I suck at creative titles. The 2013-2014 NHL thread

[SoCalCoug]

I'm disappointed. I misread the title and thought we were going to get pictures of you sucking on creative titties.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Grantland on how to fix the NHL. Some good ideas and some that I think are awful.

The NHL is in pretty good shape right now. Television ratings are increasing and we just had what is potentially the best Stanley Cup final of all time. Both teams played an exciting, but contrasting, style of hockey. Neither were thug teams, although Boston was a very physical team.

The worst idea in this article is their idea to fix the standings. You cannot under any circumstances reward a team for a shootout or punish a team for losing a shootout the same as a regulation/overtime loss. If you have the shootout, you have to give a point for a shootout loss, end of story. Blackhawks were easily the best team in the NHL last year and they sucked in shootouts, because it is a glorified skills competition. Blackhawks were great because they used their excellent defensemen to move the puck quickly up the ice, pinch in the offensive zone, and use their depth to all put tremendous pressure on the other team. However, the Blackhawks were never good at going one-on-one with the goaltender and Crawford's glove is a problem in shootouts. The shootout punishes teams built like the Blackhawks.

My proposal is to bite the bullet and bring back ties. Increase overtime to 10 minutes and make it 4 on 4. You won't have many ties with that format. 2 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, 0 for a loss in regulation/overtime.

I think you need the puck over the glass penalty. You could change it to give some judgment to the refs that if it wasn't "intentionally" put over the glass that it is just an icing type penalty.

I'm fine with the hybrid icing rule.

I'm all for the proposals to help fix diving, it is still a huge problem in the sport and the diving penalty as an offsetting minor isn't helping.

Making the nets bigger is an insane idea.

I will track down and kill anyone who supports making the Blackhawks wear white at home.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9538380/how-fix-nhl

[Flystripper]

I hate the shootout, but not because I don't think the Blackhawks can't hold their own. Its a freaking coin flip and a terrible way to decide a game.

[MartyFunkhouser]

I hate the shootout, but not because I don't think the Blackhawks can't hold their own. Its a freaking coin flip and a terrible way to decide a game.

I hate it for both reasons. It is like having an NBA game decided with a free throw shooting contest.

[MartyFunkhouser]

I think that is a pretty good list. Last year I thought the Blues were going to be the team that challenged the Blackhawks in the division but the Hawks were just too good. The Ducks, Sharks, and Canucks could all eek their way on to the list.

As far as a Blackhawk specific discussion, I am interested to see who emerges as the second line center. Can Handzus fill that role for an 82 game season? I am not sure he can. I know the Hawks are toying with the idea of playing Saad there. Does he have the center mentality? Does Kruger jump up from 4th to 3rd or 2nd line center? I assume Shaw will be in the mix. It should be an interesting preseason to see who emerges. I am excited to see some of the young guys skate a bit as well. I will tell you one thing, the Hawks are still the deepest team in the NHL. Thank you Stan Bowman.

A few weeks old, but relevant to the discussion. The Q-Stache is going to give Saad a chance at the 2nd line center option. I like Bolland, but he was so up and down last year that I'm expecting that we will have an upgrade at the 2nd line center position. I would be happy with Saad won the battle.

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/blackhawks/post/_/id/4676619/saad-to-get-chance-at-second-line-center

[MartyFunkhouser]

Hjammer resigned by the Blackhawks. I'm thrilled with this deal. It is under what he would get on the free market. On the flip side, I absolutely despise the Corey Crawford extension. Too much money for too many years.

I don't know how the Blackhawks cap situation is going to work after the the 2014-2015 season, but they are clearly the favorites the next 2 years.

We have the top-6 defensemen locked up. Keith, Seabrook, Hjammer, Oduya, Leddy, and Roszival for another 2 years is an amazing feat by Stan Bowman.

Now make sure Kane and Toews never hit the free agent market.

[Flystripper]

Yeah Crawford is an above average goalie. The hawks should be fine with crawford but I would have waited until I saw if the young buck from Finland was a viable replacement. If we lost him we lost him.

[MartyFunkhouser]

The puck has dropped.

I don't care if it is preseason, beat the Mother Fucking Red Wings make them the first team with the pleasure of losing to the Blackhawks this season.

Repeat bitches.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Preseason predictions:

Atlantic Division: Boston
Metropolitan Division: Pittsburgh
Central: Chicago
Pacific: Los Angeles

President's Trophy: Chicago

Stanley Cup: Chicago over Boston

Hart: Crosby
Norris: Weber
Selke: Toews
Art Ross: Crosby
Vezina: Quick

[Flystripper]

That's how I see it too. It's going to be weird to not have Detroit in the division. I can't wait!

[MartyFunkhouser]

That's how I see it too. It's going to be weird to not have Detroit in the division. I can't wait!

Red Wings destroyed the greatest rivalry in hockey history, because they are terrified of playing the Blackhawks more than 2 times a year.

[Flystripper]

Hawks win!

Too many power play goals given up last night but a win is a win and I will take it!

[DrumNFeather]

Hawks win!

Too many power play goals given up last night but a win is a win and I will take it!

That was an interesting dive there at the end for the free goal.

[MartyFunkhouser]

That was an interesting dive there at the end for the free goal.

I'm just glad the Caps got the pleasure of losing to the Blackhawks. They were denied that opportunity last year because of the lockout. Not only did you get to lose to the premier NHL franchise of the salary cap era, but you got to do it on the date where we raised the cup banner.

I'm sorry that you did not get to see Kane's mullet though. I'm not very happy about him cutting it.

Also, that wasn't a dive.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Hawks win!

Too many power play goals given up last night but a win is a win and I will take it!

We didn't give up 3 power play goals last year until the 11th game of the season. We have absolutely got to address that. No excuse for 3 power play goals. Although, the penalty kill stepped up with killing that 1:26 5 on 3 advantage.