LIGHTNING-FLYERS STALEMATE

I thought this was funny.

http://eye-on-hockey.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/27694626/33219601

This is exactly what's wrong with hockey at the NHL level.  Winning is more important than entertainment.  Before you say that there is nothing wrong with winning being more important than entertainment, consider how important winning is if there is nobody there to watch you win.

One of the things I wonder about when it comes to hockey is how many coaches are too many?  You have three on the bench, and who knows how many in the press box.  Usually, someone in the press box is able to communicate with a wireless device to one of the assistants on the bench.  I wonder if we scaled back to a head coach and an assistant coach and forbid anyone else from being on the bench or in the press box, if that would allow for more mistakes to be made during the course of a game.  After all, it's mistakes that cause goals and it's mistakes that make junior hockey so much fun to watch.

I also still come back to the equipment.  Shed some of it.  There would be less concussions if guys could wear more modest elbow pads, for example.  You want to stick your elbow up near someone's head?  Be prepared to break your arm.  And, in today's day and age there has to be a way of making sure goalies are properly protected without making them look like they are six feet wide in addition to being six feet high.

I look at the NFL and the stance they've taken on protecting quarterbacks has made their game more enjoyable to watch.  There is more room for the quarterback to operate and, therefore, we are seeing more down the field passes.

MLB could be more fun for the viewer if they put a time limit on how long you can take in between pitches thrown.

The NBA changed years ago when they invented the three point line.  And, yes you probably see guys 'travel' all the time, but it's more fun to watch.