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barciur

New fan.. need advice

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Hey guys

This might be a little weird but here it goes.. hope I don't make myself look like a massive fool.

Anyway, the story is that I moved to the States couple of years ago and one of my close friends is a Wings fan. I got to know a bit about hockey and the Wings from him, but it was all a bit bits and pieces. I'm a soccer fan and I mainly follow soccer, but I watched an NHL game here and there. The Olympics 2010 was what really got me hooked though. So I was gonna watch the 11-12 season, but a lot of personal issues got in the way etc. So I figured 12-13 season will be the first season for me to start and, naturally, I'd become a Red Wings fan through the ties with my close friend.. but we all know what happened with that.

I am honestly a lot in the blue about hockey, the NHL etc. I know a little bit about the draft system because of the MLS, but not too much. But I figured anyway I want to make an effort and become a fan overtime and being swayed by my friend it was always going to be this team. So can the fans of this team help me out? What do I really have to know? What should I read? And any helpful links to learn fully the rules of the NHL? Help me get into this sport and this team!

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Guest The Axe

Just take in a lot of games with other knowledgeable fans. You'll pick it up as you watch more of it. And ask a lot of questions. If I can teach hockey to my girlfriend then I think anyone can learn.

Listen to this guy. Hockey is the worst announced/televised sport, and the intricacies are never explained, much less the rules and their implications. The best thing to do is pony up for seats at the red line 10 to 20 rows back so you can see the whole ice and hear the whistles and players/refs chatter. Do that for an NHL game and you will be hooked for life.

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Listen to this guy. Hockey is the worst announced/televised sport, and the intricacies are never explained, much less the rules and their implications.

The other day I was watching a lot of "goal review" videos on YouTube and there were some cases where it was inconclusive whether the puck crossed the line etc. and even for a total NHL noob I was shocked that those guys would say things like "well I'll be shocked if it's not given as a goal" even though clearly there was no way of saying something was over the line.. just kinda made me question that already.

Thanks. The video was great, some rules knocked out in a heartbeat :D As for going to an NHL game, the closest venue is a bit far away but I'll probably do that some day and see what happens. :)

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The other day I was watching a lot of "goal review" videos on YouTube and there were some cases where it was inconclusive whether the puck crossed the line etc. and even for a total NHL noob I was shocked that those guys would say things like "well I'll be shocked if it's not given as a goal" even though clearly there was no way of saying something was over the line.. just kinda made me question that already.

Thanks. The video was great, some rules knocked out in a heartbeat :D As for going to an NHL game, the closest venue is a bit far away but I'll probably do that some day and see what happens. :)

It doesn't have to be NHL really. Minor league, beer league, college...it doesn't matter all that much in my opinion. Watch even a few games live at any level and you'll be hooked for life. I mean even Columbus has dozens of fans now.

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The other day I was watching a lot of "goal review" videos on YouTube and there were some cases where it was inconclusive whether the puck crossed the line etc. and even for a total NHL noob I was shocked that those guys would say things like "well I'll be shocked if it's not given as a goal" even though clearly there was no way of saying something was over the line.. just kinda made me question that already.

Thanks. The video was great, some rules knocked out in a heartbeat :D As for going to an NHL game, the closest venue is a bit far away but I'll probably do that some day and see what happens. :)

You don't even have to be there live, just watch games with other fans that know a lot about the game, and ask questions. You'll pick it up in no time.

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If its available in your area you should get the NHL Network. They are showing a lot of playoff games from the last few years as well as the Winter Classics durring the lockout. That should give you lots of examples for the rules and general flows of games and get you ready for live action when the league comes back

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Like many others have said, watch.... That's the best way to learn.. I can sit here and explain offsides and it would seem some what foreign... Watch what offsides looks like a couple times on TV and it starts to become more clear...

The best part is once you start learning the game and how it's played, you will slowly learn the little things players do that make them that much better then the rest of the guys on the ice.

Just watch hockey, and watch it as much as possible...

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Ha, funny thing, Crashnburnluder, I'm from Lancaster, PA, too! :)

Just found that I do have NHL Network on my cable TV, so I'll certainly be watching some games available. Thanks guys, I wasn't sure what to expect when I made that thread but I feel welcome here and good so it's a good start.

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I know that reading the dictionary is probably more exciting than this, but, it really is a must read for most fans. Unfortunately, it gets about as much attention as a cars owners manual.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=27011

Edit: And BTW, welcome to the greatest sport around, and welcome to our big disfunctional family.

Edited by BigWillieStyle

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The other day I was watching a lot of "goal review" videos on YouTube and there were some cases where it was inconclusive whether the puck crossed the line etc. and even for a total NHL noob I was shocked that those guys would say things like "well I'll be shocked if it's not given as a goal" even though clearly there was no way of saying something was over the line.. just kinda made me question that already.

Lol that has nothing to do with hockey, and everything to do with the fact that a lot of announcers are incredibly biased... take this for example:

These two guys are jokes. Plus you should get to know that no one is allowed to hit a player in Boston... they're exempt... :glare:

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This is a bad bad time to be a new hockey fan. It's borderline embarrassing how much of a circus this year has been so far.

Honestly, to the OP, I would go to best buy, or moviestop, or whatever well stocked dvd retail store there is around you and purchase the Red Wings box set. In my opinion, it includes the essentials of what a Red Wings fan should see, know, and remember. The battles between them and Colorado, the cup wins, and the most intense moments of Red Wings playoff history. Buy it, watch it, all of it, yes it's 5 cds two-sided but do it anyway, learn from it, love it. I went back and watched a few of those games again, remembered the knot in my stomach before a Wings/Avs regular season game and how much was on the line, and the intensity, and the passion.

Don't be discouraged by the events going on currently in the NHL. It's worth the wait in the long run.

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Run away before you get addicted and get your soul crushed by a jackass commissioner and a bunch of billionaires.

Yes....find a different sport to watch. They will change this game so much in your lifetime that by time you have been a fan for 30+ years, it will be like watching a total different sport. To hell with Bettman and the greedy owners....frk parity, frk expansion, frk Hudler and frk Cindy Lee Crysby...oh and a big FRK Franzen!

Edited by LeftWinger

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This is a bad bad time to be a new hockey fan. It's borderline embarrassing how much of a circus this year has been so far.

Honestly, to the OP, I would go to best buy, or moviestop, or whatever well stocked dvd retail store there is around you and purchase the Red Wings box set. In my opinion, it includes the essentials of what a Red Wings fan should see, know, and remember. The battles between them and Colorado, the cup wins, and the most intense moments of Red Wings playoff history. Buy it, watch it, all of it, yes it's 5 cds two-sided but do it anyway, learn from it, love it. I went back and watched a few of those games again, remembered the knot in my stomach before a Wings/Avs regular season game and how much was on the line, and the intensity, and the passion.

Don't be discouraged by the events going on currently in the NHL. It's worth the wait in the long run.

Is it this one? http://www.amazon.com/Detroit-Red-Wings-Celebration-Champions/dp/B0002WZRUO this one says it's 4 discs, but couldn't see anything else.

Run away before you get addicted and get your soul crushed by a jackass commissioner and a bunch of billionaires.

Ha. Sounds like the most reasonable advice :lol:

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Watch more of Pavel Datsyuk highlights and you'll get how the hockey must be played :)

I will vouch for this one, but I gotta tell you, it's so much better to watch him live. He's worth at least two jaw drops and three "How the hell did he do that?"s per game. And if he can make my non-hockey fan husband drop his jaw and say, "If I didn't see that I would have never believed it", then you know he's got something goin' on.

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Haha for all those saying to run away before the game crushes you, if im not mistaken the OP said he was a soccer fan. As a fellow soccer fan i can assure you that soccer has probably crushed him once or twice before.

As for how to learn how the game is played, i dont know if anyone has said this yet but i can sum it up in 2 words. Pavel. Datsyuk. Anytime hes on the ice just keep your eyes on him. Youtube his name and you will quickly underatand.

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Haha for all those saying to run away before the game crushes you, if im not mistaken the OP said he was a soccer fan. As a fellow soccer fan i can assure you that soccer has probably crushed him once or twice before.

Yes.. And I'm an Arsenal fan, if that tells you anything you need to know about the state of my mind in recent times.

Yes that one, it's a lot of content for $30.

Thanks, will check it out.

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