Hockey returns with eye-opening alterations
SAN JOSE, Calif. – The National Hockey League knew it needed to make a huge splash when it returned from a labor-scarred, 15-month absence. So the league added new rules and restored old ones to give more flow to the games. It revamped its official logo and even produced a TV commercial that got Martha Burk riled up.
There are plenty of other twists to catch the eye. Peter Forsberg has moved from Colorado to Philadelphia. Paul Kariya’s new home is Nashville. Welcome to the salary-capped NHL where everyone, in theory, has a chance to win.
Scott Stevens, Mark Messier, Al MacInnis and Ron Francis have retired. But Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin are at the head of a rookie class that could be the best in many years.
Clearly the NHL is entering a new era. Will fans stung by the lockout buy the overhauled product?
“Obviously, it was a bad thing – an embarrassing thing to have the whole season lost,” Los Angeles center Jeremy Roenick said. “Our fans, hockey fans, are true-blue fans. They love the game and … they’re going to come back in droves.”
Things they’ll find on their return:
•More rivalries: The NHL has gone back to scheduling more intradivisional games to generate rivalries. This season division opponents will face each other eight times rather than five or six.
•A robust rookie class: Of course, there was no class last season, which means this year’s group will be brimming with youngsters who would have made the league a year ago.
Crosby, the No. 1 overall pick last July, has been pegged as the biggest can’t-miss kid since Eric Lindros in 1991.
•Even more balance: In the previous three seasons, the 12 spots in the conference finals have been filled by 12 different franchises. The salary cap aims to give more teams a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup.
•New rules: Some are subtle, such as the reinstatement of tag-up offside. Some are radical, such as the legalization of the two-line pass and the creation of an off-limits area for goalies.
But the most important change will require referees to strictly enforce the obstruction rules.