Yeah, you could watch Australian Rules Football to your heart's content. And all the tractor pulls you want. I love the game of hockey, but it deserves what it has done to itself. Get rid of the helmets, drop the third-man-in rule, and let's play some real Boom Boom Geoffrion hockey.
Speedy,
I have always thought helmets hurt the game. But, if you have time, I'd be interested to know why you think helmets should be eliminated.
I would go even further,
1.European size ice surface. (todays players are too fast and too fit for yesterdays ice rink surface)
2.No helmets ( all boarding checks from behind,even a push,equals automatic penalty)
3.Automatic icing.
4.Goaltender pad sizing reduction.
4.Wooden sticks,no composite fancy smancy stuff.
5.Zero tolerance for hooking and holding.
Looks like some other network has taken the mantle in showing Australian Rules Football... I just saw it this morning for the first time in years. What a coincidence...
The NHL is the one thing that is ruined by Americanizing it. Trying to sell hockey to places that don't love hockey has destroyed the game. The mad marketeers don't like fighting, hard hitting and the bench clearing brawl. It's offensive to the casual hockey fan. The commie republic of Mass my not know much but we do bleed black and gold and love old time hockey! Nothing like a Bruin and Canadian brawl!
I used to love to watch Australian Rules Football on Saturday mornings on ESPN. Essendon Bombers!!!
As for the NHL, I think they're little boomlet in the mid-90's is one of the reasons they're going down the tubes now. Owners got carried away on salaries for players and also got greedy on expansion. They so saturated the market with mediocre teams just to get the expansion fees that the talent level was diluted. If they ever do get a salary cap, the first thing they need to do is fold some of the franchises they started up in the last 10 or so years. I just don't see hockey thriving in Nashville or Carolina, etc. once the initial novelty wears off.
I love Australian Rules Football.Those guys are tremendous athletes. Maybe the best in the world.
Hockey is at it's best when each side is down a man. It's wide open skating at high speed.
Keep the helmets. None of the skaters from the pre-helmet day seem to be doing very well. Addled brains and a missing life shouldn't be a an off shoot of pro hockey.