If the goal is to make less games go to a shoot out, then the painfully obvious solution is to eliminate the OTL and watch the number of games going to overtime fall by at least half. I just don't see the downsides to doing that. Watching teams play for OT in the third of a tie game and then play whatever flavour of the year ot/SO for a bonus point is ####ing boring, and I can't see how anyone thinks that's a good thing. If I wasn't such a die hard Flames fan, i'd have given up on this league years ago.
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I like the shootout and find it both exciting and entertaining.
It actually surprised that the league wasn't pushing for an elimination of OT to go to a bigger shootout. It seems to appeal way more south of the boarder and kills the problem with teams trying to play tight in OT to get to the shootout anyway.
If we're going to add a shinny game of three on three to go between professional hockey and an exhibition side show, can we have the visiting team travel with their Zamboni and then they drag race the home guy to see who cleans their half of the ice faster? Maybe some mascot MMA? Force the losing Timbits team to scrub the benches after the game? Bring back Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake to interview Brian Burke in "The Barbershop?"
If we really want to stop teams from "playing not to lose" as opposed to "playing to win" right through to the final buzzer regardless of the score, then here's an idea. Even strength shot-clock. A missed shot on net as the clock wound down would either hit the net, or likely end up as icing anyway. Violation means play is whistled dead and the puck is dropped in the offensive zone.
This will be interesting to watch. I am thinking that anything would be more satisfying than the shootout for sure, as a fan that attends the games.
I would like to see some 3 on 3 hockey, but with unlimited line changes and no extension of the OT period, I wonder. Wouldn't it be nice to see it extended to the point that the athletes are not rested, under diress and mistakes become the factor?
Much like Tennis, the intention of OT in hockey has been the win by the clear margin. I would like to see a move that way. A great game followed by an SO loss or SO win is not great.
Yeah, I don't really understand the change to just 3-3. It doesn't change any of the problems. I guess maybe a few more games finish before going to shoot out. But how many will there really be? Is it going to be a noticeable difference? It still leaves the extra point there, which I guess the league doesn't want to get rid of anyway.
I'm not against it, I just don't see how it fixes anything. In truth, I'm getting a little tired of constantly tweeking the game. It's like you need to brush up on the new rules every September now. Make a big change, and give it time to breathe. Not all these tiny little changes every single year that really don't do anything.
I like the shootout and find it both exciting and entertaining.
The purists can hate it all they want but it's all about entertainment and nothing brings fans out of their seats in the regular season like the shootout.
I would have preferred to keep the 4 on 4 and then add in 5 minutes of 3 on 3. That would only have been a few extra shifts for each player anyways (2-3).
I would pretty much guarantee that they dumped 4 on 4 because of TV and a fear of games going too long.
I like it. I think the majority of games would end during the 3 on 3 and in turn it would make the shootouts more rare. This would make them more exciting and not a groan fest when it's your teams 3rd shootout in 5 games.
Honestly, they could push 3 on 3 to 10 minutes and I would bet almost all games end during that time. It would end up being shorter than a 5 min OT then a shootout.
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Speaking of 3on3, NHL may consider - nothing firm yet by any means - re-formatted NHL All-Star Game that could be multi-team 3-on-3 tourney.
Honestly, between this and MLB's ongoing voting farce, could we please just drop the idea of all-star games entirely?
I like the 3-3 tournament idea. The All-Star game has always been for kids and the locals in attendance and I think 10 year old me would have loved that idea.
Give each division a team of 12 skaters or something and play some mini games.
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Not a fan of the move. I'm sure it will be exciting but it's as much a gimmick as the shoot-out. I would rather have them move to the AHL model or keep it the way it was.
Yeah, I don't really understand the change to just 3-3. It doesn't change any of the problems. I guess maybe a few more games finish before going to shoot out. But how many will there really be? Is it going to be a noticeable difference? It still leaves the extra point there, which I guess the league doesn't want to get rid of anyway.
I'm not against it, I just don't see how it fixes anything. In truth, I'm getting a little tired of constantly tweeking the game. It's like you need to brush up on the new rules every September now. Make a big change, and give it time to breathe. Not all these tiny little changes every single year that really don't do anything.
Having watched 3 on 3 overtime in CIS I would be very confident in saying that it will translate to a significant decline in shoot outs. Even at that level of competition (a step down in skill from the CHL but a step up in systems and technical hockey) it is wildly entertaining and incredibly fast paced. Almost every play is a scoring opportunity.
I was a little taken aback by the decision to go directly to 3 on 3 for the full 5 minutes, but I think it's a smarter move. Not only is it consistent and less complicated, it has a greater chance of doing what it was implemented to do: prevent more games from reaching the shoot out.
I'm a guy that wasn't as opposed to the shoot out idea when it was first introduced, but it doesn't appeal to the idea of a team based 'hockey' win. This is more in-line with the spirit of hockey competition and winning a hockey game.
I don't hate ties, but I would prefer a system that avoids them first. I like this change a lot.
__________________ "It's a great day for hockey."
-'Badger' Bob Johnson (1931-1991)
"I see as much misery out of them moving to justify theirselves as them that set out to do harm." -Dr. Amos "Doc" Cochran
