[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

The last time this kind of thing happened was during the Great Depression. There were cases where a franchise was granted permission to miss an entire season, but never after the season had started. On the rare occasions where a team suspended operations in mid-schedule, they were punished with the revocation of their franchise. The Chicago Blackhawks once played half a season in a near-empty arena in Windsor, Ontario, to avoid that outcome.

Of course, I don't know what the current franchise agreement between the NHL and its member clubs looks like (nor, probably, does anyone else other than Bettman, Daly, their lawyers, and the owners). But I imagine there would be many millions of dollars in forfeits to be paid, and the Coyotes' franchise might revert to the league.

Originally Posted by Jay Random

When you pass the puck, it can be intercepted. If you can stickhandle for your whole shift and nobody is allowed to check you because they might hit your head (which you are using as a meat shield for that very reason), why take risks?

(There was a time, you know, when passing in hockey was actually quite rare. Before forward passing was legalized, end-to-end rushes were the usual way of scoring goals, and most goals were unassisted.)

Combine this with the Connor McDavid Right-Of-Way™ rule, and even shooting could be eliminated from the game. Just get the puck, skate up the ice, carry it right into the net, since the goalie isn't allowed to impede you either.

At this point, I am being facetious – I hope.

The point is that if you give players a guaranteed way to make themselves exempt from physical contact while carrying the puck, you are going to change the entire game beyond recognition – and for the worse. There would be a strong incentive for every team that gets a 1-0 lead to simply play keep-away for the rest of the game, just as they too often do in 3-on-3 OT at present.

Beware of creating perverse incentives.

Between this and the other quoted post from the Arizona thread, I have one question for you...


Just how old ARE you?