<h2>Mid Season NHL Report</h2>
<p>
It?s already the half way mark of the NHL season and after reviewing the highs and lows of the first half, it?s unfortunate the main topic of the All Star game was the next CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement). I think the NHL should realize, 90% of the fans don?t really care about their millionaire problems, as they have their own problems at home to worry about. In fact, ask the guy working 9 to 5 each weekday at the Ford plant what he thinks about game day tickets going up 10% and the next time he buys 2 beers and 2 hot dogs it will only cost him $30.00 dollars instead of $20.00. I love the game, but I don?t like the way they keep us hostage about a lockout next season.
<p>
Enough white collar talk and let?s review the first half of the season, as I will give you my ups and downs and where I think the values lies in buying futures tickets on who has a good shot at winning the Stanley Cup.
<p>
When I look at the game today and the game in the 80?s and early 90?s, I see two different games. I think the league should go back to 26 teams, as the NHL now is a watered down league and with all due respect to 4th line players in the NHL, I think they should be playing in the AHL, as the league has become a defensive style league, as each team doesn?t have enough talent to score goals or be more creative.
<p>
We?re seeing allot of high sticks this year and it seems every interview I?m watching, the players have more cuts on their faces and there seems to be more black eyes or serious eye injuries this year. I think the league should grandfather in the visor rule and force each rookie to wear a visor and within ten years, each player will have his eyes and face protected and it might prolonge their career.
<p>
No touch icings, what are they waiting for? If you ask every defenseman in the NHL if they would like no touch icing implemented into the game, I can assure you 99.9% of them will say yes. Every hockey pundit has been preaching for years to put this in the game, as somebody is going to be seriously hurt one day.
<p>
If a defenseman or forward flips a puck out of play and gets no penalty, why should a goaltender serve two minutes? Just doesn?t make any sense. I know why it?s done, because if a goalie feels his team is being bombarded with shots or the players have no gas left in the tank to ice or freeze the puck, just flip the puck out of play and get a stoppage. Here?s what I would recommend, if a goalie flips the puck out of play in the last 2 minutes of a game, then give him 2 minutes, but if he does it within the first 58 minutes, then just have a regular face off and continue the play.
<p>
The best games this season have been the back-to-back games and same division team games. Bring back the old Adams division style play back! Have each division teams play each other 8 times during the year and have some of those division games played back to back.
<p>
Here?s my Top 5 Best and Worst stories of the season thus far:
<p>
<b>Top 5 Best Stories in the first half:</b><br>
- Rick Nash leading the league in goal scoring with 31<br>
- Calgary Flames turning things around<br>
- Andrew Raycroft in Boston<br>
- Martin St.Louis in Tampa Bay<br>
- Tanguay in Colorado<br>
<br>
<b>Worst 5 Stories in the first half:</b><br>
- Sather and the Rangers can?t get it together in Ranger land!<br>
- Forsberg not in the all star game, no respect!<br>
- The decline of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks!<br>
- Mike Modano in Dallas? Hello Houston, we have a problem!<br>
- Jacque Martin in Ottawa, great assistant coach, not a head coach!
<p>
If you?re looking for the next Florida Marlins or had they won in game seven last year, the next Anaheim Mighty Ducks. Anyway, here?s my recommendation of teams you should put a few bucks on. Well, it?s not a secret there?s three seasons in the NHL; Pre-Season, Regular Season and the Stanley Cup playoffs. In order to win the Stanley Cup you need goaltending and a good defensive game. Here are some teams I like to win the Cup this spring.
<p>
<b>Tampa Bay Lightning at 25-1:</b> The Lighting have a great goaltending duo with Khabibulin and Grahame between the pipes and as long the St.Louis?, Richards? and Lecavalier?s stay healthy, I like this young guns club.
<p>
<b>Minnesota Wild at 75-1:</b> With the master of the trap calling the shots behind the bench and some steady goaltending from Rolosson and Fernandez, this team will take last years experience and might make some noise come June.
<p>
<b>San Jose Sharks at 15-1:</b> Ron Wilson is an excellent coach and with the leadership of Ricci and Marleau up front, they might be able to elevate some of the others during the playoffs. Plus, Nabokov Toskala might be the next Giguere of the 2003-04 playoffs.
<p>
<b>Montreal Canadiens at 22-1:</b> Montreal is my second best bet behind Tampa Bay as my dark horse to win the Stanley Cup because of one player, Jose Theodore! Plus, with an educated public in Montreal, there?s no better atmosphere in a building come Stanley Cup time, as you look up in the rafters and you see all of those 26 Stanley Cup banners hanging, you just say to yourself, yup, this team knows how to win in June!
<p>
Well, it?s not rocket science, but if the word gets out about some of my rule changes, you will see this league be just as good as our parent use to know the game!
<p>
If it isn?t broken, don?t fix it!
<p>
Ron Raymond
<p>
It?s already the half way mark of the NHL season and after reviewing the highs and lows of the first half, it?s unfortunate the main topic of the All Star game was the next CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement). I think the NHL should realize, 90% of the fans don?t really care about their millionaire problems, as they have their own problems at home to worry about. In fact, ask the guy working 9 to 5 each weekday at the Ford plant what he thinks about game day tickets going up 10% and the next time he buys 2 beers and 2 hot dogs it will only cost him $30.00 dollars instead of $20.00. I love the game, but I don?t like the way they keep us hostage about a lockout next season.
<p>
Enough white collar talk and let?s review the first half of the season, as I will give you my ups and downs and where I think the values lies in buying futures tickets on who has a good shot at winning the Stanley Cup.
<p>
When I look at the game today and the game in the 80?s and early 90?s, I see two different games. I think the league should go back to 26 teams, as the NHL now is a watered down league and with all due respect to 4th line players in the NHL, I think they should be playing in the AHL, as the league has become a defensive style league, as each team doesn?t have enough talent to score goals or be more creative.
<p>
We?re seeing allot of high sticks this year and it seems every interview I?m watching, the players have more cuts on their faces and there seems to be more black eyes or serious eye injuries this year. I think the league should grandfather in the visor rule and force each rookie to wear a visor and within ten years, each player will have his eyes and face protected and it might prolonge their career.
<p>
No touch icings, what are they waiting for? If you ask every defenseman in the NHL if they would like no touch icing implemented into the game, I can assure you 99.9% of them will say yes. Every hockey pundit has been preaching for years to put this in the game, as somebody is going to be seriously hurt one day.
<p>
If a defenseman or forward flips a puck out of play and gets no penalty, why should a goaltender serve two minutes? Just doesn?t make any sense. I know why it?s done, because if a goalie feels his team is being bombarded with shots or the players have no gas left in the tank to ice or freeze the puck, just flip the puck out of play and get a stoppage. Here?s what I would recommend, if a goalie flips the puck out of play in the last 2 minutes of a game, then give him 2 minutes, but if he does it within the first 58 minutes, then just have a regular face off and continue the play.
<p>
The best games this season have been the back-to-back games and same division team games. Bring back the old Adams division style play back! Have each division teams play each other 8 times during the year and have some of those division games played back to back.
<p>
Here?s my Top 5 Best and Worst stories of the season thus far:
<p>
<b>Top 5 Best Stories in the first half:</b><br>
- Rick Nash leading the league in goal scoring with 31<br>
- Calgary Flames turning things around<br>
- Andrew Raycroft in Boston<br>
- Martin St.Louis in Tampa Bay<br>
- Tanguay in Colorado<br>
<br>
<b>Worst 5 Stories in the first half:</b><br>
- Sather and the Rangers can?t get it together in Ranger land!<br>
- Forsberg not in the all star game, no respect!<br>
- The decline of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks!<br>
- Mike Modano in Dallas? Hello Houston, we have a problem!<br>
- Jacque Martin in Ottawa, great assistant coach, not a head coach!
<p>
If you?re looking for the next Florida Marlins or had they won in game seven last year, the next Anaheim Mighty Ducks. Anyway, here?s my recommendation of teams you should put a few bucks on. Well, it?s not a secret there?s three seasons in the NHL; Pre-Season, Regular Season and the Stanley Cup playoffs. In order to win the Stanley Cup you need goaltending and a good defensive game. Here are some teams I like to win the Cup this spring.
<p>
<b>Tampa Bay Lightning at 25-1:</b> The Lighting have a great goaltending duo with Khabibulin and Grahame between the pipes and as long the St.Louis?, Richards? and Lecavalier?s stay healthy, I like this young guns club.
<p>
<b>Minnesota Wild at 75-1:</b> With the master of the trap calling the shots behind the bench and some steady goaltending from Rolosson and Fernandez, this team will take last years experience and might make some noise come June.
<p>
<b>San Jose Sharks at 15-1:</b> Ron Wilson is an excellent coach and with the leadership of Ricci and Marleau up front, they might be able to elevate some of the others during the playoffs. Plus, Nabokov Toskala might be the next Giguere of the 2003-04 playoffs.
<p>
<b>Montreal Canadiens at 22-1:</b> Montreal is my second best bet behind Tampa Bay as my dark horse to win the Stanley Cup because of one player, Jose Theodore! Plus, with an educated public in Montreal, there?s no better atmosphere in a building come Stanley Cup time, as you look up in the rafters and you see all of those 26 Stanley Cup banners hanging, you just say to yourself, yup, this team knows how to win in June!
<p>
Well, it?s not rocket science, but if the word gets out about some of my rule changes, you will see this league be just as good as our parent use to know the game!
<p>
If it isn?t broken, don?t fix it!
<p>
Ron Raymond
