Quote:
Originally Posted by mitchy22
The Penguins have Crosby and Malkin. The Penguins also have Godard and Cooke. Skilled players are always going to get physically targeted. If you just sit back and watch them, they're going to take advantage of it. Thankfully, hockey offers an avenue for the hard workers to even the playing field. Sadly, we have plenty of players who do so in a cheap/unfair/dirty fashion. A guy getting absolutely pummeled in a fight used to be a bit of a deterrent. It still is, but to a lesser degree.  , Mitch |
I hear you on the code. I just thought the 3 lines of skilled players idea was a creative attempt to remove the Godards and Cookes from the game entirely. Players will fight as long as there is hockey but having players on the ice whose principle job is to intimidate and possibly injure the other teams skilled players is a stupid concept that is driven by the NHL.
It's probably a different thread topic, but even though people complain about "excessive stickwork" in international hockey where fighting is banned, I love watching international games, especially when they're played on the bigger ice surface that puts a premium on skill and speed and leaves plodders like Boogard behind. Hits are just as hard but the speed and space makes it harder to hit.
The NHL weighed the possibility of larger ice in the 80's/90's before the majority of today's arenas were built but owners wanted nothing to do with a several hundred fewer prime seats in their arenas. Too bad imo. They could have emphasized speed and skill and virtually eliminated the thuggery that is too much part of the game today. The 3 line concept was just another fantasy to accomplish the same thing in a different way because the ice size is obviously never going to change.
The key word, of course, is sadly "fantasy".
That's Consistantcy for ya.
