IT'S BACK MUFUCKA'S.

But how do you feel about rule changes?

I don't know if I like it. I want my hockey the same way it always was and I don't give a fuck about people who didn't like it before.

The only time I've ever been into hockey was when I bought Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey 98 for my 64.
I've been looking to rent/borrow a NHL game from EA lately, but can't seem to get my hands on one. They look rather fun.

If the flyers arent in the playoffs then i dont care

it went down-fucking-hill from the '94 playoffs, when NJ took NYR to 7 using the trap. i'm stoked on the new rule changes (i HATE ties), and i'd love to see a more offensive game.
avg. goals scored a game last season they played: 5 (combined)
avg. goals scored a game by edmonton in their 80s dynasty: 5

The trap has definitely pissed me off. But a lot of teams are still not using it/are fucking terrible at it so I don't see it as too much of a problem. I'd definitely like to see a more offensive game, but I don't want too much to change.

well, i'll wait til official rule changes are out to form an opinion but from what's being thrown around, i think the 4vs4->3vs3->shootout overtime is a great idea; the inch off goalie equipment...dunno how big a difference that will make, i could really care less; goalies not allowed to play the puck beyond a certain area makes me ecstatic because nothing pissed me off more than watching a goalie go do that, get hit, and then the team that hit him gets a penalty (i used to be a goalie)

also, the wild card-ish playoff (with an extra ...4? teams or whatever) also intrigues me, but that's way too many teams playing. better to make it 6 teams per conference and a best-of-3 for #7 and #8
...what other changes were there?

I'm not sure about the others. The goalie pads and the Goalie having to stay in the crease is something that's definitely worth considering. I'm sure the goalies won't be happy at all, but whatever.

I just don't want to see them change too much and have a lacrosse game on the ice.

Dominick was always a cheery guy.

Until Ted Nolan fucked his wife.

GOOOOOOO! RED WIIINGS!!

jersey devils

It is all about the Anaheim Mighty Ducks my friends


quack mother fucking quack


i'm seriously a Duck fan this is no joke I cried when Selanne was traded

I don't know how I feel about the changes, but right now I'm in a very vulnerable state.

They could replace the puck with a baby chick and I wouldn't care, I just want to see some gosh dam hockey.

I am an Avid fan of the Flyers, they're like my family.

this thread stays on page one, dammit.

Going for page two!

the instigator rule is fucking awful, you LOOK for fights in the last 5 minutes of the game. That's gonna get a lot of shit.

getting rid of the redline is cool, no more 2 line pass, more breakaways, which means offensively the sport should be more intense and exciting.

i agree with the goalie pads, they should have done that a long ass time ago, now goalies will have to rely on their natural reflexes and not hide behind monster leg pads, this is gonna weed out the mediocre goalies.

the shootout thing is pretty cool, but i'm a little iffy on it only because that's the most exciting part of hockey, if there are too many shootouts, it's gonna lose it's excitement.

they are going to toughen up on cross-checks and slashes

there are gonna be a lot more fines doled out i think


as long as they don't completely change it to the point where it's going to be like a SPIKE TV show, i'll be fine

I'm just worried, being a Sabres fan, that the defensive minded teams are going to have a though time adjusting to these changes. But they changes go for everyone so I suppose it'll be a learning curve for every team.

worried about the defensive minded teams are ya?

good, maybe now the devils might actually have to play real hockey.

fucking trapping bastards

I never worried too much about the trap. Probably because Buffalo was always fairly good against it.

(body checks steve into the boards)

You have nothing to worry about Steve, the Sabres will throughly suck no matter what the rules are.

Biggest problem with getting rid of the redline now is that all you have to do is play a neutral left wing lock. Look at the RSL and you see what I mean. The Devils, Canes, Ducks, etc will just play a less aggressive trap which is as effective and less tiring than the normal trap.

Shootouts I dont mind, as long as they keep them in moderation and don't have any Ryan Vandenbucches on breakaways.

The lottery is today and theyre announcing 30th-1st pick in that order to see who gets Crosby, hopefully the Habs come out on top.

everyone that i talk to is rooting for the Habs

Im from montreal. And i root for the habs

And the Flyers will continue to be choke artists in the Playoffs.

There's only one team that I absolutelly detest, and that's the Flyers. I hope they lose every game.

Ahhh. I remember the 8-0 victory a few years ago in the playoffs. Damn wasn't that a beauty. Poor Czechmanek...

I played hockey for about three years, and I never learned a single rule/term.
Which is probably why I got kicked out of a couple games.

Jon was the only player ever to be ejected for taking off his skate and trying to stab another player.

Then I started playing golf.

He talked to a black man in the parking lot and the black man had a fake hand. Then he hit it into the road and it got run over by a truck. When he went to shake the black mans hand goodbye there was nothing to shake. So he did the air shake. The black man was apollo creed.

The black man was scared of crocodiles

What the fuck...

Apollo Creed would never be scared of a crocodile.


Ever.

Neither would the guy from predator with the two mp5's

He fought Rocky.
Croc has nothing on Rocky.

I'm actually extremely excited about this.

http://www.nhl.com/nhlhq/cba/rules_changes072205.html

Pittsburgh gets Crosby today, I thought the Habs would but they got #5. A Crosby-Lemieux-Malkin/Malone line will be killer, too bad their D aren't good enough for the ECHL

Steve...as far as I'm concerned Czechmanek is a fucking terrorist.


Anyone check this out?

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature.asp?fid=6926


Philly is messed, John Leclair has got them in handcuffs with his piece of shit contract.
Since when is a 4th liner one of the most payed players in the league....

And the Penguins took Mark Recchi, that makes me so sad.

Fuck LeClair! I want Recchi back.

The Ducks got the 2nd pick

i dont really care about the rule changes, i just think its weird that theyd do that.

red wings all the way.

i'm really wishing i had d3 here.

i didn't even know that existed...

only $22??? i'm in.

Bowling got better ratings than hockey during the last season. They're trying to make the game more exciting to have more people watch.

And yes. Red Wings all the way. All the way to mediocrity.

blackhawks?

All they need to do is crack down on obstruction. Anybody can torch a goalie on a 4 x 6 net, but it sure as hell is a lot harder with two 215 pound guys slashing you on your wrists. But I think they're going to do a good job this year and then they will be able to build off of that.

well duh its because they want people to watch, i just find it weird that they'd change rules. ITS JUST WEIRD OK?! GET OFF MY BACK.

Weird eh?

more of an evolution that was going to happen one way or another. a few of these rules had been tinkering around in the minors for a while.

Im seeing the canadians vs lightning tomorrow. It's gonna be insane since it's been ONE YEAR since we havent seen them play.

Sabres 2-0 preseason woot!

sweet. preseason.
boston will pwn you

im from columbus

rick nash is hurt

tell me why else the blue jackets suck.

Habs win over Thrashers 3-2.
But really...they're going to get pumped this year.