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Getting rid of the instigator rule would have been nice. So would eliminating the shootout.

Getting a tripping penalty even if you touch the puck first is garbage. There's athleticism and skill involved in taking a chance in acquiring the puck from an attacking player on the fly like that. What, now every breakaway will result in a penalty if the attacking player happens to fall down while the defenseman is trying to make a play?

My apologies. The problem is that there's nothing to discuss. The OP flavored the opening post with "and it begins". Considering nothing about this thread is new news and only gives people a pseudo chance at "I told you so" it was a recipe for disaster from the get-go. Just my opinion.

Crosby could stub his toe in the off-season while on vacation in Jamaica and it would be front page news on nhl.com lol

frankgrimes - translation - "Told you so..." The more I think about it, the more worried I'm getting... I mean, I'm not so sure that Ericsson will be able to skate the same with his middle finger only at 95%... C'mon people, quit reaching... And there were a lot of people that were completely okay with Alfredsson not being offered another contract this season, but now that he may not be 100% healthy, the sky is falling...

@SiriusXMNHL: BREAKING NEWS- @NHL announces new rule changes. Here's the details. http://t.co/JOsUKJMrPI Do you like the changes http://t.co/lfBca3cvb0 Edit to add rules: From the link above- Rule 1.8 Rink - Goalkeeper's Restricted Area The trapezoid will be expanded by two feet from the goal post on both sides of the net. Rule 23 Game Misconduct Penalties A new Game Misconduct category will be created. Clipping, charging, elbowing, interference, kneeing, head-butting and butt-ending move from the general category into the same category as boarding and checking from behind ("Physical Fouls"), whereby a player who incurs two such game misconducts in this category would now be automatically suspended for one game. Rule 24 Penalty Shot The 'Spin-O-Rama' move, as described in Section 24.2 of the 2013-14 NHL Rule Book, will no longer be permitted either in Penalty Shot situations or in the Shootout. Rule 38 Video Goal Judge Video review will be expanded in the following areas: * Rule 38.4 (viii) has been modified to allow broader discretion to Hockey Operations to assist the referees in determining the legitimacy of all potential goals (e.g., to ensure they are "good hockey goals"). The revised Rule will allow Hockey Operations to correct a broader array of situations where video review clearly establishes that a "goal" or "no goal" call on the ice has been made in error. The new expanded rule will also allow Hockey Operations to provide guidance to referees on goal and potential goal plays where the referee has blown his whistle (or intended to blow his whistle) after having lost sight of the puck. * In reviewing "Kicked in Goals," Hockey Operations will require more demonstrable video evidence of a "distinct kicking motion" in order to overrule a "goal" call on the ice, or to uphold a "no goal" call on the ice. Rule 57 Tripping The rule relating to "Tripping" will be revised to specifically provide that a two minute minor penalty will be assessed when a defending player "dives" and trips an attacking player with his body/arm/shoulder, regardless of whether the defending player is able to make initial contact with the puck. But, in situations where a penalty shot might otherwise be appropriate, if the defending player "dives" and touches the puck first (before the trip), no penalty shot will be awarded. (In such cases, the resulting penalty will be limited to a two-minute minor penalty for tripping.) Rule 64 Diving / Embellishment The supplementary discipline penalties associated with Rule 64.3 (Diving/Embellishment) will be revised to bring attention to and more seriously penalize players (and teams) who repeatedly dive and embellish in an attempt to draw penalties. Fines will be assessed to players and head coaches on a graduated scale outlined below. Incident # Player Fine(s) Head Coach Fine(s) 1 Warning N/A 2 $2,000 N/A 3 $3,000 N/A 4 $4,000 $2,000 5 $5,000 $3,000 6 $5,000 $4,000 7 $5,000 $5,000 8 $5,000 $5,000 Rule 76 Face-offs To curb delay tactics on face-offs after icing infractions, in situations where the defending team is guilty of a face-off violation, following an icing, the defending player who is initially lined up for the face-off will be given a warning, but will be required to remain in the circle to take the face-off. A second face-off violation by the defending team in such situation will result in a two minute minor bench penalty. Rule 84 Overtime * Teams will switch ends prior to the start of overtime in the regular season. * The entire ice surface will undergo a "dry scrape" prior to the start of overtime in the regular season. * The procedure requiring the head coach to submit a list of the first three shooters in the shoot-out has been eliminated. Rule 85 Puck Out of Bounds There have been further rule changes made relating to face-off location to avoid penalizing teams for plays intended to create bona fide scoring opportunities. Specifically, the following are "categories of plays" where face-offs will remain in the attacking zone despite the fact that the attacking team was technically responsible for the stoppage in play: Shots at the net by a player on the attacking team where: (i) the shot breaks the glass; (ii) the shot goes off the side of the net and deflects out of play; (iii) the shot goes off the dasher boards or glass and deflects out of play; (iv) the shot is tipped or deflected out of play by a teammate; and (v) the shot becomes wedged in or on the exterior of the goal net. In addition, the following rule change will be enacted for the 2014 preseason and may be continued for the 2014/15 regular season if approved by the League and the NHLPA. Rule 1.9 Rink Face-off Spots and Circles Ice Markings/Hash Marks The hash marks at the end zone circles will be moved from three feet apart to five feet, seven inches apart (international markings).

Lashoff is pretty solid for a 7 and still has some room to grow. I'm done with Kindl though.

Good point. I always forget the cap space rules when you waive a player. And a trade seems unlikely unless he's packaged with a valuable player. I personally think he's already out of time. With 230 or so NHL games under his belt, I just don't see him improving much. He's been battling for a bottom pairing spot all of his career. With his skill set and size, he should've established himself by now. It's what makes Kindl so annoying for me. Kindl is as big or bigger than everyone on the Wings except Ericsson and Franzen, but he plays like he's Rafalski sized and will bail on making a play to avoid getting hit.

The whole video review 'improvements' reek of vagueness and subjectivity. I'm polishing up my tinfoil hat.

Less talk about this forum and people whining. More talk about the actual topic please.

I don't really get the elimination of the 'Spin-O-Rama' move... They're obviously keeping the shootout for entertainment purposes but getting rid of one of the more entertaining moves? Is it gimmicky? Yes. But so is the whole concept of a shootout to decide a hockey game.

You can try and minimize my point all you want. Of course none of us really know the inner workings of the Red Wings organization. But to think that a GM doesn't ask his head coach what he wants, who he wants, and who he could do without, and that, that doesn't heavily influence the players he chases is kind of insane. Obama might be at the head of the Military, but when there's a battle to be fought he doesn't just go buy some tanks and send them, he asks his general(s) what they need/want and acts accordingly. Holland and all his scouts can sit down and agree that the team needs more 4th line fighter types... but if Babcock won't play a guy like that then there's no sense in signing one despite what you and your personnel tell yourselves. It'd be like commissioning a sculptor to make a work of art for you, and then giving him paints and oils to work with. The guy might be a real good artist, but that piece is gonna suck. If I'm Holland, Babs has a ton of sway in my personnel choices. Now his needs/wants may not be feasible due to availability of players, financial concerns, and my long-term vision for the team, but I'd do my best to cater to my coach within those limitations. EDIT: Managment also consults Datsyuk and Zetterberg on players as well. Fischer mentioned recently that after training camp they're going to hear boths opinions on Mantha. Holland is not some insane puppeteer. There's a giant organization of guidance and opinions beneath him.

This forum is going to be 'something' regardless of what happens. If Mantha plays 40 games and has 15 goals it won't be: "Awesome, this kid's the real deal and our future is secure. Way to go Holland and staff for drafting this guy!!!!" It will be: " f*** you Kenny for signing Cleary and Quincey and letting Hossa go and not giving me a team as tough as Calgary and for not signing Niskanen" Some dudes on here have spent too much time building their opinions and reputations and dealing in absolutes. Whatever happens this year, people are going to feel the need to spin it whatever way they need to in order to back up their zealousness.

Problem is, you're going to pay Kindl one way or another and waiving him only gets you minimal cap relief. It's not a situation like Samuelsson where you waive him and only have to pay for the remainder of the season. In Kindl's case you'd be paying for 3 more years. Best case scenario you start him on the third pair, and second PP. Hopefully he can produce (initially) at the pace he did a couple years ago and he'll have some trade value. Right now he's got no trade value and he's too expensive to demote.

Just wait for the first in-game injury. This forum is going to be something.

Just for the record, Quincey's contract should have no bearing on DeKeyser's contract, as Quincey signed as a UFA and DeKeyser is an RFA. The real sticking point is, as Holland says, finding a good comparable for DeKeyser. He's clearly a very important part of the team, but the book on him at the pro level is so very, very thin. It's an unusual situation. Additionally, Smith is heading into the final year of his first contract and we've got four or five kids looking to make the jump this season - so this contract will set an intra-club precedent that will be referenced in future negotiations. So you really want to get this right. Personally, I think he gets two or three years at around $3M.

I think people keep forgetting this. Jurco is included in CG's estimate for the Wings. Who even knows what's going to happen with Alfredsson. At this point, it seems like a deal with bonuses and a lower cap hit is what he'll be offered - 709K is good for about 70% of Alfie's expected cap hit for this season. I'm still not a fan of the Quincey signing, though. The defensive core feels stagnant. You've got Quincey and Kindl who are, IMO, playing below what you expect out of guys who should be considered seasoned, second pairing defenders. You can make the argument that Smith and DD can still grow and improve over the next season or two, and Kronwall and E are obviously solid. I would much rather have one of the GR kids over Q or Kindl - at least let Ouellet, Sproul, Marchenko and Backman compete to see who'd earn the spot.

Best just to stay out of these threads krsmith17. It's not worth it...

Should have been a graphic of a shelf with a monster sitting on it... Maybe a graphic of a groin shattered into a million pieces?

RIP, Bob. Condolences to the family and friends he left behind. Thanks for the Miracle.

*yawn*

Either of those would have been great. But they're not big media markets for Hockey. It's all about the $$$ essentially. And its a joke, recycling the same teams in match ups that frankly, interest no body, watering down the entire thing. At least last years game had some history to rivalry.

They keep recycling the same teams over and over. It's getting old.

I prefer these. They came with cups.

I think the difference between the two is Babcock has taken Holland's makeshift/transitional/mediocre/insert your preferred term rosters and kept them competitive. Babs certainly has his faults, but how many coaches get last year's version of the Red Wings into the playoffs at all given the circumstances? I have gotten on Babs in the past for his stubbornness and certain personnel decisions, though in reality he has done exceptional work and last season was probably his best coaching job to date. I don't want to turn this into another bash Holland thread, but I think the track record since 2009 speaks for itself. That's why the general manager has taken more heat than the head coach. Babs can only coach up the players he's given so much.