This page brings up one point of view of a controversial topic.
The modern-day National Hockey League (NHL) became the official professional hockey league of the United States in 1924. It was made up of six teams that played a 30 game schedule. At the start of the 1926 season, there were two divisions, each with five teams vying for Lord Stanley’s Cup. By 1990, the NHL had expanded to 22 teams and had an 82 game regular season schedule followed by a playoff structure leading to the Stanley Cup.
During the last 15 years, the NHL has expanded from 22 teams to 30 teams. Many American teams such as the Detroit Red Wings, the Colorado Avalanche, the New York Rangers, and the Philadelphia Flyers enjoy sellout crowds in ever-expanding markets. In Canada, hockey is as popular as ever. Games played by the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadians account for some of the highest rated programming on Canadian television. Canadian NHL teams who qualify for the postseason enjoy the same type of attention that the NFL playoff teams receive in the U.S.
Proof of the strength of the NHL fan-base lays in the 2006 attendance figures. In 1994 when Major League Baseball, America’s past-time, went on strike it took years for them to get their fans back. They are still feeling the effects. When the NHL went on strike for the 2004-2005 season, critics of the sport of hockey and the NHL believed it would be the death of the league. However, this was not the case.
During the work stoppage, aside from contract/salary issues, the NHL owners and the players’ association (NHLPA) worked together to make improvements to the game. Among other things, they wanted to change the style of the game from slow paced clutch-and-grab to fast, open, and free-flowing. Also they wanted to increase scoring.
By the time the new collective bargaining agreement was ratified, both sides had agreed upon several key changes to improve the game. To make the game fast and free-flowing, the redline (center-ice line) was removed and the 2-line pass was done away with. This allowed for longer breakout passes and more possibilities for breakaways and odd-man-rushes (3 on 2, 2 on 1, etc.). Also, both offensive zones were expanded 2 feet to allow the offensive team more room to move around with the puck and look for good shots. This change would help to speed up the pace of the game as well as increase scoring. In another effort to increase scoring, it was decided that the size of the goal would be slightly increased and the regulation size of a goalie’s leg pads, should pad height and glove would be decreased.
In an effort to make every regular season game exciting and meaningful, NHL brass and the players’ union agreed to do away with tie-games. The new format would include one 5 minute overtime and if necessary, a shootout.
Because of all of these changes to the game, fans were excited to see the NHL return. Now, midway through the season, attendance figures are up throughout the league. Scoring has increased and NHL surveys show that fans like the new fast-paced, free-flowing style of play as well as the overtime/shootout format.
The ‘new NHL’ has become much more competitive and appealing to fans and people who may not have previously liked hockey. The changes implemented by the passing of the new collective bargaining agreement have made games more entertaining for all. For this reason, the ‘new NHL’ is on its way to once again becoming profitable and one of the top 4 spectator sports in the U.S.
To see the counter-arguement, Click Here.