Anyone else liking the pre 2005 more?

[Dabura 12,207]

The Cap's done wonders for Calgary.

[StormJH1 231]

This thread is drifting more into the economic issues of whether it was better for owners before 2004. While poor finances can cripple a franchise, I've never bought the argument that the post-2005 NHL is particularly friendly to the struggling markets. The relatively increase in value of the Canadian dollar certainly helped, as did a bunch of other things. But the salary cap comes with a salary floor, and that floor is now significantly higher than the CAP was in 2005-06. Some teams (like the Islanders) find creative ways to "spend" money to satisfy the rules without actually making their team any better. Teams like Nashville get backed into gigantic deals for players like Weber (RFA match) and Rinne (re-signing), without which they wouldn't even be close to the salary floor. And teams like Buffalo spent absurd amounts of money on guys like Ville Leino just because of pressure to "keep" up with what the Cap dictates a "competitive" team should be spending.

But I think the on-ice product gets credited as being "better" for a lot of reasons that had nothing to do with the lockout changes. No 2-line passes was a good idea, and I like 4-on-4 overtime. You could argue that the obstruction penalties opened up the game, but that's also lead to terrible injuries and concussions. The other "advances" are mostly due to athletic evolution and improvements in equipment that have nothing to do with the rules. I don't feel as if more people are tuning in specifically becasue of shootouts, the trapezoid, or 2 minutes for firing the puck over the glass.

The biggest change I see in being a devout Red Wings and NHL fan since the early 90's are the blocked shots. Skating equipment and dedication to shot blocking has really changed the game, and I think it's for the worse. If you watched a Wings game in the late 90's and the Wings were setting up from the points and shooting into traffic, that felt like an imminent chance for a goal. Now, it's a non-event - that puck, more likely or not, isn't getting anywhere near the net. I don't have a "fix" for it, it's just one of those things that evolves out a game with more athletic players, more sophisticated defensive schemes, and defenseman who are as well protected as some goalies were in the 70's.

[Nightfall 871]

The Cap's done wonders for Calgary.

Hell, spending to the limit did wonders for the Rangers in the pre-cap world didn't it?

[kipwinger 8,522]

The argument that there are teams in bad markets that water down the product of the game is valid, but I don't think that's something to necessarily pin on the salary cap. It's bad leadership. The NHL has the opportunity to relocate teams like Phoenix and haven't to this point.

As far as the salary cap goes, it's about creating a level playing field. You're right that money doesn't buy championships, but in baseball you can pencil in half the playoff field just by looking at rosters. Teams without deep pockets face an uphill battle from the start. You have MLB cities that haven't seen playoff action in literally decades. I question whether some of those small market teams are even focused on winning. I'm pretty sure clubs like the Pirates have just pocketed all kickbacks from the luxury cap instead of funneling that into improving the on-field team. The fans suffer under this model.

The salary cap pushes the burden of success on management and scouting. In a luxury cap scenario, talented players just have to float out into free agency until they land on Cash Island. Some teams end up being relegated to Pro Farm status. What's fair is having all teams built under the same set of rules. The NHL messes a lot of things up but the decision to have a hard salary cap is one thing they have right. Teams should not have a competitive advantage on the basis of being owned by a billionaire.

I completely agree with this. And I feel a lot of fans who are opposed to the salary cap would sing a different tune if they grew up in Calgary, Winnipeg, Nashville, etc.

People make the baseball comparison all the time and I think it's a bad one. Look at teams like Kansas City or Minnesota who have good management, scout well, draft well, develop well, and then lose all their quality talent because they simply can't afford to spend like the Tigers, Red Sox, Yankees, Rangers, etc. It must suck to be a baseball fan in Minneapolis-St. Paul, and that's a real shame because they've got good fan support regardless of a systemic bias.

Edited April 8, 2013 by kipwinger

[frankgrimes 1,836]

I completely agree with this. And I feel a lot of fans who are opposed to the salary cap would sing a different tune if they grew up in Calgary, Winnipeg, Nashville, etc.

People make the baseball comparison all the time and I think it's a bad one. Look at teams like Kansas City or Minnesota who have good management, scout well, draft well, develop well, and then lose all their quality talent because they simply can't afford to spend like the Tigers, Red Sox, Yankees, Rangers, etc. It must suck to be a baseball fan in Minneapolis-St. Paul, and that's a real shame because they've got good fan support regardless of a systemic bias.

Oh yeah how poor they are, they are getting millions and millions of $ from these teams, because of the luxury tax. If their owners don't want to spend don't force them and save the crying poor after it. Thats the way to do it, the MLB has this right, the NHL is not even close to not and therefore the product is watered down and extremely boring to watch.

I am still pissed at Fehr for not pushing for a luxury tax instead of CBA scene. It may seem like people are only pissed at the cap for me it is a combination of many things (boring trade-deadline, UFA days, forced parity, stupid rule changes keeping questionable people at their jobs paying them more than 80 % of the players who are the damn product).

In 6 years this will happen again, good times ahead...not

Edited April 9, 2013 by frankgrimes

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

I completely agree with this. And I feel a lot of fans who are opposed to the salary cap would sing a different tune if they grew up in Calgary, Winnipeg, Nashville, etc.

People make the baseball comparison all the time and I think it's a bad one. Look at teams like Kansas City or Minnesota who have good management, scout well, draft well, develop well, and then lose all their quality talent because they simply can't afford to spend like the Tigers, Red Sox, Yankees, Rangers, etc. It must suck to be a baseball fan in Minneapolis-St. Paul, and that's a real shame because they've got good fan support regardless of a systemic bias.

MTS Centre in Winnipeg needs 3000 more seats. There's a stupid waiting list just to get single tickets and pairs. If there was 3000 more seats here the Jets would be top 5 in revenue. Not to mention our ticket prices are near the top. Someone told me 2nd.

Side note: I haven't been to an NHL game since Selanne was a Jet and they beat Dallas 7-6 with 4 goals by Teemu and I get to go to the game on the 16th against Tampa and see Stamkos, which should be pretty damn exciting. Hopefully Yzerman's there.

Edited April 9, 2013 by Z Winged Dangler