AHL Trying To Reduce Shootouts

[cprice12]

Here's something that bothers me about shootouts. For years, the league had games end in ties to avoid skills competitions determining the outcomes. Then they change the rules to appease new fans. But the frikken nba, perhaps the biggest showboating "all about me" league in the universe didn't introduce dunk contests as a means of determining the outcome of games after their recent lockout. Why is stupidity ok for the nhl but not the Nba?

THIS.

It's ridiculous when you think of the NBA or MLB equivalent (homerun derby?). I wonder what soccer fans think about shootouts in their sport? The only reason I see it making more sense for them is because they can go a really long time without scoring. Today's NHL isn't that way, for the most part.

That's not a fair comparison. Dunk contests are judged. Shootouts are not.
A better comparison to a dunk contest would be like having a figure skating contest after the game to settle a tie.

Then I would agree with you...THAT would be lame.

[cprice12]

And for the record...I like the shootout. It beats the hell out of a game ending in a tie. I used to hate that...investing a few hours of my valuable evening to watch a game and it ends in a tie? WTF?

Those games actually were ties, Curt-the teams played to a stalemate over 65 minutes. That's a tie. The NHL just used a gimmick to make you think they weren't.

Give me that "gimmick" over a friggin' tie any day.
With ticket prices the way they are, that would be a big FU to the fans to make them pay that and then have them walk out of the building on some nights where nobody won.

You absolutely need a winner in the playoffs, but that's the one time a year where there's no shootouts. So they're saying it's good enough for the regular season but not the playoffs?

Good call, glenn. More evidence that it's a gimmick. No hockey person in the NHL brass ever thought this actually improved the game. They just thought they could sell this crap to a few more "casual fans".

You can't have endless OT during the season for all kinds of reasons.
- You'd burn out players.
- You'd probably see more than one triple OT game every week...and while that would be fun to watch, you'd have to shorten the season or something if you did that because players might not have any gas left for the playoffs.
- And then what about the times teams play back to back nights and one may happen to play a 4OT game? They'd miss their flight and they'd be gassed for the next game.

If we had endless OT during the season, it would be a scheduling and booking nightmare for the league. You'd say goodbye to games on back to back nights and hello to longer layoffs between games and a shorter season.
That will never happen. The league would lose a ton of money...not to mention it would suck.