Improve The Game

[fansince1975]

When trailing in the game time is the enemy. Each period is 20 minutes in length. At least the NHL has changed this yet. I believe that the NHL should do two things to improve the actual number of minutes and seconds that has real action. Automatic whistles for off-side and icing. I believe that minutes are wasted out of every 60 minutes of game time with delayed whistles for off-side and icing.

In order to prove the theory I would like assistance from fans that regularly go to live hockey games. Keep track of all of the seconds that occur for each team when the linesman has his hand up for the delayed off-side and the number of seconds that are wasted while a player goes to touch the icing. My theory would say that minutes are wasted every game while their is no possibility of a goal being scored. However if the number of seconds does not add up to more then 1 minute then the current system is acceptable.

Go back to the one ref system. Clearly the NHL does not have enough quality refs therefore the solution is to have fewer refs. I was happier as a fan when there was one ref making the calls. This was not a perfect system but at least it was better then the two ref system.

Convince the players, teams, and NHL to either improve the quality of the sticks or make them switch back to older stick technology. It is just brutal how often sticks break when a player has a good scoring chance. I don't care if the stick allows the player to shoot the puck 5% - 10% faster. I want the player to shoot the puck without the stick breaking. This will result in more goals or more great saves. Both of which improve the game.

The NHL needs to change the point system. A win in 60 minutes should be 3 points. Overtime or shootout should be 2 points. Overtime or shootout loss should be one point. Each game should be worth 3 points. Not the current system when a win in regular time is worth 2 points but overtime then makes the game worth 3 points. I believe that many teams are happy going to overtime which results in less then great games. Make the stakes higher and teams will do more to win in 60 minutes. Plus a team will earn 1 or 2 points less then a regulation win so the standings will favour teams that win out right. I liked the World Juniors 3 point system for wins. Basically both teams are happy right now when they go to OT. Teams close to them in the standings hate OT as both teams get points and one team gets as many points for winning in OT as the other team that wins in 60 minutes.

Unless it is a clear kicking motion the goal should count with the call made by the ref. Stopping wasting time with video review for these goals. It takes the home fans out of the game while everyone waits to find out what Toronto thinks.

With technology why is it so difficult to determine if a stick is above the cross bar? The cross bar is a known height. The camera locations are known. The ice is flat. Seems to me that any local university physics professor could make the calculations so the cross bar could be superimposed against the player. Should take 10 seconds and not 3 minutes to determine if the stick is above the cross bar.

I would like fans to discuss my ideas. I am sure that some fans will consider the suggestions as laughable. I am just putting out my thoughts as we should want to improve the game before NHL in NY does something silly like going to 4 periods as a way to improve the game.