Sports Editor Nicholas Di Giovanni gives his take on his latest in sports with his weekly Colour Commentary
Why the Hockey Hall of Fame should replicate its baseball counterpart
To make the hall of fame in any given sport, an athlete needs to have a greatness and elite talent not many others have. In many cases, the hall of fame has abandoned the vision of the very best, and has become the hall of the very good.
This is evident with the Hockey Hall of Fame (HHOF). Since 1959, the HHOF has inducted new members every year, including some controversial figures like Eric Lindros in 2016 and Paul Kariya in 2017. While both were fantastic hockey players throughout their respective careers, some argue they didn’t produce Hall-of-Fame-worthy numbers. Granted, both were plagued by many injuries. Despite their setbacks, Lindros and Kariya are two of the few forwards, not known for their defensive play, who did not reach 1,000 points in their careers.
In contrast, the National Baseball Hall of Fame (BBHOF) has been much more selective when inducting players. The Baseball Writers’ Association of America submits their votes every year, and a player is only inducted if he receives 75 per cent of votes. Since the first class of members in 1936, which included Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb, the BBHOF has generally been reserved for the best. Cooperstown, New York, the home of the Hall of Fame, has over 300 inductees added throughout its nearly 83 year existence, and as the game has changed, so have the standards for induction.
Granted, the BBHOF has been mired in controversy surrounding the absence of several noticed stars of the game, like all-time home run leader Barry Bonds, as well as Sammy Sosa and Roger Clemens for their alleged use of performance enhancing drugs. This proves the BBHOF will typically only induct players who’ve truly earned their spots as legends. With the most recent class featuring Harold Baines and Lee Smith, the standards remain the same.
The 2019 BBHOF class has several worthy members up for induction, such as all-time saves leader Mariano Rivera, and the late former Blue Jay and two time Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay. The BBHOF must maintain its standards, and the HHOF would be wise to alter their standards of admission. The hall of fame in any sport is reserved for the best of the best, and it must be kept that way.
Sports Editor Nicholas Di Giovanni gives his take on his latest in sports with his weekly Colour Commentary
Seeing teams tank just isn’t good for the league
The Montreal Canadiens aren’t that bad of a team this year. They have a 25-17-5 record, sitting in seventh place in the Eastern Conference with 55 points. Despite this, there are still fans who believe the Habs should lose in order to get a better draft pick. Yes, more than halfway through the season, and in a playoff spot, Canadiens fans want their team to lose.
Sure, most people including myself did not see the Habs as a playoff team at the beginning of the season. But here they are, fighting for a playoff spot and looking like a good team. The only reason people are suggesting them to tank is because the structure of the NHL season allows them to.
At the end of the season, the 15 non-playoff teams enter the NHL Draft Lottery for a chance to win a top-three pick in the upcoming draft in June. The worst team in the league has an 18.5 per cent chance of picking first, with the odds decreasing until the best team remaining has a one per cent chance. Logically, losing means a better shot at securing the league’s next big star in the draft.
In simple terms, you play sports to win, not lose. Sports at a professional level should also act as a role model for young fans, so the NHL has to put an end to this mentality because losing should never be rewarded.
I understand the NHL, like most other North American sports leagues that use a draft lottery system, wants to have parity in the league. That’s why it only makes sense to make weak teams stronger through the draft. But the NHL needs to come up with a way to have teams competitive all-year long.
One system I’ve seen suggested is eliminated-teams standings where teams fight for a higher draft pick. Once a team is mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, they start accumulating points for these draft-pick standings. For example, if the Philadelphia Flyers get eliminated with 20 games left, they will have to battle hard in that final stretch to finish first in a fight for the number-one pick. It still gives them a better chance of earning points than a hockey team that is eliminated on the final day of the regular season, and can’t collect points. This way, it keeps fans entertained all season long, and ensures that teams stay competitive.
From left to right: Mike Kelly, Neil Lane, Scott MacIntosh and Brian MacDonald discuss sports analytics. Photo by Alec Brideau.
Mike Kelly uses unique information to give a different perspective on hockey
Statistical analysis consists of collecting and analyzing information or statistics about target groups or trends, in order to better identify and understand them. This procedure, now used by most sports organizations, was discussed at the John Molson Sports Marketing (JMSM) conference on Nov. 2, and panelists see it as a benefit for fans.
“I think it allows the fans to understand the game and the players better,” said TSN hockey analyst Mike Kelly. “The more you understand something, the more passionate and invested you will be in it.”
Kelly explained that statistical analysis often brings new angles to his stories. It is an asset in his work, as it helps to reach a vaster audience.
“I think my goal in all of this is to get [sports fans] more engaged in the game,” Kelly said. “It tells them stories they might not know, or adds context and layers to stories they might know.”
The JMSM conference was held from Nov. 1-3 in downtown Montreal. Photo by Alec Brideau.
Statistical analysis is used in many different ways to customize a fan’s experience. Scott MacIntosh, head of sports analytics and business development with SAP Sports, said the use of statistical analysis in sports can go as deep as it can be casual.
“If you start building products that fit with the fans and the level [at which] you identify them, in terms of what experience they want to have with you, it can go really deep, or stays as casual as a fan telling you they want a certain thing,” MacIntosh said.
MacIntosh added that statistical analysis allows creativity for organizations, which leads to unique experiences for their fans.
“There was a team in the United States that was giving something as interesting as creating virtual season tickets for the fans,” MacIntosh said. “An NBA fan could receive a recorded phone call from their favourite player on a game day. They were bringing that experience from the start of the day, right until you got to the arena.”
According to co-founder and CEO of Stathletes Neil Lane, the use of statistical analysis to improve fans’s experiences is done by thinking from their perspective.
“Everybody’s on their phone, and there are not a lot [of fans] watching the game,” Lane said. “So how do you use analytics to create more entertainment for our fans? From my experience, on [Kelly’s] side and on the media’s side, there are a lot of ways you can engage them with statistical [tools] that will tell them better stories.”
Lane explained that sports teams have many techniques in place to gather statistics and build better experiences for fans.
“Some arenas have cameras in them that are just watching the fans,” Lane said. “They’re seeing what fans are wearing, reading, drinking, texting, and even what site they are on on their phones.It takes the data points so it can drive that second experience in the future because of that.”
Kelly said fans have been really open to statistical analysis in his work.
“There are still fans who just want to sit down, have a beer and watch a hockey game,” Kelly said. “For me, it’s just a way to tell different and unique stories, and I think a lot of fans have been very receptive to it.”
Sports Editor Nicholas Di Giovanni gives his take on his latest in sports with his weekly Colour Commentary
Tom Wilson’s 20-game suspension will hopefully set an example
In a preseason NHL game between the Washington Capitals and St. Louis Blues on Sept. 30, Capitals forward Tom Wilson received a match penalty for a hit on Oskar Sundqvist. Sundqvist crossed the blue line into the Capitals’s zone when Wilson levelled him with an open-ice blindside hit to the head. Sundqvist left the game with facial injuries and has not returned to play since.
I applaud the NHL’s effort to remove dangerous hits to the head from the game. The league is sending a clear message: you can’t be head-hunting your opponents anymore.
Hockey has historically been a violent sport. It’s the only sport besides boxing and mixed martial arts where you’re actually allowed fighting. Hockey in the late 20th century practically sold itself through violence to American fans. According to Drop Your Gloves, there were 1,100 fights during the 1987-88 regular season, an average of 1.10 per game. Last season, that number was only 322 fights, or 0.25 per game.
Knowing the dangers of violent actions, the league has been steadily improving player safety in recent years. Owners see players as an opportunity to generate money, so they can’t afford to have them out of play with concussions. The league’s department of player safety started giving stricter punishment for hits to the head after the 2010-11 season, and a concussion protocol was implemented in 2016.
As a fan, I’m sick and tired of seeing players lay on the ice unconscious. The effects of a concussion go way beyond a player’s career, so why are players still going after their opponents’ head? Hopefully this suspension will make them think twice before going elbow-first into a hit.
When the suspension was announced, I saw comments on social media claiming the NHL has changed, and it’s not what it used to be (i.e. 1980s fight club hockey). Do fans seriously want to see a type of hockey that could ruin people’s lives? Unfortunately for them, hockey is changing for the better. I would rather watch an NHL that benefits from skilled players and leaves fighters out of it.
There’s something wrong with people who enjoy seeing players hurt. That’s not what sports are about.
Sports Editor Nicholas Di Giovanni gives his take on his latest in sports with his weekly Colour Commentary
Kotkaniemi, Drouin could make a big difference for Habs
With the Montreal Canadiens season starting on Oct. 3, it’s the time of year to get super hyped about the Habs, only to be let down come November.
This year, I have a different type of anticipation for the team’s first NHL game of the season against the Toronto Maple Leafs. I really don’t know what to expect from these Canadiens, with many new and young players on the roster.
Heading into training camp, I kept thinking how bad the Canadiens would be this year. They didn’t do anything over the summer to make the team better. It looked like they would be heading into a phase of rebuilding, relying on their young players and not worrying about the results.
However, when I started watching them in preseason, the Canadiens looked like a completely different team on the ice. This team can skate, pass and defend well enough. In seven preseason games, they finished with a 4-3 record, scoring 21 goals and allowing 18. I don’t look too much into preseason stats, but they had a 2-6 record a year ago and sucked for the rest of the season. The offence impressed me the most during the preseason. For so many years, the Habs were known for their lack of scoring. But with Jonathan Drouin moved to the wing, 18-year-old Jesperi Kotkaniemi playing like a 27-year-old veteran, and Tatar returning to his Detroit Red Wings form, I don’t think the Canadiens will have a scoring problem this season.
Hunger—that’s the biggest difference for this year’s Habs, and it could be what makes them a good team.
The Canadiens will also need to rely on goalie Carey Price to be better than last season. When he won the Vezina and Hart trophies in 2014-15, the Canadiens were a top team in the league. All good teams have good goaltending, and the Canadiens need that from him.
I still think the Montreal Canadiens 2018-19 season will be without playoffs, but they could surprise us.
Seven years after the infamous incident, hits to the head have decreased
On March 8, 2011, Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty lay motionless on the Bell Centre ice, as 21,000 fans in the arena and thousands more watching on television looked on in shock.
Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara slammed Pacioretty head-first into a metal stanchion separating the two benches, fracturing then-22-year-old Pacioretty’s fourth cervical vertebra and giving him a concussion. Even though Chara received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for interference, the National Hockey League (NHL) did not discipline Chara any further.
Following the league’s announcement not to suspend Chara—who went on to win the Stanley Cup that year, while Pacioretty didn’t play again for the rest of the season—many people began to question the NHL’s commitment to player safety. Just two days after the incident, former Prime Minister Stephen Harper said: “I am very concerned about the growing number of very serious injuries […] I don’t think that’s good for the game, and I think the league’s got to take a serious look at that for its own sake,” according to the CBC.
At the turn of the decade, the NHL was not a safe league for players. Former Bruins forward Marc Savard suffered a concussion when Matt Cooke of the Pittsburgh Penguins hit him with a blind-side shoulder-to-head hit on March 7, 2010. Cooke was not suspended, while Savard missed the rest of the regular season and 23 games to start the 2010-11 season. Savard’s career ended when he suffered another concussion in January 2011.
Also in January 2011, superstar Sidney Crosby was a victim of a shoulder-to-head hit from David Steckel. Four days later, he received a hit-from-behind from Victor Hedman. Crosby missed the remaining 41 games of the season, and only played 22 games the following season.
The reaction to the Pacioretty-Chara incident was a culmination of multiple serious head injuries in the NHL. Fans and league sponsors had seen enough. According to the Toronto Star, Air Canada wrote a letter threatening to remove sponsorship, “unless the NHL takes immediate action with serious suspension to the players in question to curtail these life-threatening injuries.”
Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson was the first executive in the NHL who tried to implement action.
“Our organization believes that the players’ safety in hockey has become a major concern, and that this situation has reached a point of urgency,” Molson wrote in an open letter to fans on March 10, 2011. “Players’ safety in hockey must become the ultimate priority and the situation must be addressed immediately.”
Molson and the NHL implemented change soon after. Before the 2011-12 season, every arena in the league installed rounded glass near the benches, removing all stanchions like the one Pacioretty hit. At the Bell Centre, there used to be a pane of glass separating the benches, connected to glass on top of the boards. The corner of the two panes of glass was where Pacioretty got hit, and both panes were removed at the end of the season.
The NHL’s department of player safety started giving stricter suspensions for hits to the head, with 13 illegal head contact suspensions ranging from three to 25 games in the 2011-12 season. In the 2013-14 season, there were 14 head contact suspensions lasting between two and 10 games, with nine in 2014-15, seven in 2015-16 and five last season.
In October 2016, the NHL also implemented a concussion protocol. An independent spotter watches games and notifies the officials if a player is showing concussion-like symptoms. The player is then removed from the game to undergo an evaluation, and cannot return to play unless he passes the evaluation.
In the seven years since the Chara hit on Pacioretty, player safety in the NHL has changed quite a bit, and for the better. Sometimes, there has to be some bad before the good.
Jim Corsi played for the Concordia Stingers from 1973 to 1976, and has returned to the team as an assistant coach. Photo by Kirubel Mehari.
Former NHL goalie coach and inventor of famous hockey statistic joins Stingers staff
Concordia University graduate Jim Corsi has returned to his roots, joining the Concordia Stingers men’s hockey team as an assistant coach this season. He studied at Concordia University from 1972 to 1976, playing on the hockey team as a goalie, and on the soccer team as an attacker.
Corsi played professional hockey in North America and Europe from 1976 to 1991. He was the goalie coach for the Buffalo Sabres in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1998 to 2014, and with the St. Louis Blues from 2014 to 2017. The Concordian sat down with Corsi to talk about his career since he graduated from Concordia.
Q: What’s it like to be back at Concordia?
A: It’s great. I’ve been back from time to time. […] Over the last 20 years, since I’ve been in the NHL, it’s been really hard to be home. Being here is a lot of fun because it’s my old school, and there are still a lot of people who are still here from when I was here.
Q: What’s the difference between coaching a goalie at the university level and at the NHL level?
A: At the NHL level, they’re already a formed type of goaltender. There are a number of things that you might want to adjust technically or tweak […] At the university level, you’ll get a 22 or 23-year-old who has perhaps played junior, and hasn’t been exposed to certain levels of training, so you might have a little technical stuff to teach, but probably a lot of tactical stuff.
Jim Corsi, widely credited with invention of Corsi statistic, said he did not choose its name. Photo by Alex Hutchins.
Q: Who was the most interesting goalie to coach in the NHL?
A: The most remarkable was Dominik Hasek, and the most demanding was Ryan Miller. Hasek, for me, was a guy who rewrote the book on goaltending. He added athleticism to goaltending. Miller had such a curiosity [for] the game, he had such a romance [for] the detail of the game. Miller was so curious about his job that, if you explained to him to put his hand [in a certain position], he would ask why.
Q: One of the advanced statistics in hockey is Corsi, which measures how many shots a player takes compared to everyone else on the ice. You helped create the Corsi stat as we know it. What’s the story behind it?
A: [In Buffalo], I was trying to figure out how much work a goalie does. I was adding up shots on goal, blocked and missed shots. […] Nobody knew about it until our general manager, Darcy Regier, started talking [on the radio] about a statistic we used to gage the goalie’s work. So some guy in Edmonton, [Vic Ferrari], hears about it and says, “Wow that’s phenomenal. I wonder if I could apply it to players. Let’s gage a player’s work by the number of shots he takes.” The Corsi number that has gone out there as a stat is an evolution of what my numbers were. So the guy who devised [the modern Corsi number], went through the [Buffalo Sabres media guide] and said, “Okay, I’ll call it the Darcy Regier stat. No that doesn’t sound good.” So he flipped through the guide, saw my picture, and said, “I love that moustache. Corsi stat—it has a great ring.” Unbenounced to him, I was the guy who started that stat.
Q: What’s it like to hear your name as a stat?
A: I tell my wife that my name has become generic, like, “What’s your Corsi?” What do you mean what’s my Corsi? That’s my name!
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Main photo by Kirubel Mehari.
Rogers Sportsnet president Scott Moore wants to crack down on illegal sports streaming. Photo by Nicholas Di Giovanni.
Sportsnet president Scott Moore and NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly say issue needs to be stopped
At the John Molson Sports Business conference on Nov. 2, Scott Moore, president of Rogers Sportsnet, asked how many people in attendance use cable TV to watch hockey. About 30 per cent of the crowd reluctantly raised their hands.
“That’s not good for [Rogers Sportsnet], because we’re firstly a cable TV company,” Moore said.
Next, he asked how many people use Rogers Sportsnet’s streaming service to watch National Hockey League (NHL) games. At least 50 per cent of the crowd raised their hand, and this time with more pride than the people who said they watch cable TV.
Lastly, Moore asked how many people have illegally streamed a hockey game in the past. Almost everybody in the room had their hand up.
“Look at the person to your right and left,” he told the crowd. “That person to the right of you won’t have a job. That person to the left of you won’t have a job. And you’ll be unemployed.”
Moore said illegal streaming of NHL games severely affects his business, and “it’s the biggest challenge facing professional sports.” In 2013, Rogers Communications signed a 12-year, $5.2-billion deal to become the exclusive broadcaster of NHL games in Canada from the 2014-15 season through 2025-26. So Moore wants to make sure customers are paying for his company’s service, and not illegally streaming it online.
The opening panel at the John Molson Sports Business conference featured Bill Daly, Scott Moore and Stephen Brunt. Photo by Nicholas Di Giovanni.
“We invest heavily in this content, and we want to make sure [customers] value this content,” Moore said in an exclusive interview with The Concordian after he spoke at the conference. “So we’re working heavily with [other] leagues and content-providers to find ways to shut down the stealing of content, because that’s what it is—it’s stealing.”
Rogers’s streaming service, Rogers NHL Live, broadcasts almost every NHL game, including playoffs, and is available across multiple devices. An annual membership for Rogers NHL Live is $200, while a monthly membership is $30.
However, most streams can be found by simply going to reddit. The Concordianasked reddit users why they would rather stream games than pay Rogers’s subscription fee. The response was overwhelmingly because of blackouts. A broadcast blackout on Rogers NHL Live happens when a fan tries to watch a team in their local market—i.e. a Canadiens fan in Montreal. Moore said blackouts happen to protect local cable TV. But reddit users said they would prefer streaming games than paying for cable.
“I live in New Jersey, so all Rangers, Islanders, Devils and some Flyers games would be blocked out for me locally and all nationally televised games,” wrote Beth S. “So if I want to cut the cord from cable, then I’d need to pursue a less than legal option.”
Bill Daly, the NHL deputy commissioner, took part in a panel with Moore and Sportsnet reporter Stephen Brunt at the conference. Daly said the NHL also needs help to shut down illegal streams.
“That’s a Rogers problem, not the NHL’s,” Daly said jokingly before adding: “But no, that’s an NHL problem because, if our product isn’t profitable, nobody wants to deal with us.”
“[Broadcasting rights] are a property right,” Daly said. “Just like any other property right, it could be possessed and sold, but it shouldn’t be stolen.”
Moore added that his company wants to provide a win-win situation for customers, but he said it isn’t a win-win if fans stream games illegally.
“It’s no different than going in and stealing something from the local store,” Moore said. “It is illegal.”
Steve Montador, former NHL and KHL defenceman, was found dead in his home in Mississauga, Ont. on Feb. 15. According to the Peel Regional Police, there was no indication of foul play and the cause of death is still unknown.
Graphic by Marie-Pier LaRose
“With deep sadness we mourn the unfortunate loss of former Blackhawk, Steve Montador,” the Chicago Blackhawks said through a released statement. “We join the many others throughout the NHL in keeping Steve’s family and friends in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
The Vancouver native was troubled by numerous concussions throughout his playing career, including a season-ending head injury he suffered in March 2012, during his first and only season with the Chicago Blackhawks. Following this injury, Montador spoke openly about the struggles he faced with post-concussion symptoms, especially the concerning effects of depression and anxiety. Montador told CSNChicago.com that he received a lot of help to work through his issues and believed he had taken the necessary steps in his recovery. In March 2013, Montador reported feeling better and said “every day is a brand new day and there’s a lot of enjoyment … I’m just filled with a lot of gratitude.”
Overcoming depression and anxiety was difficult, but Montador announced that it would not stop him from playing hockey again so upon clearance to return, the Blackhawks placed him on waivers and sent him down to the AHL to join the Rockford IceHogs in order to regain match fitness. However, the Blackhawks bought him out and with little NHL interest in the defenceman, Montador decided to join the KHL in Croatia.
During 10 NHL seasons playing for six teams, Montador recorded 33 goals and 98 assists for 131 points and registered 807 penalty minutes. Although he was noted for his gritty defensive style, Montador will be remembered for being a great man on and off the ice.
“This is a terrible loss of a wonderful young man; a great teammate known for his big heart and character,” said the Calgary Flames in a statement. “He will be missed by all who had the pleasure to have known and worked with him.”
Chris Kuc, hockey writer for the Chicago Tribune, tweeted after Montador’s death, “Not sure of circumstances behind Steve Montador’s death, but in his last e-mail to me a year ago he said, ‘I’m grateful for this peace I have.’”
Former teammates who became close friends tweeted after hearing of the tragedy. “To my friend Steve Montador may u find peace in a better place,” former Blackhawks teammate, Nick Boynton wrote. “I’ll miss you.”
Montador’s heart-breaking death brings forth a more serious question about head injuries in high contact sports like hockey and football.
Hayley Wickenheiser, professional hockey player and Olympic gold-medalist, wrote a powerful post on Facebook about athletes who struggle with post-concussion symptoms in memorial of Montador.
“Steve Montador is no longer with us and many will say it is because of concussions,” Wickenheiser said. “In my opinion that is just one part of the story. There are so many factors in his life that led up to this moment, whether it be addiction, depression, concussion, loss of identity. None of us truly really knows why—only Steve does.”
Wickenheiser not only writes about Montador’s death, but what athletes, team organisations and leagues must do in the future in order to help those who suffer from the dangerous symptoms.
“This is what the public does not understand and this is what the NHL and the NHLPA need to get a handle on and continue to do more for the great warriors that give so much to the game and the fans,” she said. “It will be a failure to lose another athlete under similar circumstances as Steve. Lets hope that his death brings forward a shining light on the difficulty athletes face when they leave the game.”
Wickenheiser states that athletes should be treated with respect especially when they are not playing at their best because it could be due to personal issues. “The public is so quick to jump on these guys and crucify them if they are not perfect in the media. Lets remember they are people too, they hurt, they struggle, and they are not invincible.”
Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin (#8) in front of the Philadelphia Flyers net during their NHL ice hockey game at Verizon Center. (Photo from Flickr.)
Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin (#8) in front of the Philadelphia Flyers net during their NHL ice hockey game at Verizon Center. (Photo from Flickr.)
Hockey fans everywhere have been talking about San Jose Sharks’ rookie sensation Tomas Hertl and his spectacular goal last Tuesday, when the young Czech scored a fancy, between-the-legs goal on a breakaway against New York Rangers goalie Martin Biron.
It was the eighth goal of the game for San Jose, and the fourth for Hertl in what would be an eventual 9-2 win for the Sharks.
The goal has received mixed reactions from around the hockey world. Although many people have applauded the display of raw talent, others feel that it was showboating and breaking an unwritten code of hockey ethics.
Washington Capitals coach and Hall of Famer Adam Oates was one of the first to come out and say that he disapproved of the goal.
“I’m upset. I was just talking to [Capitals General Manager] George [McPhee] and he said all the kids do that nowadays, which I understand,” he said, according to The Washington Post. “But would he have done it on his first goal? [If] he [hadn’t] scored yet [that night] and he gets a breakaway, is he going to do that on his breakaway? We’ll see.”
“[…] This league, it will bite you if you’re not sharp,” Oates continued. “Don’t disrespect the league. I’m sure it was a rookie mistake.”
Don Cherry, known for his hostile feelings towards European players and their flashy style of hockey, also gave his reaction to the goal on the Saturday, Oct. 12 edition of the CBC’s Coach’s Corner. Although he thinks the goal was hot-dogging, he feels that it was done unintentionally by a young kid who didn’t know any better.
“If the score had been 1-1, we would have said ‘hey, what a goal’. […] I’m going to say something about the kid. He didn’t know he did anything wrong. He played in the Czech Republic last year. This is what they do.”
Last season saw young rookie sensation Nail Yakupov slide across the ice in celebration of a goal, and even this was too extravagant for some people. The celebration received a similar reaction to Hertl’s goal. Like Yakupov, Hertl has now made his name known to the hockey world, for better or worse.
San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan did admit that his budding star’s celebration may have been a little over the top, but the celebration was understandable, given the situation.
“The one thing he’ll have to learn a little bit is the celebration, but he’s four goals into a game, his emotion is running high, his mom’s at the game, the celebration was maybe a little over the top. I don’t even know how I tell him that, because he’s not going to understand it,” according to Canada.com.
On the other hand, there are other members of the hockey world that have no problem with the goal, and think displays of talent should be applauded and encouraged.
“Honestly, I think it’s pretty sad that a kid scores four goals and you guys are talking about the move he made,” said Vancouver Canucks’ goaltender Roberto Luongo, according to Cam Cole of the Vancouver Sun. “What did he do wrong? He made a play, and he scored. If he scored on me, I wouldn’t be pissed if he scored that way. There is no rule against it, so I don’t understand why people would get upset about it.”
Luongo’s teammate Henrik Sedin also felt that the goal being seen as controversial is ridiculous.
“What should he have done? Come in and shoot at [goalie Martin Biron’s) pads? I don’t get it,” said Sedin, according to the Canada.com. “If he comes in and does, like, a one-handed Forsberg move … what would have been acceptable? I’m amazed we’re standing here today talking about it.”
Concordia Stingers defenceman Adam Nugent-Hopkins is on the fence about the goal.
“I don’t really have a problem with the goal. It wasn’t so much showboating as it was cocky.There is an unwritten code of ethics in hockey, and you try to stay humble about these things. But it also puts a lot of pressure on Hertl. It’s going to draw attention to him, and it’s not going to make things any easier for him.”
Nugent-Hopkins, however, shared Sedin’s views, saying it’s not Hertl’s fault that he had the chance to score.
“He wants to score, that’s why he’s out there. Too bad for New York if you can’t stop him. They’re being paid millions of dollars to stop him.”
Criticizing a young player for scoring is also very hypocritical, said McLellan.
“If you refer back to 2005, the lockout year, our league, our players, our management were looking for ways to find goal-scoring. Our fans want it,” McLellan said, according to Canada.com.
“We’ve changed rules, we’ve changed the size of the net, we’ve reduced goaltenders’ pads, we’ve put trapezoids in, we’re taken red lines out, we’ve done just about everything we can to increase scoring,” he continued.
“And now, a 19-year-old comes into the league and he scores four goals, can’t speak the language, doesn’t really understand where he is right now, and we’re going to criticize him for that? Not me.”
Although the goal may have been flashy, that is not necessarily a bad thing. For a league that is desperately trying to fill seats in some arenas, displays of skill is what is going to sell the game.
Kevin Figsby, coach of the Concordia Stingers men’s hockey team, suggested that Hertl’s goal is exactly what the NHL wants.
“I think Hertl’s goal was a thing of skill. I don’t think he would have used the same move if the score was 2-2, but I think the NHL is looking for those type of skilled moves, to sell the game,” he said.
“In fact, I think that type of move would be welcomed at the All-Star Skills competition, rather than watching guys wear costumes etc. [or] during the shootout competition.”
Hertl’s goal was seen on every highlight reel around the continent, even in places where hockey receives low levels of exposure. His celebration may have been a little over the top given the circumstances, but that is part of maturing as a hockey player. He is not the first player to go too far with a celebration, and he definitely won’t be the last. The play may have been cocky, but perhaps having more flashy goals and more outrageous celebrations in the league is what the NHL needs to sell the game.
We all know of the popular expression, “why fix something that isn’t broken?” Well, it seems the NHL does not. Broken or not, if there’s a way to make more money, than it needs to be fixed.
The National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association have agreed on a deal that would see the current two-conference, six-division setup become a two-conference, four division format.
“The NHLPA has given consent to realignment, to be re-evaluated following the 2014-15 season,” said NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr to the New York Times.
According to the NHL, teams will now be more geographically aligned, cutting down on excessive travel time for certain teams. Teams living in Eastern time zones such as Columbus and Detroit will now be moved to the Eastern Conference, simplifying their travel schedule.
With the new alignment, the top three teams in each division will automatically qualify for the playoffs, with the remaining four spots going to the teams that have the best record in each conference.
The current alignment didn’t need changing. It consisted of two, 15-team conferences, with the first eight of each conference making it to the playoffs. Simple enough for anyone to understand. The new format does nothing to improve it.
Let’s be honest: the new alignment has its good side, but it definitely has its bad. With this new look, the Eastern Conference boasts two more teams than the Western Conference and has therefore been criticized for being unfair by some players. This discrepancy implies that teams in the Western Conference would have a better chance to make the playoffs than teams in the Eastern Conference.
When looking at the bigger picture, the ends justify the means, especially in monetary terms for the NHL. The fact that teams will now be travelling less miles is an enormous money saver. Also, putting small market teams like Florida and Tampa Bay in the same conference as most of the Canadian teams such as Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal means that their stadiums will be filled with our tourists when winter comes.
Not to mention that for the first time in years the NHL can seriously consider expanding. Considering the fact that one conference has two fewer teams than the other, a possible two-team expansion doesn’t seem that far-fetched.
A similar deal to realign the league was proposed in 2011, though it was turned down by the union due to the fact that it wasn’t organized correctly or well thought out. Why, then, accept such a similar one?
To be honest I think the NHLPA was simply thinking ahead. After having just recently come to an agreement with the NHL on terms that would see a shortened hockey season — but a season nonetheless — played after months of negotiating, would it be smart to veto the realignment and cause yet another stir? Let’s not forget that although it likely will happen, the NHL has not decided whether or not they will send their players to the Olympics next year. Vetoing the realignment might have pushed the NHL to retaliate.
There’s no doubt in my mind that the realignment is a valuable moneymaker. Not only will most teams travel less, but a likely expansion as well as more tickets sold make it a profitable choice for the NHL.
So let’s see how this pans out for the NHL. After all, they’ve agreed to revise the new alignment by the 2014-15 season if it doesn’t work out.
The Olympic games are a time when talented athletes from all around the world can get together to represent and show their support for their country. It’s a time where a country unites and supports their athletes. Being chosen to represent your country out of hundreds of athletes in the Olympics is a very prestigious honour and reward for all the hard work they put into their careers over countless years.
NHL players deserve the same kind of recognition, yet the NHL is contemplating whether or not they should ban them from participating in the upcoming 2014 Sochi Olympic games due to many logistical issues that have yet to be resolved. The Olympics are a celebration of the best athletes from around the world, where they can represent and compete for their countries and make them proud. The NHL should not be allowed to decide whether or not these athletes get to participate.
According to The Canadian Press, the NHL is after “some things that currently are reserved for broadcast rights holders,” like use of video highlights the Olympic rings symbol. The NHL is also asking for better accommodations, tickets and access for team doctors. An article published in The New York Times stated that “after losing three months of revenue during a lockout, NHL owners may be even more reluctant to forgo two weeks of revenue in 2013-14.”
I do agree that they are a money-making business, therefore they should get some insurance if one of their key players gets hurt, but the rest seems too greedy. The Olympics are struggling as it is, therefore they are very protective of their broadcasting rights and logos.
The Olympics represent the unity of five continents — Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania, as portrayed by the rings on the Olympic flag — as well as a time for all countries to come together. I think It should be the NHL’s obligation to let their athletes participate. The NHL is a powerhouse and can afford to lose 16 days of revenue every four years because it’s not going to break them. As a matter of fact, it will probably bring them more revenue and greater promotion because, as the Times stated, “The Vancouver games in 2010 produced record ratings for hockey and provided a public relations boost for the NHL.”
The organization is already in trouble with fans over this year’s lockout and they would be even more disappointed with the league if they forbid players from going. Hockey superstar Alexander Ovechkin made a vow that he would attend the Olympics and support his country regardless of the NHL’s decision.
Clearly players want to support their home nation and fans want to see them do it. NHL players should get treated no differently from any other athletes and should be able to make their own decisions regarding their participation in the Olympic games. They worked hard to get to where they are today and should not be denied the opportunity to show off a little.
