The New NHL

So the NHL will be back in session come this fall, and I must say I looking forward to it quite a bit. Although these new rule changes and crazy roster changes will be a bit much, and will take some getting used to, it’ll still be good. The best part of all these roster changes is that now there won’t be the big 4 teams anymore (Detroit, Colarado, Dallas, New Jersey). The whole league has been turned upside down(face) and dammit that’s a good thing.

Even though the players have taken a pay cut people will still be complaining that they make too much money. The thing that bothers me is that you always hear about how athletes get paid too much, but not nearly as much as you hear about, say…actors. Yeah, sure some NHL players used to be getting paid $10 million dollars a season, but then you have some actors getting paid $20 million a movie that doesn’t take as long to shoot as a full season of hockey take to play. It seems though that the only people that complain about how much athletes get paid are the people who aren’t fans of the sport. I guess it’s the same as people complaining about an actor’s salary after watching a crappy movie. I must admit though I do fall into that way of thinking as well. I tend to go off on rants about baseball players salaries and how they are absurd, and I suppose it is because I don’t like the sport. (But really, who wants to watch a sport where a bunch of guys stand around for 11 hours)

Now the new rules I’m kind of edgy about. It is good that they made goalies pads smaller by an inch, but there should be no-touch icing. Any player who is asked if they are in favor of it says yes. That one particular rule will save more broken bones than any other. And what’s this deal with no more ties? Shootouts? Come on! I guess it may make players play harder, but a shoot out can change a whole game and make the three periods spent on the ice pointless. That’s like after three rounds in a boxing match, making each boxer giving up a free shot.

So to all who still complain about NHL player’s salaries I say: screw you. And to all who are as excited as I to see the hockey again I say: game on!

Youngblood