NHL "Zombie" league- Who killed hockey? And the rise of the superstar coach.
I am sooo sick of hearing you all talk about how inconsistent ref calls are holding the NHL back
Like so many hockey fans you are just parroting what you hear in the media, the rule enforcement is a complete non-issue, when I became a hockey fan I learned about how the game was called and was like "Fine, I get it" People want an ENTERTAINING PRODUCT, why in the hell would they care if rules are called differently than other sports? What do you think? Some new potential fan is enjoying a hockey game for the first time, sees something not called in game 7 OT and says "Well, that does it....I just can't enjoy this game anymore, they aren't calling this like it's PRE SEASON" That NEVER HAPPENS, the only people who care about this are the media who invented the issue so they would have something to talk about and fans who are too dumb to think for themselves.
NHL marketing is a well-known joke, sure, but the number one issue that has killed the NHL for the past 20 years is the rise of the superstar coach, the NHL has created an atmosphere where coaching systems are the new superstars, and a player is punished for being entertaining and creative,
If Pavel Bure was to come into the game today, he would be stapled to the bench then sent to the AHL to "Work on his 200ft game" fans don't care about the "200ft game" fans want line rushes broken plays leading to one-on-ones or break always, fans want to see EMOTION on the ice NOT COACHING SYSTEMS
It all started with that ego maniac Jaque Lemaire and having a commissioner who doesn't understand the game, if I had been running things in 1995 when the Devils were CHEATING their way to a Stanley Cup, I would have stopped the playoffs called an emergency meeting of the board of governors and competition committee and said "I don't EVER want to see this GARBAGE on one of our broadcasts again, do not leave this room until you have properly adjusted the rules so this type of TRASH never ends up on TV again, I can't sell this crap."
After the Canucks/Rangers final of 94' the world was excited about hockey, the new TV deal with FOX was signed and hockey was poised to take its place as a major sport.....Then Jaque Lemaire destroyed everything, and Bettman just lets it happen because he can't tell the difference between good hockey and bad. The on ice product is better now then it was then, but has never really recovered.
These days EVERY player is supposed to be exactly the same, a coaches robot, it's insane the way this league operates, they let things happen that no business owner in his right mind would allow.....But yes, it started with Lamiare a coach with an ego so big he wouldn't even name a captain in Minnesota, he couldn't stand the idea of a player being the star, he wanted to be the only face anyone recognized on the team.
It's not rocket science, you get rid of the Tortarellas, The Guy Bouchers the Wille Desjardins (who benched Goldobin after a goal because it was not scored as a result of his coaching system) No creativity, no encouragement of creativity have given us a game that is far more boring than it should be.
The answer? Easy, Bobby Orr for Commishiner, with Gretzky as his top assistant, Read Orr's book, he could fix this game in one off season, he knows EXACTLY what's wrong and how to fix it, Gretzky has long been a proponent of letting player be creative (This lead to his demise as coach in Phoenix, he refused to be a "Systems" guy, even though he could have been and done fine) The problem is simple, the solution is simple, but when the guy running your league doesn't know a good hockey game from a bad one because he isn't a fan, Simple solutions become complex and detailed plans for a slow suicide.
Like so many hockey fans you are just parroting what you hear in the media, the rule enforcement is a complete non-issue, when I became a hockey fan I learned about how the game was called and was like "Fine, I get it" People want an ENTERTAINING PRODUCT, why in the hell would they care if rules are called differently than other sports? What do you think? Some new potential fan is enjoying a hockey game for the first time, sees something not called in game 7 OT and says "Well, that does it....I just can't enjoy this game anymore, they aren't calling this like it's PRE SEASON" That NEVER HAPPENS, the only people who care about this are the media who invented the issue so they would have something to talk about and fans who are too dumb to think for themselves.
NHL marketing is a well-known joke, sure, but the number one issue that has killed the NHL for the past 20 years is the rise of the superstar coach, the NHL has created an atmosphere where coaching systems are the new superstars, and a player is punished for being entertaining and creative,
If Pavel Bure was to come into the game today, he would be stapled to the bench then sent to the AHL to "Work on his 200ft game" fans don't care about the "200ft game" fans want line rushes broken plays leading to one-on-ones or break always, fans want to see EMOTION on the ice NOT COACHING SYSTEMS
It all started with that ego maniac Jaque Lemaire and having a commissioner who doesn't understand the game, if I had been running things in 1995 when the Devils were CHEATING their way to a Stanley Cup, I would have stopped the playoffs called an emergency meeting of the board of governors and competition committee and said "I don't EVER want to see this GARBAGE on one of our broadcasts again, do not leave this room until you have properly adjusted the rules so this type of TRASH never ends up on TV again, I can't sell this crap."
After the Canucks/Rangers final of 94' the world was excited about hockey, the new TV deal with FOX was signed and hockey was poised to take its place as a major sport.....Then Jaque Lemaire destroyed everything, and Bettman just lets it happen because he can't tell the difference between good hockey and bad. The on ice product is better now then it was then, but has never really recovered.
These days EVERY player is supposed to be exactly the same, a coaches robot, it's insane the way this league operates, they let things happen that no business owner in his right mind would allow.....But yes, it started with Lamiare a coach with an ego so big he wouldn't even name a captain in Minnesota, he couldn't stand the idea of a player being the star, he wanted to be the only face anyone recognized on the team.
It's not rocket science, you get rid of the Tortarellas, The Guy Bouchers the Wille Desjardins (who benched Goldobin after a goal because it was not scored as a result of his coaching system) No creativity, no encouragement of creativity have given us a game that is far more boring than it should be.
The answer? Easy, Bobby Orr for Commishiner, with Gretzky as his top assistant, Read Orr's book, he could fix this game in one off season, he knows EXACTLY what's wrong and how to fix it, Gretzky has long been a proponent of letting player be creative (This lead to his demise as coach in Phoenix, he refused to be a "Systems" guy, even though he could have been and done fine) The problem is simple, the solution is simple, but when the guy running your league doesn't know a good hockey game from a bad one because he isn't a fan, Simple solutions become complex and detailed plans for a slow suicide.
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