Sabres at it again

[Sabrejeff]

Reshaping hockey's future

by Tim Graham

The Buffalo Sabres are thinking outside the rectangle.

They'll discover next week if the rest of the NHL is of a similar frame of mind.

The Sabres will present a potential solution to the league's scoring woes with a larger cage. Big deal, right? The bigger-net idea has been kicked around for years, with Sabres coach Lindy Ruff being one of its biggest advocates.

But this proposal breaks the mold. The Sabres have devised a cage that maintains the post-to-post width at 6 feet at the top and bottom while bowing the sides outward and the crossbar upward.

The posts would peak 3 inches wider than the current form, while the crossbar would be 6 inches higher at the crest. The net also wouldn't be as deep, to facilitate wraparounds. ...

More...

[Sabrejeff]

[jkrdevil]

I have one question. It looks like the top is at an angle, how is the goalie's water bottle supposed to stay on it?

[Cartabago]

*gag*

What. the. Heck?

[officeglenn]

I'm all for larger nets, but I don't think this is exactly the way to go about it. Looks like the first step of the game's evolution into ICE.

[NJTank]

This is why Bettman must go

[winters in buffalo]

While larger nets would make the game more exciting, increasing scoring opportunities up around the goalie's head probably isn't the smartest, or safest, way to go about it.

[DEAD!]

The net is bigger and rounder, are they trying to mock the body type of the average fan?

[TFoA]

This is why Bettman must go

...besides the sport bein hockey, what does Bettman have to do with anything???

[CaolinaJoe]

This is why Bettman must go

...besides the sport bein hockey, what does Bettman have to do with anything???

Because that's the only real thing some people have to say. Just like the parrot who heard something once, "Polly want a cracker" or "Bettman must go". Same dribble that means absolutely nothing.

[OnWis97]

I would rather see more scoring chances than a larger net. The larger net is just a knee-jerk reaction. With a larger net, you'll get a couple more goals per game, but it will be just as frustrating with the clutching, grabbing and goonery. I'd rather see more penalties called, which will either create more powerplays or less chippy play. Also remove the two-line pass rule.

I hope the net remains the same size it has been for so long.

[Stampman]

This is why Bettman must go

...besides the sport bein hockey, what does Bettman have to do with anything???

Because that's the only real thing some people have to say. Just like the parrot who heard something once, "Polly want a cracker" or "Bettman must go". Same dribble that means absolutely nothing.

It just means in his watch there have been some bad moves--this would be another--and a comissioner with guts would not go for it...

Oh as for the water bottles?

Good question-

Answer?

Velcro!

[Discrim]

un. be. lievable.

call the penalties and change the two line pass rule so that the two lines in question are the blue lines only. worked just fine when it was that way, I see no reason it shouldn't work now. hell, getting rid of fighting might not be a bad idea. you fight, you get teh gate. cus I know one thing's for sure, banning the trap won't do a damn thing. it'd just serve as an illegal defense penalty that nobody would understand.

[DEAD!]

cus I know one thing's for sure, banning the trap won't do a damn thing. it'd just serve as an illegal defense penalty that nobody would understand.

Exhibit A: the NBA

[NJTank]

Why must Bettman must go because he has no appreaciation for the tradition of hockey, he keeps tinkering 4 on 4 OT, wider nets, he wants to eleimante the red line, no touch icing, not allow the goalie to play the puck, next he will want to eliinate checking and have Penalty shots deciide OT games even in the playoffs.

And thats just the start of why he must go.

[Stampman]

hell, getting rid of fighting might not be a bad idea. you fight, you get teh gate.

Well the problem there is each team would have 2 or 3 players just to fight to try & get the other teams stars kicked out of the game and they only lose a goon (see mid 70's Flyers).

The illegal stickwork, hits from behind, and cheap shots are a bigger problem than fighting--as long as it's 2 guys who agree to go.

Fighting can be silly at times, and annoyng when a brawl delays a game--but it's further down the list.

[FiddySicks]

The NHL sucks. make mthe rules similar to International rules and not only would your scoring problem be solved, it would also help bring in the casual fan as well.

[Stampman]

Why must Bettman must go because he has no appreaciation for the tradition of hockey, he keeps tinkering 4 on 4 OT, wider nets, he wants to eleimante the red line, no touch icing, not allow the goalie to play the puck, next he will want to eliinate checking and have Penalty shots deciide OT games even in the playoffs.

And thats just the start of why he must go.

I remember playing floor hockey in school, and the teacher would give us silly rules--such as the goalie can not smother the puck, and the defencemen can not cross the centre line--well we'd ignore him and play it the way we wanted to.

Bettman is like that Gym teacher...

[Joshawaggie]

Why must Bettman must go because he has no appreaciation for the tradition of hockey, he keeps tinkering 4 on 4 OT, wider nets, he wants to eleimante the red line, no touch icing, not allow the goalie to play the puck, next he will want to eliinate checking and have Penalty shots deciide OT games even in the playoffs.

And thats just the start of why he must go.

I remember playing floor hockey in school, and the teacher would give us silly rules--such as the goalie can not smother the puck, and the defencemen can not cross the centre line--well we'd ignore him and play it the way we wanted to.

Bettman is like that Gym teacher...

or like my gym teacher.. "no high pucking"

[the admiral]

un. be. lievable.

call the penalties and change the two line pass rule so that the two lines in question are the blue lines only. worked just fine when it was that way, I see no reason it shouldn't work now. hell, getting rid of fighting might not be a bad idea. you fight, you get teh gate. cus I know one thing's for sure, banning the trap won't do a damn thing. it'd just serve as an illegal defense penalty that nobody would understand.

Don't get rid of fighting. It's how the players police themselves. The furthest I'd be willing to go is that two major penalties on one player is an ejection, and any majors for fighting thereafter are automatic player/coach ejections.