*** Official Ice-Hockey Thread ***

[Daisuk]

So it's about time we got one of these. I've always been a fan of hockey, but I've never really played it competetively, so I don't know a lot about tactics and strategies, although playing NHL on the PlayStation has given me some insights. I've been watching a lot of NHL lately on my night shifts, and I've been noticing a strategy a lot of teams seem to utilize - the dump-in. I can see how it can be a smart thing to do if you want to change your line, for instance, but in terms of using it as an attacking strategy, I just don't get it. Judging from the games I've seen (maybe 5-6 games as of the last week), it doesn't seem to be very effective - in fact, most of the time, it seems like the attacking team is more or less just giving the puck away.

Why is it then used so much? Have I just seen the wrong games? Or is it really as inefficient as corner kicks are for most football teams?

 

[Seedy Ron]

Good thread Daisuk.

I think it's all about position with dumping the puck, as you say it gives you the chance to change lines (particularly the defensive line), it easily keeps the team onside and depending on how well your forecheck is working you've got a chance to retain possession off the back of it.

Even if it doesn't always work, skating the puck through the neutral zone is probably easier said than done at NHL level; better to turn it over behind the opposition net than get turned over in the neutral zone with your forwards all going the wrong way in terms of defending.

 

[Daisuk]

Yeah, that's true, and a very valid argument for it. I wonder how hockey would play if it weren't for the offside rules.

 

[djp82]

Good thread Daisuk.

I think it's all about position with dumping the puck, as you say it gives you the chance to change lines (particularly the defensive line), it easily keeps the team onside and depending on how well your forecheck is working you've got a chance to retain possession off the back of it.

Even if it doesn't always work, skating the puck through the neutral zone is probably easier said than done at NHL level; better to turn it over behind the opposition net than get turned over in the neutral zone with your forwards all going the wrong way in terms of defending.

Love ice hockey I used to play as a junior for haringay at ally pally up till I was 20.

Don't get to watch as much nhl as I would like since poxy premier sports won the tv rights in the uk.

I watch British ice hockey a bit tend to go to Guildford and watch there side as my uncle has worked for them since they took the team from Richmond. My cousins lad play for their youth teams and for Great Britain.

The style is very different they do tend to play through the the zones rather than the Nhl's dump and chase style.
British hockey is ten times slower than Nhl tho.

British hockey has regressed in my eyes since they got rid of the British national league. All to do with money and the elite league which is supposed to be the pinnacle of ice hockey in Britain but when it started out was not the case as the national league was stronger and the elite league was run by a few clubs with all the riches shame really. With the national league gone Scottish teams were forced to join it in the end as could not play in the English leagues and a lot of clubs in England had to drop down a standard from national to English leagues because of the elite leagues politics.

All in all for people who have never watched it live you can never appreciate the true speed and skill at which the game is played

My ramble is over

 

[djp82]

Love ice hockey I used to play as a junior for haringay at ally pally up till I was 20.

Don't get to watch as much nhl as I would like since poxy premier sports won the tv rights in the uk.

I watch British ice hockey a bit tend to go to Guildford and watch there side as my uncle has worked for them since they took the team from Richmond. My cousins lad play for their youth teams and for Great Britain.

The style is very different they do tend to play through the the zones rather than the Nhl's dump and chase style.
British hockey is ten times slower than Nhl tho.

British hockey has regressed in my eyes since they got rid of the British national league. All to do with money and the elite league which is supposed to be the pinnacle of ice hockey in Britain but when it started out was not the case as the national league was stronger and the elite league was run by a few clubs with all the riches shame really. With the national league gone Scottish teams were forced to join it in the end as could not play in the English leagues and a lot of clubs in England had to drop down a standard from national to English leagues because of the elite leagues politics.

All in all for people who have never watched it live you can never appreciate the true speed and skill at which the game is played

My ramble is over

That last bit about watching it live sounded bad I mean it in the context of you should go and watch it in the flesh to appreciate it a lot more

 

[Daisuk]

What's the interest like for hockey in England/Britain anyway? I remember seeing your national team in a couple of games against Denmark a few years ago, getting butchered, as far as I remember, hehe, but I might'ce remembered wrong. Do you have a link to the national association's website?

Norwegian hockey is also absolute **** compared to say the Swedish league, not to mention NHL. I still go to the occasional game though. Hockey doesn't have a huge following over here either, compared to say Sweden or Finland, but I have a feeling it's increasing. The newspapers are all over Mats Zuccarello Aasen, local lad from where I grew up, now doing pretty well for NY Rangers.

 

[djp82]

What's the interest like for hockey in England/Britain anyway? I remember seeing your national team in a couple of games against Denmark a few years ago, getting butchered, as far as I remember, hehe, but I might'ce remembered wrong. Do you have a link to the national association's website?

Norwegian hockey is also absolute **** compared to say the Swedish league, not to mention NHL. I still go to the occasional game though. Hockey doesn't have a huge following over here either, compared to say Sweden or Finland, but I have a feeling it's increasing. The newspapers are all over Mats Zuccarello Aasen, local lad from where I grew up, now doing pretty well for NY Rangers.

We don't have a massive interest either. We have so many other sports to watch. Maybe it's getting bigger not to sure. Teams start and then fold just as quickly.

My dad and his brother were into it from the early days in the uk so it was passed down to me otherwise it's not something you will find unless your looking for it .

http://www.icehockeyuk.co.uk
http://www.eliteleague.co.uk
http://www.guildfordflames.com

The last one is team I go to watch on occasion

 

[superspurs]

Seems to do well up north in places like Sheffield and Nottingham, London teams have always struggled, I used to go watch the London Knights and London Racers but they both folded.

It's a great sport and can be incredibly entertaining, love the aggressive side to it, fighting can be a bit silly at times but can also add a great edge to it.

Colorado Avalanche are my NHL team, seem to be ticking over quite well at the moment, so many good teams around. The playoffs will be awesome this season IMO.

 

[djp82]

Seems to do well up north in places like Sheffield and Nottingham, London teams have always struggled, I used to go watch the London Knights and London Racers but they both folded.

It's a great sport and can be incredibly entertaining, love the aggressive side to it, fighting can be a bit silly at times but can also add a great edge to it.

Colorado Avalanche are my NHL team, seem to be ticking over quite well at the moment, so many good teams around. The playoffs will be awesome this season IMO.

Yes London knights did not take off like they hoped plus playing at the excel would have needed to put a lot of bums on seats.

Agreed about up north they have better followings Sheffield,hull us Scotland

Racers are now haringay racers up at Alexander place.

 

[Seedy Ron]

British hockey has regressed in my eyes since they got rid of the British national league. All to do with money and the elite league which is supposed to be the pinnacle of ice hockey in Britain but when it started out was not the case as the national league was stronger and the elite league was run by a few clubs with all the riches shame really. With the national league gone Scottish teams were forced to join it in the end as could not play in the English leagues and a lot of clubs in England had to drop down a standard from national to English leagues because of the elite leagues politics.

In fairness to the Elite League, a fair few of the formative clubs were in the Super League, would the BNL have invited them to rejoin at that level when the Super League collapsed? I think there are politics in play on both sides of that one. But I agree that a single structure of linked leagues would benefit the game over here, but I can't see it happening. A lack of facilities is what probably really holds the game back over here - the London Racers (mentioned earlier) went because their rink at Lee Valley wasn't safe.

In terms of GB we're now at the 3rd tier of the annual World Championships, we got relegated from the second tier last time round. Yo-yoing between tier 2 and 3 is probably about our level tbh. We have been Olympic and World champions of course, although I am going back a bit there

 

[Mulletperm]

USA and Canada are coming to Perth next year for an exhibition match. Am definitely going along to that.

 

[djp82]

In fairness to the Elite League, a fair few of the formative clubs were in the Super League, would the BNL have invited them to rejoin at that level when the Super League collapsed? I think there are politics in play on both sides of that one. But I agree that a single structure of linked leagues would benefit the game over here, but I can't see it happening. A lack of facilities is what probably really holds the game back over here - the London Racers (mentioned earlier) went because their rink at Lee Valley wasn't safe.

In terms of GB we're now at the 3rd tier of the annual World Championships, we got relegated from the second tier last time round. Yo-yoing between tier 2 and 3 is probably about our level tbh. We have been Olympic and World champions of course, although I am going back a bit there

You are probably right about the super league clubs not being invited back but they broke away in first place.
Plus the super league was of a lesser standard than the BNL the established players did not jump ship as hoped.

Lee valley was a dump played there a few times ally pally is not much better .
As go facilities used to go round the southern part of the country playing and there was only a few top notch rink the rest were run down in need of money but it's not there unfortunately.

 

[Craig_J]

Two months till the Winter Olympics.\o/ Wonder who the finalists will be

 

[superspurs]

Remember the days when the London Knights played at the London Arena before it was knocked down, that was a great hockey venue. Lee Valley was appalling, I seem to remember a piece of plastic coming off the boards and slashing a player across the face being the last straw.

During the lock out you had guys like Scott Nichols, Eric Cairns, Wade Belak and even when Theo Fleury turn up at Belfast, playing in that shed, madness.

 

[djp82]

Can't wait for the Nhl 24/7 road to winter Classic does anyone know of this has started yet this year ?

 

[Stenno]

[video=youtube_share;puMana_bq1o]http://youtu.be/puMana_bq1o[/video]

Ahh good ol ice hockey.. Cracking video :ross:

 

[Daisuk]

Hehehe, yeah, the fighting in NHL is a bit ridiculous at times. If you try that stuff over here it's a match ban and possibly even worse. But hey, everything for entertainment value, I guess. Although, personally, I'd prefer watching hockey or real fighters to ****ty hockey fights any day of the week. :lol:

 

[superspurs]

The Racers used to be great fun with the ol' fighting.

Eric Cairns went bonkers once in Coventry, got himself a lengthy ban.

2.25 is the best bit.....

[video=youtube;DU7oeiRqJg4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU7oeiRqJg4[/video]

 

[Daisuk]

Hahaha, cheeky smack. :lol:

 

[stinkfoot]