How To Fix the NHL

How to Fix the NHL

I haven’t been writing much of anything regarding the NHL Lockout since we already know all there is to know about it. However, while watching this debacle, I have come up with a few ideas of my own to make the game and the NHL better. Here they are;

11)   Reduce the NHL to 26 teams by folding Columbus, Florida, Tampa Bay and, Nashville. This will allow the NHL to rid itself of these four ‘money pits’ that never turn a profit and drag the rest of the NHL down with them. The owners’ of these franchises will receive Contraction Payments from the NHL, and the players’ of these teams who have either a One-Way Contract or Two-Way Contract with the teams will go into a Dispersal Draft to be picked up by the remaining NHL clubs which will better these remaining teams’.

22)   Relocate the Phoenix Coyotes to Quebec City. Quebec City is in the process of building a new arena/amphitheatre which will be capable of hosting an NHL franchise. As it stands with Phoenix, the team will NEVER be able to build a viable fan base, and has never really attracted an acceptable number of fans to games, even for the NHL Playoffs. Quebec however, offers a ready-built fan base for a potential NHL return to the city. The citizens of Quebec City have been starving for a major-professional hockey club since the Quebec Nordiques relocated to Denver to become the Colorado Avalanche in 1995. Also, the Quebec Coliseum is capable of being a temporary home for any potential NHL franchise until the new Quebec Amphitheatre is ready. Make it eight!!

Realign the NHL. As it stands right now, Winnipeg is playing in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. Here is a possible scenario if the NHL were to remain with its current teams for realignment; 

1)    

Western Conference	Eastern Conference
(Western Canada Division) Edmonton Calgary Vancouver Winnipeg Minnesota	(Northeast Division) Toronto Ottawa Montreal Detroit Buffalo
(Central Division) Colorado St. Louis Chicago Columbus Nashville	(Atlantic Division) New York Rangers New York Islanders New Jersey Boston Washington
(Pacific Division) Anaheim Los Angeles San Jose Dallas Phoenix	(Southeast Division) Philadelphia Pittsburgh Carolina Florida Tampa Bay

23)   Cut the NHL Regular Season to 76 games, and start the NHL Regular Season on October 1^st each year. This would allow for the fans’ request for the season to start earlier than it has been to be addressed. This will also allow for the season to end earlier, which will in turn allow NHL Free-Agency to begin at an earlier date than on Canada Day. June 25^th would be an excellent place to start.

34)   Eliminate Re-Entry Waivers

45)   Establish the “Wayne Gretzky Award”-For the Most Assists in the NHL Regular Season By a Player. This will allow for an important aspect of the game to be honored which, has not previously been recognized on NHL Awards Night. It will also give the NHL an opportunity to further honour the greatest hockey player who ever lived even further.

  Introduce the ‘Hybrid Icing’ rule currently being used in the AHL. This will eliminate many hazardous plays while players’ are1)   racing for the puck, as it will be the ref’s discussion as to whether or not the situation is hazardous or not and, to blow the play dead or not. This would reduce many injuries.

26)   Introduce a single 10-min Overtime period, followed by a shootout if the score is not won by the end of the 10 minute period. Also allow each time a player scores in the Shootout to count as a goal on the score-sheet, just as is it is in a penalty shot. This will help to improve the entertainment value of the games, should they go into Overtime.

37)   Fire Gary Bettman and CUT TICKET PRICES!!!!!!!

   So there you have it! These are my thoughts on how to improve the NHL and the game, while keeping the integrity of the game intact. I hope you will leave any comments below as to how you think the game/NHL could be improved. I hope we will be watching NHL hockey soon, but until then, enjoy the World Junior Championship and Thank you for reading. Go Canada Go!!!!

Written By Paul Neumann