So Then...Where Is The Game Going?

[canuck73_3]

2 minutes ago, spur1 said:

Just depends on who they want to win. 

I don't buy that narrative. Refs are human and miss stuff and some are just incompetent. 

[spur1]

1 minute ago, canuck73_3 said:

I don't buy that narrative. Refs are human and miss stuff and some are just incompetent. 

When you have watched hockey as long as I have and you don’t know that a lot of games are fixed then you have not really been watching. 

[canuck73_3]

6 minutes ago, spur1 said:

When you have watched hockey as long as I have and you don’t know that a lot of games are fixed then you have not really been watching. 

You miss the Campbell email fiasco with his son? Zero chance the NHL could cover that up this long

[spur1]

6 minutes ago, canuck73_3 said:

You miss the Campbell email fiasco with his son? Zero chance the NHL could cover that up this long

Keep your head in the sand. Your choice. 

[DrJockitch]

19 hours ago, erkayloomeh said:

Personally I like a deep team than a team that's top heavy with superstars .....rolling four strong lines that can play at both ends of the ice .  Three great centers is what I like . 

I like the fact we are.getting deep with goalies 

When was the last time a team won the cup without great goaltending ?  

Defense is the part of the game that I think has changed the most.  Like the previous poster said they need to be very mobile and getting the puck out of your own zone in a hurry has become a defensive system. 

Gone are the days of Garth butcher and Harold snepts 

Detroit, Carolina, Chicago all won with adequate goal tending good when it mattered but not great.  Could argue the same for Pitts though to a lesser extent.  What was the last team built around a dominant tender that won?

The formula in the cap era seems to be have a good, reasonably priced goalie and spend your money on D and centre ice.  That is how they role 4 lines.

[189lb enforcers?]

11 minutes ago, spur1 said:

Keep your head in the sand. Your choice. 

There might be some game management going on, but you can’t prevent hockey, even if you try, which I’m sure they do, but like 73 said, there’s no way this secret stays shut for this long. 

 

Guys kill themselves playing playoff hockey, not because they think it’s all fixed as far as the game management goes. Stevie Y on one leg is an example. 

[spur1]

11 minutes ago, 189lb enforcers? said:

There might be some game management going on, but you can’t prevent hockey, even if you try, which I’m sure they do, but like 73 said, there’s no way this secret stays shut for this long. 

 

Guys kill themselves playing playoff hockey, not because they think it’s all fixed as far as the game management goes. Stevie Y on one leg is an example. 

Carry on then. You will have lots of company. 

[canuck73_3]

Just now, spur1 said:

Carry on then. You will have lots of company. 

Then why watch? If I was that convinced of that garbage I wouldn't even bother watching. 

[NHTyrany]

17 minutes ago, canuck73_3 said:

Then why watch? If I was that convinced of that garbage I wouldn't even bother watching. 

Teams need to win despite the officials some times. That's why I advocate for a punishing team. Even if the cards are stacked against you, you can always use brute force and intimidation to wear the opponent down. Eventually the calls start to even-up or the whistle gets pocketed after a barrage of goonery.  But you also need great goaltending scoring talent to finish. Boston had that the year the Nucks were humbled.

[spur1]

45 minutes ago, canuck73_3 said:

Then why watch? If I was that convinced of that garbage I wouldn't even bother watching. 

I watch because I am a hockey fan not a NHL fan. 

[189lb enforcers?]

16 minutes ago, spur1 said:

I watch because I am a hockey fan not a NHL fan. 

As do I. 

Which levels of the sport do you think are also rigged?

 

I guess I should say here that I don’t watch Womens Hockey. 

Are they also fixed as to who wins? 

 

[NHTyrany]

1 hour ago, 189lb enforcers? said:

As do I. 

Which levels of the sport do you think are also rigged?

 

I guess I should say here that I don’t watch Womens Hockey. 

Are they also fixed as to who wins? 

 

Not enough money involved. And fixed is too strong of a word for the NHL, it's more like "managed" thereby permitting enough uncertainty of outcome to remain entertaining. Doesn't mean there's no corruption. People think Bettman is doing well because the game is growing in USA. I say it's at the expense of legitimacy.  

[Nuxfanabroad]

More & more, appears you need depth, speed & size. Takes time..we best be patient.

[Hindustan Smyl]

My thoughts on this:

 

1) Depth is key.   Have elite talents at relatively cost friendly cap hits + invest a little more in depth.  This is what made Chicago, LA, and Pittsburgh successful when they multiple won cups between 2010-2017.

 

2) Center is the most important position.   All teams must have atleast one franchise center.

 

2 extremely good centers + 1 franchise d + 1 first line superstar winger + 1 very good goalie that can get hot when the time is right appears to be the formula.  + depth.

 

3) Team toughness is like goaltending.  The importance of this may have diminished since 2003, but it’s still important......and will stand out like a sore thumb if you are deficient in this area.  You can’t cut corners here.

 

4) Patience with kids + play kids in positions where they are in a position to succeed and can comfortably grow.  Don’t overburden kids if they aren’t ready.  If a kid becomes about 90% as good as a vet, then move said vet to make room for the kid by virtue of being more cost effective and banking on the fact that the kid will grow by 10% or more by virtue of more ice time.   Still - kids need to EARN their spots.  Nothing should be gifted.

 

5)  Less on American Pro Scouting and more on Swedish Scouting (Pro and amateur).  American collegiate athletes are far less likely to come to Vancouver since Canadians pay far more in taxes.   Swedes view Canada and Vancouver as a great place since it’s considered to be safety than America (we won’t tell them about Surrey and East Van ;)).   We’ve had a great history with Swedes here and so Vancouver might be wise to sell Swedish prospects on this.

 

In general, Swedes are hard working, loyal, and very low maintenance.   Swedes also seem the most likely to “take one for the team” if it means taking discounts in order to build a multiple cup winner.

Edited April 15, 2019 by Hindustan Smyl

[vannuck59]

18 hours ago, spur1 said:

When you have watched hockey as long as I have and you don’t know that a lot of games are fixed then you have not really been watching. 

Boy you need to watch another sport . Any team can win you need to be able to play anyway. The Sedin's needed to grow a set and punch back .

[Kootenay Gold]

10 hours ago, Nuxfanabroad said:

More & more, appears you need depth, speed & size. Takes time..we best be patient.

And I might add... A nice sprinkling of elite talent to go with that

[Alflives]

17 hours ago, 189lb enforcers? said:

As do I. 

Which levels of the sport do you think are also rigged?

 

I guess I should say here that I don’t watch Womens Hockey. 

Are they also fixed as to who wins? 

 

Wasn't there a basketball ref who got in a lot of trouble for coming out and saying the league was corrupt, or something along those lines?  To me, watching basketball, it's the easiest game for the refs to cheat.  I think the Italian league got into trouble too for game fixing.  When there is gambling involved bad things can happen.  I remember Betman, and others, saying there is no performance enhancing drug issue in hockey.  Considering the advantages certain drugs give an athlete, I find it hard to believe hockey players are immune from such methods to maximize their potential. Maybe part of the "code" is to keep one's mouth shut?  

[Nuxfanabroad]

5 hours ago, Alflives said:

Wasn't there a basketball ref who got in a lot of trouble for coming out and saying the league was corrupt, or something along those lines?  To me, watching basketball, it's the easiest game for the refs to cheat.  I think the Italian league got into trouble too for game fixing.  When there is gambling involved bad things can happen.  I remember Betman, and others, saying there is no performance enhancing drug issue in hockey.  Considering the advantages certain drugs give an athlete, I find it hard to believe hockey players are immune from such methods to maximize their potential. Maybe part of the "code" is to keep one's mouth shut?  

"Death by a 1000 cuts" Alfer(btw, was glad to see you back on the prowl:^)..they can influence things one hundred diff ways. Always ensure US markets get a slightly upper hand. Decks can be rigged, ever so slightly..becoming a game of percentages.

 

I complained for decades..but I'm tired of p*ssin in this wind, & there are bigger things/problems 'round the globe...

[Alflives]

2 hours ago, Nuxfanabroad said:

"Death by a 1000 cuts" Alfer(btw, was glad to see you back on the prowl:^)..they can influence things one hundred diff ways. Always ensure US markets get a slightly upper hand. Decks can be rigged, ever so slightly..becoming a game of percentages.

 

I complained for decades..but I'm tired of p*ssin in this wind, & there are bigger things/problems 'round the globe...

Professional sports is kind of like soap operas for men.  (Ladies too)

There will always be scandalous stuff going on,  

 

[NHTyrany]

The play-offs so far this year suggest to me that really fast and tough are still key. Sure superstars can make a difference but they won't score many goals while on their asses or the IR. Fast shadows can also neutralize the superstar offensive threat. Vegas is a good example. Oh, and Edmonton is a joke.