2023-24 NHL Season Thread.

[conscript]

They want to change it because they are sick of the image of the NHL being one where people try and kill each other. And no, Gretzky was not a tough gritty player. Gretzky and Shanny weren't even remotely similar players on the ice. Everything else you said is ridiculous hyperbole. No not every penalty should be a suspension, but when the NHL makes rules about wanting guys to not target the head of other's due to scientific evidence of repeated brain trauma leading to death you should expect the players to follow the damn rules. None of the suspensions handed out by Shanahan have been on questionable hits. Not a single one. Every single one has been on an unnecessary boarding or a unnecessary shot to the head. There have been a couple non-suspensions that didn't make sense, but for the most part every action the NHL has made on discipline this year perfectly matches what the NHL is trying to change about the league. They simply don't want you to target the head because it is a serious injury risk compared to hitting players in other locations.

Personally I could care less if they got rid of fighting or kept it in. It doesn't serve a purpose in the modern NHL anyways. There are only two situations in which people even fight anymore, either if someone from the opposing team makes a questionable hit on one of their teammates or if their team is getting killed and they need "motivation." I am not a big fan of NHL teams having a roster spot reserved for the fighting goon who serves no other purpose than to come on the ice and fight, like Boogaard for example who scored THREE times in six NHL seasons. Guys like that have no business on NHL rosters. You can have tough, gritty players that also serve as a functional player on your team like Lucic, Darren McCarty, Claude Lemieux, Domi, etc.

But hey, to each their own. I enjoy my hockey to be more of the open European style with enough tough play to serve a purpose and you enjoy the 70s style Flyers play. The NHL is going to go in the direction it wants to regardless of what any of us think.

[Rennadrel]

Anyone else really looking forward to the day when Shanahan gets fired or steps down? I know I am. After all the garbage calls and suspensions this year so far I decided to look around for lists of suspensions. I found one from 2009 and the current one for this year.

2009(before Shanahan took over): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009%E2...ions_and_fines
2011(after they put this idiot in charge) : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011%E2...ions_and_fines

So far Shanahan has racked up just about as many suspensions and MORE fines then the entire 2009/10 season. Not only that but favoritism and BS of his calls is phenomenal. Now im not saying I agree or disagree if the hit was good or bad but just look at the incidents we have seen so far. We have Lucic run Miller, hurt him and end up with nothing. Tootoo runs Miller, Miller is fine, but he ends up with 2 games. Then we get a minor, insignificant incident like Pacio hitting Letang, instant 3 games. Sutton charges Ponikarovsky, who doesn't get hurt, and ends up with 8 games for a minor incident.

I think they need someone who wasn't a complete wuss on the ice to be in the position of disciplinary. When you see people getting fined or suspended for things like cross-checking or a minor boarding then something is very wrong in my opinion. But what do the rest of you think of this?

I think Andy Sutton only getting 8 games for a repeat offence, 3 more games then the head hit previously, is absolutely retarded and I honestly want to know what the hell Shanahan is on if he thinks he is trying to promote accountability and punishment. Sutton should have been suspended at least 10 games, double his previous suspension, and another offence would be 20 games, after the 3rd strike he should be suspended without pay indefinitely. If Shanahan wants accountability, he needs to get off his ass and lay down the law, not to mention that the CBA renewal will need to be more punishing towards repeat offenders for illegal hits.

Another good way of looking at it would be an equality perspective. If Sutton ran Poni and Poni got injured, Sutton should be suspended until the day Poni steps back onto the ice for a game. What's fair is fair, and if someone makes a hit that is career ending, then that player is going to end his career too. It shouldn't take a player getting paralyzed or god forbid killed, before accountability is properly put in place. Players need to be protected, goalies need to be protected, punishments need to be more severe and they need to introduce no touch icing.

I love seeing hard hitting hockey games, but I don't want to watch a bunch of pussies getting paid millions of dollars to play like every day is the Olympics, cause international hockey is dreadfully boring to watch and one of the reasons why I detest the IIHF, cause there is pretty much no hitting in international games because European players don't play that way and would damn near be killed playing with NHL rules. Hockey is no fun without hitting and fighting. And if people want to get rid of violence and fighting in hockey due to brain injuries, better outright ban boxing, UFC, wrestling and any other contact sport that involves hitting.

[AceofHarts]

Alcomo, i think this would explain just how screwed up NHL Discipline was before Shanahan.
http://www.downgoesbrown.com/2009/11...spensions.html

[conscript]

Alcomo, i think this would explain just how screwed up NHL Discipline was before Shanahan.
http://www.downgoesbrown.com/2009/11...spensions.html

DGB is just the best.

[AceofHarts]

DGB is just the best.

just found this on DGB, thought it was quite funny: Detroit Red Wings: Niklas Lidstrom may be a step or two slower this season, thanks to a new rule that he has to carry all his Norris Trophies in his pockets at all times to make it more fair for everyone else.

and i found this funny too, was going back through the archives and they were talking Selke Nominees:

Pavel Datsyuk - Has won the award three years straight, thanks largely to the unfair advantage of being the only player nominated who never has to try to shut down Pavel Datsyuk.

[Rennadrel]

Pavel Datsyuk doesn't win the Selkie Award, the Selkie Award wins Pavel Datsyuk

[AceofHarts]

Pavel Datsyuk doesn't win the Selkie Award, the Selkie Award wins Pavel Datsyuk

honestly i liked the lidstrom comment more.

[Zoma]

Alcomo, i think this would explain just how screwed up NHL Discipline was before Shanahan.
http://www.downgoesbrown.com/2009/11...spensions.html

I lol'd at the Pronger part.

[AceofHarts]

i lol'd at the pronger part.

it's the truth!

[Garbles]

How bout them hawks

[AceofHarts]

How bout them hawks

solid win tonight.

[Rivenda]

solid win tonight.

Indeed. However I think they still need to work on the defense side.

[AceofHarts]

Indeed. However I think they still need to work on the defense side.

think? Chicago has a god awful Defense, and if they plan on making it deep into the playoffs this year they need to brush up there PK and Defense, period, end of story.

[VanillaO]

Shanahan was one of the grittiest, toughest sons of bitches to lace up in the 90s. He may not have dropped the gloves often in his career, but he played on the line. I think he's doing a much better job than Campbell was doing. Is he perfect? Of course not, there will always be room for improvement and more consistency. But you can't sanely argue that saving people from dying 20-50 years before they should be is the wrong choice.

[Garbles]

think? Chicago has a god awful Defense, and if they plan on making it deep into the playoffs this year they need to brush up there PK and Defense, period, end of story.

I agree, Leddy, Seabrook, and Keith have been doing alright in the few past games, but then we have Hjammer, Montador, O'Donnell, Scott, Lepisto....who alllll suck. I hope the Hawks can find a young D man to bring in, pisses me off seeing Lepisto turn the puck over 3 times in our own zone before he sends it out for an icing >.>

[Asera]

http://www.metronews.ca/halifax/spor...-like-symptoms

As expected. Lol.

[Fuzzzie]

http://www.metronews.ca/halifax/spor...-like-symptoms

As expected. Lol.

I don't think anyone's surprised.

[Rennadrel]

Good, a better chance for Kessel to take home the Rocket Richard trophy this year

[Taros]

I agree, Leddy, Seabrook, and Keith have been doing alright in the few past games, but then we have Hjammer, Montador, O'Donnell, Scott, Lepisto....who alllll suck. I hope the Hawks can find a young D man to bring in, pisses me off seeing Lepisto turn the puck over 3 times in our own zone before he sends it out for an icing >.>

Lepisto definitely has to go. He is just not good. Obviously Scott is terrible too, but I still like to see him play once and awhile if for no other reason than to break someones face open. Hjalmarsson is a good stay at home defenseman and if we gave him up (which I'm certain we will before too long due to financial issues) we'd have a big gap to fill. He has a ton of shot blocks and is responsible in his own zone more than people give him credit for.

I do like Montador and think he has potential to be a solid player on our team, he just doesn't seem to be in the right spots when we need him to be. Part of that may be because they are trying to encourage him to be ready to pinch and contribute offensively more than he probably should until he tightens up in his own end.

O'Donnell is aged and lacks spring in his step, plus it doesn't seem like he has good chemistry with the other players. He is okay though, there could be worse (Lepisto). We really need to do more defensive drills and come up with some better formations though, far too often we are leaving players wide open and everyone seems to be mesmerized by the puck. /twocents

[Garbles]

Lepisto definitely has to go. He is just not good. Obviously Scott is terrible too, but I still like to see him play once and awhile if for no other reason than to break someones face open. Hjalmarsson is a good stay at home defenseman and if we gave him up (which I'm certain we will before too long due to financial issues) we'd have a big gap to fill. He has a ton of shot blocks and is responsible in his own zone more than people give him credit for.

I do like Montador and think he has potential to be a solid player on our team, he just doesn't seem to be in the right spots when we need him to be. Part of that may be because they are trying to encourage him to be ready to pinch and contribute offensively more than he probably should until he tightens up in his own end.

O'Donnell is aged and lacks spring in his step, plus it doesn't seem like he has good chemistry with the other players. He is okay though, there could be worse (Lepisto). We really need to do more defensive drills and come up with some better formations though, far too often we are leaving players wide open and everyone seems to be mesmerized by the puck. /twocents

My main concerns are O'Donnell, Scott, and Lepisto. Scott has no puck control and makes really poor mistakes... O'Donnell and Lepisto cant beat a forward to the puck on a dump in to save their life, their too slow, i agree O'Donnell is getting to that point. Montador is good but like you said he sometimes gets in bad spots, like last night and he left Lepisto in a 2 on 1. I like Hjammer but he lacks consistency, lately hes been doing good so if he keeps it up ill be real happy with him. Hawks have plenty of cap space, and a couple guys they can let go of, im sure they'll make something happen.