Buffalo Boy's Blog
Giving You More Than Just My Two Cents
Taking Out The Blue Lines
I can't help but notice how tight space has gotten in the neutral zone lately. Its back, that damn boring neutral zone trap and it makes for boring hockey.
Im not making excuses for the Sabres, anyone who has kept an eye on this now 8 game losing streak will tell you exactly what I have been saying, the effort is there, the finish isn't. Part of the reason for that is teams are clogging up the neurtal zone again and some of the clutching and grabbing is coming back.
Does the NHL really want this system played again when you have such talent as Sydney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin out there? I don't think so.
All I know is a game that should have been exciting as hell tonight between the Senators and Sabres was pretty damn boring because there was no action in either end for extended periods.
How do you get rid of the trap? The NBA did away with zone coverage, their referees can call illegal defenses, but I don't think the NHL would like that in their game, it would create more stoppages.
My thought and one that Schopp and the Bulldog were talking about on WGR yesterday was removing the blue lines. You essentially remove the neutral zone and create two equal halves of ice, once you go in onsides you have half the ice in the offensive zone to work with.
It would create a ton of room for skille players and open things up for defensemen making it much easier to pinch. I like the idea, Some hockey traditionalists might not. What do you all think? Has anyone else noticed the lack of offense again in the league?
I heard on Primetime sports the other day that the average goals per game were down, so you're not wrong. Whether it's because the refs aren't calling it as strict as they were or the coaches have figured out a way to slow the game down again legally, something's got to give. Bob McCown seems to think that form this day forward, every new NHL arena should be built with a larger sheet of ice, suggesting it should be closer to the international size. I tend to agree. I think players are so much bigger, stronger and faster these days that they've outgrown the rink.
Failing that, I remember when the NHL was talking about removing the red line they also played with the idea of making the bluelines wider (4 or 6 feet). I loved this idea because it made both the offensive/defensive zone larger AND the neutral zone. I think they even tried it out in a few games in the AHL. I guess they didn't like the idea, but I'd love to see them revisit it.
Yeah, like I said, they need to do something because, if not they are going to lose fans who want to see Ovechkin, Crosby, Vanek, Gaborik, St. Louis, Richards score the big goals.
From what Ive seen, and I haven't watched every minute of every game lately but the Trap is killing teams that want to go wide open. And to beat the trap you have to play the trap and play it better than the other team so instead of trying to break the trap, you play it too and it just clogs up the neutral zone.
It turns into, wait for the other team to make the big mistake first hockey instead of skate and attack and try to make it exciting for the fans.
Why can the NBA figure out a way to ban zone defences yet the NHL can't get rid of the trap?