I'm gonna Talk About Hockey

Ok, I'm gonna talk about hockey for a while. If you don't like/don't care about hockey, go away and never read my blog ever again. EVER. I'm seriously.

First of all, the General Manager's meetings were a little over a week ago. I wish that I had been there, because I'd like to ask them some questions.

1. How can you say that having some games worth 3 points while others are only worth 2 makes sense? If two teams play a 3-point game, isn't that unfair to the other 28 teams? And Why should losing in the final seconds of regulation be different than losing in the opening moments of overtime?

2. Overtime. Isn't it the most exciting hockey to watch? So, why don't we have 10 minutes of 4-on-4, instead of 5 minutes, since it's the best hockey we get to see anyway? Plus, we'd see fewer shootouts.

3. Shootouts. If we could find a way to have less of them, wouldn't that be better? Doesn't a shootout seem like an asinine way to decide a the winner of a team sport? Neither the NFL nor the CFl decides a winner with a field-goal kicking contest (though that might be better than the current CFL overtime rules). The NBA doesn't settle ties with a free-throw contest or a dunk competition.

Actually, I think baseball does it right. You want a winner? Play until somebody wins. You don't want to play until somebody wins? Then it's a TIE. That's what's right, because that's what's fair. Shouldn't we be more concerned with what's fair than with what entertains the fans? Besides, every time I hear somebody say "the fans love shootouts", I get mad. I'm a fan, and I hate shootouts. And I'm not the only one.

Maybe it's because, as a Canadian hockey fan, I'm still haunted by the "Ghosts of Shootouts Past". I don't know. It just seems like a terribly unfair way to lose. Even if it is worth a point. It also seems like an awfully unfair way to win. A team that wins in a shootout didn't play a better game, and didn't deserve that extra point.


Second, the trade deadline.

I liked what Pittsburgh did, but I still think they're a couple of years away from being real contenders. The playoffs are different, and as good as the Pens are, I don't think they're good enough, yet. Besides, their blueline isn't good enough.

San Jose did well getting Guerin, and I think he'll look pretty good on a line with Thornton and Cheechoo. And since they didn't get any help in goal, Montreal should have traded Souray, because they won't make the playoffs this year. They aren't a bad team, but they're not good enough to win with mediocre goaltending, and they havn' even been getting THAT since Huet got hurt.

Detroit did alright, though I think that Kyle Calder will make more of a difference than Todd Bertuzzi. Remember, you heard it here first. I've never liked Kieth Tkatchuk, and I've never liked the Thrashers, so I hope they miss the playoffs. And I don't know why everybody is so shocked that Ryan Smyth got traded. Everybody knows that Kevin Lowe plays hardball. Just ask Mike Comrie. And in the long run, the reputation that Lowe is building for himself will serve him well, and it will serve the Oilers well, too. Just look at what Lou Lamiorello has done with the Devils.


One last thing. I saw the Leafs beat the Devils tonight, and I also saw the late hit that Janssen put on Kaberle. The next time that Toronto and NJ hook up, I want to watch, because shit is gonna go down. Tucker will be back by then, and he'll get all crazy...imagine if the Leafs manage to get into the playoffs, and they're matched up against the Devils in the first round? That would be sweet.

That's all for now,

T.