Friendly International Ice

Friday's Prime Time Sports roundtable was spent largely discussing the game of hockey and ways to improve it at both the junior and professional level. Standard fare, but Gord Stellick brought up a point that I have been harping on for years and I wanted to expound on it. The NHL needs to begin grandfathering in larger, but proportional ice surfaces in new buildings.

There are a multitude of reasons someone might advoacate this concept, not the least of which, and as was disucussed on the PTS roundtable, potential safety benefits. The obvious logic being "more space = less collisions = less injuries". That reason seems all well and good, but it is pretty self explanatory, so it would be pointless to continue harping on it.

Example now irrelevant

I want to see the league implement a new ice surface standard that might allow for some creativity and character throughout the league. The recent spate of new arenas really has one defining characteristic; that none of them really have any defining characteristics. There are a few anomalies (the now NHL-less Phillips Arena with its strange wall of box suites), but generally, every arena looks like the last. Admittedly, total ice surface wont necessarily change the now industry standard layout of seats, but it might inspire new builders to get creative, and craft an identity for a team around it's arena. Much like in soccer, teams often have different sized playing surfaces, and in some cases, that playing surface is manipulated to highlight a team's strength. It is far fethched, but I imagine an NHL in which, for example, the Montreal Canadiens are playing on a large Intl size ice surface to compliment a free flowing, offensive game, whereas the Boston Bruins might be playing on a smaller, modern sized arena, designed to slow the game down, and up the physicality.

Stellick said the NHL missed their chance to implement this. Though they did miss a very good chance with all the recent new buildings, there is always time to change. All these new arenas will be old one day as well.

The NHL needs to be pushing this stuff!

Another big change I have long thought could only be a success, if the NHL insists on doing the "All Star" thing, than to make it interesting, borrow a page from the most successful, most popular game on the planet, and play an 'international friendly' or two. This could take advantage of the NHL's international flavour (something the other 3 North American sports leagues would love to have) and possibly create a mild level of competition in the game. For example, this season's ASG in Ottawa, you could have the skills comp one night with all the Stars, and then a Canada vs. USA or Canada vs. Sweden friendly the next day. Or I would even suggest have a second friendly in place of the skills comp.

And if the game is in the states, I think a USA vs. Russia All Star Game would sell alot better than East vs. West, or Western Hemisphere vs. Eastern Hemisphere, or Team Joe vs. Team Bob.





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