Viewpoint

i am very inthusiastic about the toronto maple leafs but i hate thhem

I WANT THE TOROMTO MAPLE LEAFS TO WIN! GO LEAFS GO!

My 12 year old son David wishes the Maple Leaf wins this time and he is wondering if by cheering the team personally it will do the trick. David had never done it and for him it is a big thing, he is working hard delivering our local newspaper to buy for his ticket. Look at what my son is doing for you guys, you better do your work to deserve my son's cheers!

I find it humourous that it's still in the interest of leaf fans to look for ways to salvage, what will be or all ready has been, a lost season. It is nice to see that the Leafs are finally being placed in the same category as Philly and St. Louis.

In my opinion, winless streaks should be associated with clubs that are still in the hunt or show signs of potential in their play. Not squads that are burning up faster than a meteor heading for earth.

As for the shoot out. It's an important part of the "new" N.H.L, especially when our game is struggling to survive in the U.S markets.
It's the bells and whistles that sell in the states, not the classic hard nose play of good old Canadian Hockey. Plus it's the only way the Leafs can come close to a W.

Its always a problem when rules are changed, when it comes to the record books. It makes it hard to compare one season to another. But the changes that are made is needed because the sport cannot just sit back and hope verything is allright, then time will run past then and we´ll have a sport that will not be popular anymore. The Swedish league is no exception, it was not too long ago we barely played 30 games a season, now its over 50 then you need to add the playoffs. this makes its easier for players to get higher scores, looking at points. this makes the league better and we now have a really good solid leauge that has teams that are looked at as some of the best in Europe. Cannot say that Im a huge fan of the fact that the losing team actually get a point, but then again, to get a point they would at least played alright, to get to the sudden death/shootout. but I think it makes hockey more enjoyable and it is one small thing that keep hockey as a sport interesting. Its a good thing that Sweden has one of the best goalies at shootouts - Henrik Lundqvist.

I would argue that a happy middle ground has indeed been found with the points distribution; not perfect, never will be, however it is the lesser of the evils.

I am an Oiler fan but if you can win the last game of the season to secure the spot and you don't, that's simply a hard truth of sport.

The division matchups could be more of a culprit for tight races than the way points are handed out.

And perhaps while we are slinging ideas around, its appropriate to ask for a game to not get blown by a ref so a team can earn their points themselves and conversely, lose them themselves. I don't know, call me old fashioned.

The more the "know-it-alls" tinker with the game - the more they screw it up. Keep it simple: you win, ya get's 2 points. You loose, you get to play golf early. (Ah - can I remind you's, golfers don't get couple-millions-a-year...... win-OR-loose)

I think it would be better for the fans in the west that want to see Crosby and other amazing "young-lings" is if inter divisional games were only 6 times a season and outer devisional games were only twice so that would give extra games for teams from other confrences. If that make them happy in the west then they should do it. I also think it would better if the overtime was 20 mins and then it went to shootout if either team won in overtime.

No win discussion. Years back the talk was, "Why give a team a point for losing in overtime?" That was discussed for years at NHL meetings by the brass and the players. Defensive minded Teams like Minnesota would trap teams all throught the third period of tied games if they knew they'd at least get a point.

The outcome - shootouts and 4 on 4 trying to open the game up, which even if you lose you still get a point. Now that has created a problem.

What's next? Don't get me wrong, the shootout certainly generates excitement for the fans, and the players seem to be liking it (Some teams turning their helmets around, ala rally caps in baseball). But when does it end. It seems there is no happy medium. Hockey fans complained to both change and leave the game alone. The players are still at odds over rule changes as indicated in various issues of The Hockey News. The game was fine by my standards.

The 80's was run and gun hockey. Small players, small equipment, lots of goals. Now the game is watered down, penalty after penalty. Furthermore there are players in the "New" NHL that wouldn't be stick boys in the 80's.

Isn't it now called EI. Either way I agree with Scott wins equals playoffs. Take Edmonton for example the year before the lockout they missed the playoffs by only one or two points. They had the oportunity to make the playoffs by winning their last game of the year but that didn't happen and so they were not part of the final sixteen. And didn't Vancouver miss the playoffs only a few points last year?

I would like to see the league go to 3 pts for a win and 1 pt for a tie and forget the overtime and shootout business (gimmick). Oh for the good old simple days of hockey!

Although I'm a fan of the shootout as a spectacle, and have no real problem with using it to decide a game I'd be open to different rewards for a shootout win vs. a regulation win. Some people have suggested the 3 pt win(like soccer)for regulation and 2 points for OT/SO wins but I don't like that. The 3 pts provides way too much disparity between the top teams and bottom teams. If you look at european soccer, it's often a 2 or 1 horse race before the mid-point of the season because the top teams pile up a lot of points very quickly. I'd rather watch the exciting playoff races you see now. Secondly, the record book would come even more into question as teams could pile up more points.
Therefore, a proposal that might look funny but is more logical then the current or 3pt system would be to award 1.5 pts for a OT/SO win and full 2 pts for regulation win. Yes, half a point would look funny in the box scores but sports fans are already used to talking about 1/2 games in baseball and winning % in basetball so I think most have to knowledge to comprehend the half-point. This would satisfy the "purists" who want to value records but also reward teams who win in regulation.

Does not matter to me how they break down the Leaf's winless streak They have not been consistent a loss is a loss wether it is decided in a shoot out

I can't stand that a team that loses gets a point. What a sad league.

Man, who other than Gary Bettman doesn't think the Leafs LOST seven games in a row? No one in T.Dot for sure.