Quote:
Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan
You're right, I am laughing. It's ridiculous. Bodychecking also creates injuries and doesn't help increase scoring. Should probably get rid of that, too.
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Bodychecking not only generates chances, it's fun to watch. Shot blocking (which has only been widespread in the NHL for less than 10 years) is a nul play. Commentators and fans can admire a player for sacrificing his body by blocking a shot, but I'm pretty sure everyone who watches the NHL already knows hockey players are tough. Blocking a shot is about as exciting a hockey play as shooting the puck over the glass, and should go the way of that other nul play.
Now that every goalie coming up through the ranks is 6'3" or bigger and a superbly agile and superbly coached athlete, we're likely to see scoring go down even further. Sure a 1-0 or 2-1 game
can be exciting. It can also be mind-numbingly dull. There's something wrong in the NHL when a guy who scores 20 goals in an 82 game season is regarded as a sniper. Something needs to be done to redress that imbalance.