Hockey used to be our national pastime here in Canada, but what is happening to it these days?
I as a youngster used to go to a few Hamilton Redwings games.The Hamilton team at that time was the farm team for Detroit Redwings as the name implied. Today however there are teams all over, that the NHL can draw from. The NHL itself has been so watered down by expansion that the game has become almost unwatchable. Recently a 20 game suspension was handed out to a former Kitchener Ranger, Steve Downie, for this I applaud the NHL for beginning to try cracking down on head shots and hits from behind. Kitchener traded for Downie for his tough playing style but they got a lose cannon in that player.I know this as a loyal KR fan. So I really enjoy the hockey played in the major junior market but I can’t say the same about the NHL.As much as they have tried to make changes to better the game,they have only hurt it. Penalties are up goals are down, if you can play the trap you win more often but you produce boring games. With few of the old natural rivalries left,with an exceptional few players we want to pay money to see,why go to the games? Also we have to deal with the fact now it seems expansion(should be going the other way) or moving a team will only be permitted in the USA, not in Canada. We are being handed a line that the Americans will support their teams better places like Kansas city then Kitchener or Hamilton Ont, I for one think thats a load of bull.I took my daughter last year to see the womens national teams challenge in Kitchener, we watched both the Canadians and USA trounce the Swedish team,it was great hockey and all had a great time. So I think for the most part the NHL is feeding us another line when they say Americans need to be better educated about hockey, I talked to some very enlightened fans from the US in Kitchener, in fact both regular goal tenders are Americans as well as several others for this years KR. Keep the faith.