Globe & Mail Articles

[Boston_Habs]

Eric Duhatschek has a few nice articles in the G&M on Dave King and what's going on in the German Elite League.

First of all, the points system is similar to European soccer, with 3 points for wins, 2 points for a shootout win, and 1 point for a shootout loss. There are no ties and no overtimes - you go straight to a shootout after the end of regulation. King says the premium on wins is good and makes the season much more interesting - a team that gets on a roll can move up in the standings very quickly. He thinks overtime should only be used in the playoffs.

Also, the popularity of hockey in Germany seems to be on the rise with professional ownership and competitive teams in all the major cities. Coaches include the likes of King, Pierre Page, and Butch Goring and tons of marginal NHL players like Mark Greig and Darren Van Impe. I always thought Germany should be a natural for hockey - it could end up being another feeder system for the NHL.

It's sad with all the incredible hockey talent being produced all over the world that the quality of the product at the NHL, the best hockey league in the world, is so crappy.

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

Another potential permanent home for talented European NHLers after the CBA expires. The various European leagues, with their increased level of play and salaries, could well be a reverse talent drain from the NHL in the near future.

[Montrealer]

Boston_Habs said:

It's sad with all the incredible hockey talent being produced all over the world that the quality of the product at the NHL, the best hockey league in the world, is so crappy.

So the problem, logically, isn't the talent of the players, or am I completely off my rocker?

[Boston_Habs]

Montrealer said:

So the problem, logically, isn't the talent of the players, or am I completely off my rocker?

I would agree with that. Talent isn't the problem, IMO, although I do think when the league expanded from 24-30 teams there was a natural lag in having enough talent to stock 6 more teams (100+ players).

I think the problems are teaching/coaching styles at all levels (i.e. the emphasis on defensive and positional play at the expense of offense and creativity), the size of the players, the trap, the rules.... all the stuff people talk about.

It's a good sign that Canada and the rest of the world continues to pump out elite level players (Heatley, Kovalchuk, Bouwmeester, Ovechkin, Crosby). If only the league could figure out a way to exploit it.