

[chachi]

dude, I was right there with ya, no home games on TV was crazy. I watched so many games and spent so much $$ at the old Jakes Pizza in Lisle in the early 90's that I could have been part owner.

dam, i could really go for a Chicago pizza right now.....

I used to look forward to the East coast roadtrips so at least I could watch them on WOR when cable TV finally made its way to the south suburbs. A mate of mine lived in Naperville back then, I think we went to Jakes probably 3-4x a month back in the day, but my all-time fav has always been and always was our too infrequent trips downtown to Lou Malnati's.

Haven't been back to Chitown in so long I cannot remember, but the missus makes a damn fine facsimile of a Giordano's so if you want the recipe drop me a PM, just need to order yourself a proper 2" high pan to make it in. We can't get the sausage here even, so it's even "dough from scratch", "sauce from scratch", and "sausage from scratch with the fennel and all that".

Here the best local Italian place's kitchen is run by the grandmother, and after giving her a sample she asked for the spice blend my wife uses to make the sausage as well as the sauce specifics. Ever since then refers to her as a honorary capocuoca when we pop in

[rickie65]

I'm in South FLA now where there is no really good pizza (all the New Yorkers here disagree with me, of course). First pizza I got after moving here didn't use chunk sausage, they shaved it like roast beef...it's just weird. Giordanos opened up in Tampa and Orlando and we've actually done the 200 mile drive to Orlando just for a decent pizza! Now I get to Tampa a few times a year and always get my Pizza fix in.

[magynuck]

entertainment and not competition will be nhl's criteria on determining direction

[odtw524]

Shootouts ruin the game of hockey it should be a fight to the death sudden death overtime. Shootouts give some teams a severe advantages beccause of the one on one situation and overtime should be fair games neither teams should have advantages

[Davydave]

F*ck Bettman!

Exactly, a horrible commissioner.

[gryfyn1]

Im not a fan of the Shootout - they are fun to watch but a silly way to decide a game -

4 on 4 is okay i guess, but 3 on 3 is pushing it, it be like running 7 on 7 drills to decide a football game.

3 for win, 1 for tie would make sense as it would be an incentive to get the win, which is why they added the lame 1 point for a loss rule. But that goes against the concept of the NHL trying to sell itself to the casual US sports fan. 10 or 20 minute OT then a tie.

[gryfyn1]

Exactly, a horrible commissioner.

best move by David Stern ever!

[niu1]

i think shoot outs are one of the coolest things in all of sports

[Metalhead]

How about 2 points for a win in regulation or ot, with the loser getting nothing. 1 point for a shootout win, with the loser getting nothing. This would really cause teams that are bad in the shootout to get ultra aggressive in ot.

[chachi]

2 pts for a Win, 0 for a tie, 0 for a loss ...

[yisman]

and casual fans in non hockey towns that went to 0-0 game....well, tehres 20k people that arent coming again.

never been 20K casual fans at a hockey game, as far as I know.

[OldSchool75]

I adore NHL hockey, but I think the largest change that needs to be made is the elimination of some of the southern hockey teams.

[chachi]

never been 20K casual fans at a hockey game, as far as I know.

Perhaps league-wide, or maybe he's referring to Nashville attendance?

[Eleven]

As far as Ive been alive, hockey has always been run by imbeciles, so I wont hold my breath for someone to come along and get it right. When you do things for money first and the game itself second, its bound to always stay that way. The commish only does what the owners wish.

[PuckOff]

The commish only does what the owners wish.

I doubt this is true 11.

Do you think owners want to subsidize the salaries of players on small market teams who can barely make payroll? That or even support team like Phoenix? I doubt it.

[Albert Pujols]

I would love to see it.

[Brewers in 7]

i would go 3 points for a win in regulation 2 for a OT win, 1 for a tie. too many teams now play for OT and the ridiculous shootout.. nothing like losing a bet on a team that loses a shootout

[rickie65]

I adore NHL hockey, but I think the largest change that needs to be made is the elimination of some of the southern hockey teams.

I would probably agree with that if I wasn't a full season ticket holder Hockey fan in Florida

[chachi]

I would probably agree with that if I wasn't a full season ticket holder Hockey fan in Florida

OK, question if you don't mind. Did you grow up down there and somehow fall in the love with the game, or did you carry a devotion to the sport with you when moving down there and start supporting the local team?

[muldoon]

The only debate within the NHL is to whether or not a shootout win should count in season ending tiebreaker standings. Fans (casual and hard core) love the shootout. Watch a Flyers/Rangers shootout or Montreal/Toronto game and tell me how many fans aren't 100% into it and going ballistic.

It's a freaking game. I've been a fan since I was 5, and ties suck ass - period. You're in the vast minority if you don't enjoy them as a great addition to games.

[rickie65]

OK, question if you don't mind. Did you grow up down there and somehow fall in the love with the game, or did you carry a devotion to the sport with you when moving down there and start supporting the local team?

grew up in Chicago as a Hawks fan. Moved to South FLA in 2000. Over the years have met a number of Panther fans who are from Florida and tell me how the Panthers had a huge following in the beginning, especially during the cup run of '96. But like pretty much any team, any sport, you suck for so many years and a lot of fans disappear. There is a die-hard fan base here but obviously not like up North. That will change in 2013 when the Panthers are playing for the cup.

[yisman]

shootouts are a stupid gimmick.

of course they're exciting but they're also not a fair way to decide a game.

Hell, I'm sure fans would be excited if you took three guys from each team and had them fight to decide who wins the game, but that would be just as silly.

Or having a dunk contest to decide the winner of a basketball game.

[muldoon]

That will change in 2013 when the Panthers are playing for the cup.

You're that confident they'll even be in Florida still in 2013?

[rickie65]

well, I'm not going to confuse hopeful with confident, but I don't really want to live anywhere and not have an NHL team in town. But I am confident they made some good moves for the future. I've seen a couple columns picking FLA for last in the conference partially for losing Horton, but believe me Horton will be a much bigger gain for Boston then a loss for the Panthers.

[jessetopolski]

nhl is the only thing i can win betting and funny thing is i know nothing about it

[muldoon]

well, I'm not going to confuse hopeful with confident, but I don't really want to live anywhere and not have an NHL team in town. But I am confident they made some good moves for the future. I've seen a couple columns picking FLA for last in the conference partially for losing Horton, but believe me Horton will be a much bigger gain for Boston then a loss for the Panthers.

I hope things can turn around and a stronger ticket base can be built up. The cup run was fun to watch (with the rats etc) and it would be nice to see a competitive team at least give it a legit shot before the league starts talking contraction.

[chachi]

grew up in Chicago as a Hawks fan. Moved to South FLA in 2000. Over the years have met a number of Panther fans who are from Florida and tell me how the Panthers had a huge following in the beginning, especially during the cup run of '96. But like pretty much any team, any sport, you suck for so many years and a lot of fans disappear. There is a die-hard fan base here but obviously not like up North. That will change in 2013 when the Panthers are playing for the cup.

Good on you for going with the locals post-move

Shame on you for deserting the Blackhawks

[rickie65]

Hawks and Panthers are my team 1 and 1a. Funny thing is the only NHL jersey I owned before moving from Chicago was a Panthers jersey so it was easy to fit in as a local fan right away, except against Chicago when I still wore my Hawks jersey when they played here in the beginning. I didn't really desert the Hawks but it's hard to really follow a team you never get to see. I still made it to a Hawks playoff game and a cup game last year so I haven't forgotten my roots. Just not sure what I'll do if they meet in the Cup one day.

[Salmon Steak]

shootouts suck...

[Woodbridge]

Just go back to the old rules.

No definitely not. Love the shootout its been a great addition.

[chachi]

Hawks and Panthers are my team 1 and 1a. Funny thing is the only NHL jersey I owned before moving from Chicago was a Panthers jersey so it was easy to fit in as a local fan right away, except against Chicago when I still wore my Hawks jersey when they played here in the beginning. I didn't really desert the Hawks but it's hard to really follow a team you never get to see. I still made it to a Hawks playoff game and a cup game last year so I haven't forgotten my roots. Just not sure what I'll do if they meet in the Cup one day.

I couldn't come back to Chitown for any of the playoffs or Cup unfortunately, too far, too much a PITA logistically, and too expensive given we had moved the beginning of May.

I did however get in touch with a memorabilia dealer in the Midwest and manage to get a handful of Game 6 pucks for a dear friend, my sister-in-law, and us for well-treasured keepsakes

We did get up to Zurich for a few days and catch the Victoria Cup back in the preseason though, which was easier since it was only a few hours direct flight rather than 13 hrs and two changeovers. We had a blast as I hadn't been to Switzerland in years and wifey had never been to Zurich, so was well worth the effort.

I would've of course passed on that and saved up/waited for the Cup run had I known but c'est la vie I guess ...

[nyplayer33]

All the other major sports don't finish in a tie..well football in the rare case of no scoring in the 5th quarter. Also, how could you give 2pts for ot win one for essentially a loss..seems odd.

[chachi]

Soccer/football is a major sport and has had ties since inception, as did Hockey until not so long ago.

It's Americans that cannot stand a tie, not the global sporting public as a whole. What is wrong / the shame in two sides battling to a well-earned stalemate? Why must there be an artificial decider which unjustly shafts one side ?

[jollyoscars]

i personally HATE shootouts so i would be all for 4 v 4