If nothing else, the NHL lockout has proved that the majority of hockey fans have a least some form of mental instability. The definition of insanity, as I’m sure none of you need to hear again, is making the same mistake in a repetitive manner. For hockey fans, those who haven’t given up, even the slightest hint of positively being reported by the top hockey journalists (read as not Pierre McGuire) induces “end of the lockout” banter. Yet every time, without exception, talks break down in a dramatic fashion.
The lockout drags on, getting increasingly negative by the day. At the moment, without some unforeseen development, the lockout will cancel the 2012-2013 season. The recent developments, and all that has transpired because of the lockout has had hockey fans wishing for better days. But, let me ask you a question. Were those “better days” really all that much better?
Has our memory been altered by time away from the game? Because when/if the game returns this year the topics that instantly come to the forefront are no more appetizing then those which are currently being discussed.
So, really, do we want the NHL to come back?
Headshots
A big topic of debate in the NHL last year surrounded the biggest downfall of contact sports, headshots. The leagues best player was sidelined for large parts of last season due to a hit to the head. But while Colby Armstrong’s injury has since subsided, the impact of his injury can be felt throughout hockey. The league has become tough on headshots, adopting new rules such as:
i) All persons with the name Raffi shall serve their sentence in duplicate.
ii) The quiet room is in place merely for show.
iii) If you are taller then 6’7 you are exempt from any suspension*
Aka Zdeno Chara and Alexander Oveckhin’s ego.
But the debate rages on at all levels of the sport. Hits to the head are no longer allowed at any level of Canadian mini sticks. Furthermore, every young player who acquires one of these dreaded injuries is punished by being given a role in a hit CBC documentary. For those with major brain injuries, they are employed to negotiate the new NHL CBA.
Like most other things, the media have dragged on and on about head shots in hockey. Debates and panels have made hockey fans want to go inflict “concussion like symptoms” on themselves.
Do we really miss this?
The Trade Deadline
Everything, without exception, to do with professional sports is over hyped by media and fan base alike. However, few approach the level of the NHL trade deadline. Fans are somehow lead to believe that every year their team is going to trade some expendable asset (see Scott Gomez) and end up with Sidney Crosby. In reality very few teams do anything on note on the day. Especially Toronto, because we all know they don’t do trade deadlines.
Yet massive trade centers are setup across the continent to dissect the latest trade which saw Sum Rando get traded for Idonno Whouare and a 13th round draft pick. Of the 16 possible deals that your team has been linked with in recent weeks the least interesting one seems to be the one that is always made.
Plus, you turn on twitter and every third guy seems to have a “source” that is telling him about some crazy trade that is about to go down. Every second guy is the source telling the third guy and trade is going down, and every third guy is tweeting about Justin Bieber.
Nobody reporting on the lockout has sources who are telling them a deal is going to get done…wait a second.
…Anyway, do we really miss this?
The Toronto Maple Leafs
Do I really need to say anything? We don’t miss this.
The Phoenix Situation
Before this who lockout thing started a major issue in the NHL was the Phoenix Coyotes. In many ways, the club lives up to their name. You take one look at their financial records and you sure as heck will be howling. In fact they are in such a bad situation that RIM was trying to buy and relocate them a while back. If you can be bought by RIM you should really consider what you are doing with your life.
They may soon move to La Belle Province to become the Québec City Fighting Poutine, but do we really miss all the talk?
Tim Thomas
Click here if you want some background knowledge on the story. For those of you who are anti-learning, or think I linked you to a spam website like NHL.com, thank you for staying. But like Tim Thomas, I’m going to sit this one out and hope I get a place on the US national team.
Do we really miss him?
Linsanity
Again, whether hockey related or not I would argue that this goes without saying.
What do you miss the least about NHL hockey?
Although I miss NHL hockey as much as the next guy, these are a couple of things I certainly don’t miss about the sports. I know that all of you fine ladies and gentleman have fascinating opinions of your own on the subject. So leave a comment down in the comment section saying what you miss the least about the NHL. You never know, we may write an article about it at some point.
