How to Improve the NHL (part 1)

The result of the gold medal game notwithstanding, Olympic hockey was truly great. I didn't get to see as many games as I would have liked, mostly because NBC didn't air them on any of their networks, but the few that I did see were great. The pace seemed quicker than NHL hockey, there was more flow to the game, and the larger ice surface allowed more skill to be shown (A friend pointed out to me that they played at the Vancouver Canucks arena. I even mentioned that to my grandma and uncle when they asked why the crowd cheered Kesler during the medal ceremony. Not that that's an excuse, I just don't know what I was thinking here). Sure, there were a few things that I didn't like, such as the automatic icing and the lack of physical play. For the most part though, I enjoyed Olympic hockey more than some random NHL game (here in Detroit, we're spoiled because the Red Wings play a highly skilled puck possession game). So, what can the NHL do to make its hockey better? Read on to find out.

The first solution to improve the NHL is to eliminate six teams. Which six teams you ask? Well, Pittsburgh for one because I can't stand "Cindy" Crosby. Just kidding, although he is a douche bag extraordinaire. The six teams that I would eliminate are as follows: Phoenix Coyotes, Florida Panthers, Atlanta Thrashers, Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes (in that order). The one I feel worst about is the Carolina Hurricanes. I think there is some potential there. They have had some success, aren't too far south, and are near the east coast. If it makes you feel any better, swap Carolina for one of the California teams (California does not need teams in San Jose, L.A. and Anaheim). With less teams in the league, there would be more talent to go around to the remaining 24 teams. And more talent means better hockey.

I know this will never happen, partly because the players union wouldn't like the idea of less jobs for the players. The other part of the equation is commissioner Gary Bettman, which brings me to the next solution. The NHL needs to be rid of Bettman. In my opinion, he is bad for hockey. He has been the commissioner for two work stoppages (in 1994-95 and 2004-05). He has expanded the NHL into markets it just doesn't belong (Nashville, Atlanta). He has stood by and allowed multiple teams to relocate (Phoenix and Carolina being the most egregious). And why has he done this? I don't know for sure, but it seems he is trying to make the NHL more corporate. He seems to be trying to make the NHL like the NBA, which isn't surprising, considering he's a disciple of David Stern.

And you can clearly tell that he comes from the NBA by the way he markets the NHL. In the NBA, it's all about the superstars (Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, etc.). In the NHL, this seems to translate into Sidney Crosby, Sidney Crosby and Sidney Crosby. If you can't tell, I'm sick of Sidney Crosby. The next solution involves the marketing of the NHL. It needs to be done better. I know it sounds ambiguous because better can mean a lot of things. And I know this isn't the perfect solution, but I'm tired of the marketing trying to appeal to a non-hockey viewer. I understand that the NHL doesn't need to market anything to me. They already have me watching the game. I get that they are trying to attract the people who don't normally watch hockey. I understand that totally. But really, when your marketing turns off a fan you already have, there is a problem with it. There has to be some sort of middle ground we can agree upon. Market the superstars, sure, but don't make it mainly about just one guy. There are a number of other players that are comparable to Crosby (Ovechkin, Datsyuk, Zetterburg, Kovalchuk, Gaborik, etc.) And I don't care if they can't speak good English (some NBA players are guilty of this). Let their game speak for itself.

I'm going to have to break this into two parts because this is all I have time for tonight. Please check back later in the week for part two of the ways to improve the NHL.