When The ENTIRE Sports World Realized That Hockey Is The Best

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[@RobTalksHockey]

What are your top plays from this season?

[@user-we2yt5on9b]

It would be hard to choose my top plays without omitting many equally great plays. Great saves. Great passes. Great defence. Great shots. The skill level in the league gives us top plays every night.

[@Evan-C]

Otteinger save. That's all

[@AdroitXO]

Quintin Byfield's goal!

[@jameshannagan4256]

That fight Rangers vs Flyers that was epic.

[@brandonrobbins2274]

I'd say hockey isn't as popular because of the price to play is way bigger than most other team sports . Hockey is my favorite ,and was lucky too play when I was a kid.

[@OrphanTraveler97]

You'd be wrong it's because during the Alan Eagleson and Ziegler era they made several very bad decisions... like trying to make the owners.. be like slave owners ...

[@darthollpheist1156]

Yeah. I've been saying it for years. People tend to follow sports they play, or can play. Sure, there are plenty of exceptions as obviously not every NHL fan is also a player. I'm just saying in general, people follow sports that they can see themselves being able to play. Which is why soccer if the most popular sport in the world. It have nothing to do with skill, or actual love of the game. It's because most of the people that play it, are in 3rd world countries and all they have is a round ball. So...... soccer. Hockey is so expensive to play that you have to be more dedicated to it than other sports, if you want to go anywhere. I aged out of AAA (it might've been AAAA) high school. I played A and B (mainly B) travel but stopped to play high school. I play beer league now and it's still super expensive to play. The gear alone will cost you a grand or more if you care about the quality of it.

[@AtticsTV]

its why soccer is the world's sport. Because all you need to play is a ball. So its the sport not just accessible to developed nations, but to the underdeveloped nations as well.

[@Orvulum]

The availability of hockey rinks is a huge factor, along with the cost of renting ice time and yeah, all of the gear that parents have to buy... But IMHO, I think it's simpler than that. It isn't as popular because it's traditionally it was a seasonal sport, a winter sport... and winter sports of any kind have never been as popular. It's no surprise that hockey is supremely popular in countries at more northern latitudes, like Canada, Russia, Finland... Anyway, to each their own, but IMHO, the popularity of North American football defies reason. It has become so subsumed with advertising, hype, and the actual play action is so paltry (only 11 minutes per game!), that it's like the cartoon character of sports!

[@bradnewsbear]

@@Orvulum Typical take from someone that doesn't understand football. I played and still watch it and hockey. Football is about getting all eleven players to execute a complicated concept successfully, in unison. That means every play has high stakes, and is therefore inherently more exciting. There are so many different things that can happen in a single play in football, there is no other sport like it. A game changing turnover or touchdown, a bone crushing sack, or a home run by a running back are just a few. I suppose someone like who just doesn't get it gets disappointed at a 3 yard run play because you don't understand what you're watching. It's okay, it's a very complex sport. It's the best sport to watch at a gathering BY FAR because of the breaks. It leaves plenty of time for chatting, grabbing a bite, using the restroom, etc. Yes, ads have increased everywhere in every sport, but saying football's is somehow worse is disingenuous and false, you just think that because of the breaks between plays, and it supports your narrative. Unless you are one of the 0.0000001% of people that never pulls their phone out or doesn't have something else going on during a sporting event, then yeah sure I could see why the ads would get to you. I bet you can't even throw a regulation sized football 20 yards, and you're out here calling it paltry. Please.

[@bafoley]

Matty Calvert nailed that game winner with almost 40 stitches in his face. Tough as nails.

[@theramplocal]

Absolute beast

[@stuartzoo]

Calvert be like: WTF is “turf toe?”

[@frozencrow8735]

It's just a scratch

[@SirLawfty]

we also cant forget Paul Kariya being knock out by Scott Stevens in playoffs then coming back and scoring game winner. Super dangerous and never should have happened. But wow!!

[@Blacklighttheshapeshifter]

​@@SirLawftyas a flyers fan. The name Scott Stevens still makes my blood boil...

[@Leviweyhrich]

The way basketball athletes act is just embarrassing in my opinion

[@tombarr949]

They learned flopping from soccer players, the men not the women or girls.

[@TheMaskedDjentleman89]

It truly is the flopping era of basketball n it is very embarrassing. Id rather watch NHL over NBA any day of the week

[@joshgeiger8942]

It's a different sport and culture - if you don't think there are hard-as-nails dudes in the NBA, you're dreaming. Just don't expect to see it on the floor.

[@DropBear_42]

@@joshgeiger8942 “basketball players are tough just not when they play basketball” as if that’s not the exact thing we’re talking about 😂😂😅😅

[@user-yj2lm3jk4o]

Football too

[@cohengamertv6548]

Fun Fact: NASCAR driver Ricky Rudd in 1984 had a terrible crash at Daytona during the Busch clash, the g force were so high his eyes swelled shut, however, he would race in the 1984 Daytona 500 withs his eyes taped open

[@AllDayShorts247]

crazy!!!

[@TetraHydroCannabinolTHC]

Savage

[@kenneththorberg6914]

Aha...really ? So how would his eye balls get the liquid that is necessary for them not to be dry ?

[@Jabberwhorl_Cronstadt]

I think it's also worth mentioning that you can watch SO MUCH hockey. Pretty much every day. None of this sitting around, waiting for Sunday or Monday. These guys play so many games with this level of physicality. Just another example of how tough they are.

[@sebastianromero113]

IMHO they play too much

[@riverwashere_]

@@sebastianromero113 Unfortunately even in recent years there have not been near enough studies done on hockey players and CTE. If there were, we would probably see schedules spaced out way more and a lot more respect put on load management and not taking unnecessary hits

[@poika22]

I honestly think that's a detriment to the popularity of the sport. NFL basically has its own day of the week when you can watch your team play and see highlights from other games and you're all caught up. Then you can think about something else for 6 days. With hockey you always feel like you're not really fully following the league unless you devote a ridiculous amount of time to it, and because games are interspersed through the entire week it requires something special to happen for people to start conversations about it.

[@Jabberwhorl_Cronstadt]

@@poika22 that's a really interesting point 🤔

[@beneasler8868]

Love the positive take on the state of the game. Not everything is Bettman's fault and not everything is going horribly for the future of hockey

[@pnksmigge5324]

spot on, as a hockey guy getting into basketball, this shit makes me turn away so quick, you're earning millions to compete and they battle through less injuries than people in everyday jobs lmao.

[@migizebbx8364]

i like the quote of "Bro isn't talked about enough" and at the same time most people know the quote "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take" from the same person that "isn't talked about enough"

[@wyssmaster]

There's a fairly decent chance that most of the people who know that quote have no idea who Gretzky is, or at least think he was some athlete from fifty years ago

[@user-oy5py6wo8q]

7:42 Very true. I played hockey in Boston. Prior to Bobby Orr showing up there were very few rinks around, and they were usually meant just for plain skating-not hockey. After Orr came MDC rinks started showing up all around Greater Boston and hockey exploded in the area!!

[@pauls6909]

Basketball players are the divas of the sports world 😂

[@TheHilltopPillbox]

Agreed. I used to think soccer players were, and they are kind of soft, but they sometimes take cleats to the calf at full speed. Ouch. Basketball players, by and large, will work through things, like Steve Nash did, but some are just wanting the fat cheques and the wins.

[@ratiquette]

Great point about affordability to play for kids' families. I think there are some places where the toughness comparison between NBA and NHL break down; ice hockey is just dangerous because of the physics involved, so players take threats to their teammates health very seriously which is often the reason for scrums and fights. I think the reason we see less gratuitous embellishment in this sport is because there are just more real incidents. It's also sometimes harder to distinguish between a dive and a real penalty on ice where a much smaller deliberate motion can lead to a fall (contrasted with James walking half the length of the court in the clip). I still agree with the sentiment in the video that hockey is a crazy sport with a lot of wild things happening moment to moment, but thought it was worth considering some inherent elements that lead to the differences between two sports in that regard.

[@user-pg5sz2vn1w]

calvert is an absolute warrior. i wish he was still on the avs.

[@joestrunk9663]

the Manitoba madd man, Matt Calvert . thanks Matty one of my all time favorite Blue Jacket

[@owentalkslotsofhockey2849]

Let’s get rob to 100k

[@thephotonepoch9759]

Great job with this Rob. Great investigation and analysis. Gets the viewer thinking in a deep way about hockey. Great macro-view journalistic piece

[@Evan-C]

I enjoy this channel more than other hockey channels. Maybe it's the content or maybe it's just the way you present it.

[@adamekcar]

I really got into Hockey about five years ago. I'm completely hooked. There are fewer breaks in action and often end to end action with player changes on the fly. Go CBJ! Edit: Columbus Blue Jackets provide equipment for young kids who want to get into hockey.

[@jameshannagan4256]

The Rangers do that as well they a program where inner-city kids get exposed to the sport too. All of the NHL teams need to do that and it's not just inner-city kids either some pretty good players came out of the program.

[@jonathanj2666]

Great video. That 15% volume GoldenEye 007 N64 music in the background is sneaky and i'm all here for it.

[@richardsiemion5903]

I watch a lot of your videos...They are always great... This one is by far your best. You provided a lot of useful information and your analysis was supported with credible information and air tight rationale. I am finishing up my capstone for Data Analytics as I type this. I used your video as a needed break during my late lunch... If you have not gotten your masters in DA yet... You need to go to school for it ASAP. You do it very well you'd leap frog so many people already in the field with the formal educational background coupled with your intrinsic ability. Bravo

[@dompomp]

Been playing hockey since I was young, and the one thing I can say about hockey players is our pure desire to simply play hockey lol it’s such a strong desire that’s why you see so many players shrug off these injuries and pucks to the face. As long as you’re good enough to play and not bring down your team, game on lol

[@micahcunningham6812]

Seeing the excitement from segments like Pat Mcafee’s hockey is Awesome. Shows how people can get into the sport

[@devilsharvest4375]

hockey is suck a odd sport when you think about it for what it is, i think the oddity makes it the best sport

[@RobTalksHockey]

Absolutely

[@Fyrside]

grats on 100k my man!

[@timomajere]

People may have forgotten it was 20+ years ago that the rules of hockey had changed at the grass roots levels. remember those STOP signs on the backs of ALL jerseys to start teaching them NOT to rush for icings or backcheck too aggressively? Well, That change took a LONG time to finally become the standard we see today and Hockey is finally starting to become skilled again adapting to those changes. Its only been 10 years since no-touch icing was implemented. That alone is an incredible change to a hockey strategy that existed since the early 1900's. The thing wrong with hockey is it took SO long to finally become bearable to watch again.

[@bigleaguesnipes]

What do you mean bearable to watch again it was fine man before

[@timomajere]

@@bigleaguesnipes I suppose it is just an age thing. I started watching hockey back in 1982 when Peter Stastny was the name on peoples mouths and Gretzky was JUST starting his meteoric rise. I grew into and appreciated a much different time in hockey which i can see coming back now. I do not find 2-1 and 3-2 games fun to watch. Game like 8-4 or 6-5, indeed. The rules changed a while ago and goals per game dropped dramatically. Its been a slow increase as players adjusted to rules but now players like Connon bedard did NOT exist when the STOP badge was implemented. His transitioning has been what i'd consider ' pure' since it did not have a hockey mindset to adjust from. I do not know any way else to explain it so i hope that makes sense.

[@mondredgaming8927]

@@timomajere just curious on why a 2-1 or 3-2 games isn't exciting? I can watch a 1-0 game and at the end of it be like that was amazing hockey or be like how was that game only 1-0 that was the worst game I've ever seen, and a 9-5 barn burner can be an amazing game or a terrible one too. It's about the parts of the game you appreciate, to me a 1-0 game and a 9-4 game could have the same amount of good or bad in it depending on you.

[@timomajere]

@@mondredgaming8927 i just told you. I grew up in a different time where hockey wss far more exciting to watch. You clearly did not live it so how could you understand? Gretzky and Lemieux was far more interesting than Crosby and Ovechkin.

[@mondredgaming8927]

@@timomajere Actually I grew up watching Gretzky in his Prime and Gretzky being the man that is the special guest at most hockey schools so I do understand what you are saying. What you are saying is "I'm a dinosaur who didn't evolve with the game and now it's new and faster and it scares me"

[@user-bl7ij5pe8r]

when he said "and this right here is draymond green" i knew EXACTLY what was coming

[@reidboggs4344]

Basketball: shove a player and get suspended. Hockey: ref tells you you’ve hit each other in the head too much and need to go into the time out box.

[@BOLDBANGER]

it's great to see fighting making a comeback. there wasn't as much from 2012-2022 at least from my experience watching

[@DucksUpDogsDownCatsSlide]

Congrats on making it to 100K subscribers!

[@Bostons_Freak_Flag]

This is a damn good video ! Thank you bud

[@RobTalksHockey]

Thanks for the support!

[@Bostons_Freak_Flag]

@@RobTalksHockey * Crisp High Five * from Boston

[@SamIamIam]

I have been watching hockey for a long time, my mom was a fan. I remember when there was only 6 teams in the NHL. I am in my 60s and still watch the game. Toronto fan here.

[@reeset1x]

Underrated Goat 🐐🔥❤‍🔥

[@JasonCGuitarOfficial]

3:00 in ..... Subbed / Liked ..... already know this is gonna be great

[@lufkin412]

I live in arguably the biggest football town Green Bay. Even this town of 110,000 people has 2 rinks with 4 sheets of ice compared to the 90s when it had 2 rinks with 2 sheets of ice. My son is in 8 and under Mites and his practices are 3 times a week on 2 sheets with over 100 kids. So yeah I agree the sport is growing.

[@colebevans8939]

Side not on the stick thing though. A $150 stick today is better then a $250 stick from 10 years ago. Sometimes I get upset I can’t afford top of the line sticks anymore but I’ve realized just how good those $150-$200 mid tier sticks are now.

[@Huntersmokescrack]

Anything is better than those old shear-wood I learned on when I was 5. I was so happy the day my dad bought me an aluminum Gretzky. Take me back to the 90’s

[@Huntersmokescrack]

Remember those CCM vectors? I loved those over the synergies from Easton

[@mcsorley2472]

My kids grew up playing hockey from Tyke to Midget. My last boy finished last year. During this time, I noticed a significant reduction in the number of kids playing in Ontario, Canada in the leagues that we played in. Costs have gone up, but I suspect that kids are spending more time now on their computers and staying in their rooms. Its a shame.

[@bruhfish6117]

i guarantee you it has barely anything to do with kids staying on there computers. i live in Australia where hockey is not a common sport played but i LOVED ice hockey and it was definitely the costs for me growing up as a kid. i really reallly wanted to continue playing but i couldn't as my parents couldnt let me continue as the costs got too much.

[@MrJameslupien]

The people who say hockey is changing for the worst are the old timers unwilling to admit hockey players today are far more talented then the guys they grew up watching.

[@JayBaddAssCutler]

All the people saying it’s changing for the better are literally kids who have only seen the last 5-7yrs of hockey. It’s ok to have a new era. But to act like the “old” style of hockey has no place in todays game is ignorant

[@MavericNorthcott]

Guys are more talented, it's not more entertaining.

[@chrislaverick6413]

Who is denying that people are more talented nowadays? That’s not the argument at all buddy, the argument is that they’re soft, which the majority are compared to the old-school players, that’s not even debateable

[@cassiusdhami9215]

The NHL's losing market share to the other major leagues. Smaller organizations like NASCAR and the UFC are surpassing them in TV/network deals. That's a fact.

[@TheMightyOdin]

I’ve stopped watching games like I used to. The passion isn’t there like it used to be. I still follow a team but I don’t watch every minute of every game like I did for 30 years plus. I have t watched a full game in about 7ish years.

[@motogig7803]

I played as a kid and into my early 40's. This is the greatest game on earth. To bad a lot of people don't understand the game or understand the commitment, skill and toughness that a person has to have to compete in this game. How many of us have had taken a puck to the face, blocked a shot or took or delivered a massive check. We all got up shook it off and went out on our next shift. That is a hockey player that is what we do.

[@seen48]

People who say they don’t like hockey should watch again. Thanks for the video! I’m a fan of all sports, except for soccer, but hockey is my favourite by far. You need to watch Playoff hockey when it starts in May.

[@Thehockeymonke]

Congrats on 100k

[@RobTalksHockey]

Thank you! 👍🏼

[@troubleondemand7703]

LOL. Back I when played regularly, sticks were under $20 😂 I still have a Sherwood 5030 in the garage.

[@jaytalley3715]

Watching it live is even better.

[@TechTokOffical]

I was already well into my Fandom when it happened but when Malkin broke Gregory Campbell's leg with a slap shot...and Campbell not only FINISHED HIS SHIFT but he got off the ice under his own power

[@sincerewyd2285]

LOVE THE GOLDENEYE N64 BACKGROUND MUSIC!!

[@samuelbelanger7814]

Savage to put the hit on Evans by Scheifle 😂

[@TheGentlemanRougeScholar]

Hockey is synonymous with toughness, this year two players had their jaws broken, both players had tried to get back on the ice during their respective games but were stopped by the team doctors and coaches, and both players came back from injury early while their jaws were still technically broken but could eat solid food so that was considered good enough.

[@kristopherk8011]

What I find hilarious about the first Florida/Arizona fight that game is Wes MaCully dropped the puck and immediately blew the whistle. He knew what was coming.

[@EDunn21]

Matt Calvert definitely got injured by that slap shot lol. In another angle, you can see the giant bandage on his forehead. Super fun player to watch! I’ve got an autographed picture of him.

[@letigidou8660]

I love the NHL right now. Over 6 goals per game so we get several 50 goal scorers and 100 points players, Dmen with around a point per game. The shooting and the speed are both amazing and we still have elite goaltending and responsible defensive play. I feel that right now is a perfect balance. The 80's offense was silly and then for 20 years from '97 to '17 it was just defense.

[@goalieman206]

I love videos like this.

[@hrd2imagin]

I started playing hockey in Pittsburgh in the early 90s and there were only 5 sheets of ice in the region. By 2000 we had over 20 sheets of ice.

[@BWT599]

I think basketball can be a rough sport, but I'm glad my kids and myself are hard core into hockey. They went from being bullied at school to bullying the bullies.

[@walkingcorpse2704]

You should say the top of the totem pole because in Native American lore the animal at the bottom of the totem pole is the most important because it's holding up the others

[@OrphanTraveler97]

Buddy nobody cares 😂

[@walkingcorpse2704]

@@OrphanTraveler97 you may not but I'm just saying as someone with Native American heritage that the phrase is incorrect. Besides if nobody actually cared I wouldn't have likes on the comment. Also please talk to me when you've at least made a playlist of music videos

[@Stonedguardian]

Hi Rob. Hope you’re having a good weekend.

[@RobTalksHockey]

Thanks bud! you as well

[@DarliaZombino]

watched NBA for season and got bored. Now I got seasonal ticket for my local team last fall. Pure gold

[@sportskid7124]

Yo random question but are you a Sens fan? I recognize the background music from the CTC

[@RobTalksHockey]

I think they may have gotten that music idea from me, or it's a coincidence haha

[@mikel7262]

Love that lomberg is used for the vid pic! Go cats!

[@NotTheWheel]

Hockey has the pace of Basketball, the hitting of American Football and the flow of Soccer. Also I've never seen a sport where people play with so much heart through out a match.

[@RobTalksHockey]

That’s a great way to put it!

[@36inc]

the pads add to our pain resistance- justt he placebo effect of feeling protected will make punches and scraps less painful. they literally feel less pain than others.

[@jameshannagan4256]

So many people over the years went with me to their first hockey game and had never realized how great it is live it really does create fans that way. I still think the NHLs brand of hockey is the best live sport out of the big 4.

[@69gibly]

Yea the sticks are insane 440 for top end stick now in my area

[@SGTTastyWheat]

Man if people like that game they would have loved Bruins vs Stars of Feb. 3 2011. 3 fights in 4 seconds, and then a stars guy takes a late shot and gets his eye socket broken in the following fight.

[@Machtyn]

Hockey does have a couple of barriers - expense to play and difficulty following the puck. But, man, once you get past the expense to play (buy used!), the sport is really, really fun. I started playing in my early 40s. And became a referee a few years after.

[@StandardEnvy]

Came for the video, stayed for the soundtrack.

[@zjsz4954]

I like how you preemptively added in ovi broke gretz’ record lol

[@landanthompson7056]

I don't watch the NBA, but I know of Draymond Green. That dude has earned every suspension that he has received. I don't remember too many choke holds from the tougher years.

[@birdo623]

Gotta be some great comedy being chirped in every scrum.

[@Baseline808]

The Florida Hockey seen is great too. As a Florida Man Born Raised, I love Hockey.

[@michaelashley3445]

As a lifelong hockey fan, with a father who is a life long hockey fan, regular season hockey games aren’t as entertaining as they used to be. My dad will watch all the playoffs games he can, because they play totally different(understandably). The game is undoubtedly changing, and I think the fans themselves are against each other on if it’s better or worse.

[@tombarr949]

A good topic to cover would be all of the great things about the AHL. The other 3 major North American sports leagues do not have a solid second league. Also, I checked about 5 years ago, and the AHL's revenue was higher than the MLS.

[@broadstbullies9342]

I took my dude to the Tampa Bay Lightning vs New York Rangers game last thursday and we left and he is in love with hockey and is a Lightning fan was asking me about the lightning have they ever won cup etc etc 😂😂😂 he seen live everything i would gush about hockey and how great it is.

[@Odysseus38]

You should show soccer clips 😂😂😂😂

[@mylespoff9943]

love the goldeneye music

[@Yochillitsthatserious]

Yzerman was peak toughness, no ligaments, puck in the eyez Bobby Orr, broken foot. Stories are endless.

[@potatoesforsale]

Boxing is the 4th most popular sport in the US?!?!? I haven’t anyone talk about boxing in 20 years.

[@jonmendelson1104]

0:40 I know he's had a few games in a row where he's scored recently but I Ovi passing Gretzky has gone from something that seemed certain to happen to something that has a decent chance to happen.

[@cassiusdhami9215]

It's actually pathetic. Holding on to break a record. He's pulling an Emit Smith. He couldn't make a NHL roster with a different name.

[@RobTalksHockey]

The man had 42 goals last season let’s relax here. Even if it he puts up 20- 25 this season, that’s still production any team would want

[@jonmendelson1104]

@@RobTalksHockeyI'm assuming this is responding to cassius, but if not I just wanted to be clear that I wasn't suggesting he wasn't deserving of an NHL contract. I was suggesting that him breaking Gretzky's goals record is less certain now than if you'd asked most people in the offseason. If he finishes this season at 25 goals that puts him at 847 goals which is 47 shy of Gretzky's record. He has 2 more years after this one on his deal so he'd need an average of 24 per season to break the record, and that contract ends a couple months before he turns 41. He doesn't have to retire right after that contract and I'm sure if he's within 5 or so goals he'll be able to sign a budget contract to try to get the last few, but I could see a "Mr. 3000" situation where. It's definitely possible, but it's questionable.

[@fallen2229]

LUV the MacKinnon luv❤❤❤❤ lots of his vids but didn't even say his name 😉

[@adriangriffin2922]

Have you seen AFL (Australian Football League)

[@morrisalanisette9067]

another thing different about NHL is how good all the teams are. the worst teams can beat the best teams and it's not that big of a deal if it happens. I also think it's the most team-based sport out there. Because you can have the worst team in the league with the best player on it (like the oilers for awhile). And how teammates stick up for each other and are always really humble and try to diminish their ego because it's so frowned upon. And the way players all play through significant injuries during the playoffs like warriors, and the stanley cup is so legendary.

[@murkface412]

I remember a meme back in the day showing Greg Campbell and said breaks leg finishes shift. Then Lebron James and said gets a cramp and is carried off court. Hilarious

[@dacr8928]

Its the goldeneye soundtrack that really does it for me

[@michaelsymons7975]

"Wasn't injured." Conveniently leavea out that Calvert went and got like 20 stitches above his eye between periods and then came back and finished the game with the gwg.

[@gregh.2138]

As a kid, a stick was 10-20 bucks and if you wanted a curve in it you could heat it over the stove and bend it with your foot when it gets hot. I'm not as old as you might think.

[@runa_7022]

"i went to a fight and a hockey game broke out"

[@captbloodbeard]

Ovi's breaking The Great One's scoring record is definitely not a given.

[@MrJoeolive]

Missed a chance to pop in Ovie's hit on Jagr in the Olympics

[@jameshannagan4256]

I really hope that is true hockey is neck and neck with the NFL to me and the NHL playoffs are by far the most exciting event in any sport. I have seen non-hockey fans watch a playoff game for the first time and it's always the same, amazement they are blown away at how hard they hit and compete. Sometimes they will say how could they play 82 games like that half the guys would be dead and I explain that it's like a new season quite different than the regular season.

[@runa_7022]

i think its funny cuz just recently i was at a whl game and one of the players completely bodyslammed this kid into the ice during a fight and it looked knnnnaarrly but both walked away fine - its very funny to compare the way different sports interact with violence 😭😭

[@Scoots1994]

The NHL had teams that were speed teams, teams that were physical teams, they could play completely different ways and win.

[@Blackhawks87]

Ahhh yea the good ole Golden Eye theme song.

[@patlefofort]

I noticed the increase in stick price. A 300$ stick is now 450$ (CAN). The cheapest I could find was 90$, before I could get one for 40-50$. 450$ is pure madness, we aren't all millionaires.

[@jasmin9738]

What i miss about "old school hockey" is what Nick Foligno did after Connor Bernard got hit and injured. Or what Nick Foligno and Corey Perry did after the accidental hit on J. T. Even though Perry knew he didn't do anything wrong he knew what Foligno was doing and he accepted it. Im not saying Perry is a clean player but he knows when he has to answer the bell.

[@chrislaverick6413]

Honestly, as long as you have to pay $10-$30,000 a year for your kid to play rep level hockey, the numbers are always going to dwindle for participants, that is the single greatest problem with hockey is it’s too goddamn expensive

[@chazmichaelmichaels88]

When I played as a kid, I saw a lot of really good players that couldn't go anywhere because of the cost of AA and AAA travel hockey. So much talent left to waste in the house leagues. Only the rich kids got to play on the travel teams.

[@Big4Prod_09]

HOLY .3k AWAY FROM 100k

[@lunar33icious]

A big issue with hockey is the cost to play on practically every front. It doesn't help that technology has increased prices of equipment probably 10-50 fold, because wooden sticks could be made for $10-15 but composite ones COST around $150. Crazy. Not to mention goalie equipment is nuts & must be made like body armor that can protect against rocket blasts due to the increased strength of players & the stick tech. It's also a purely seasonal sport & people in warmer climates makes it far more expensive to get ice time let alone equipment.

[@gabrielidusogie9189]

I always try to get people to watch hockey. discovered it last march and im trying to learn how to skate so i can play

[@Nichaelas]

Players are becoming more skilled from top to bottom lines. This is actually an evolution in my opinion. We might see an over correction of the game focusing on skill way more than physicality, but that's after eras of high physicality. I think over time it will balance out and overall the average hockey player will be both more skilled and more physical. And the game should grow from it as well.

[@Givens43]

Someone really posted that no one is talking about Wayne Gretzky. It's wild to think there's people out there that don't even know who he is.

[@anonymousrex5207]

I think equipment costs will always be one of the biggest problems/ hinderances to getting more people to play hockey. Just learning how to skate and buying your own pair of ice skates (or roller blades) can be hundreds of dollars a year for a kid, especially one that's growing and needs two pairs of skates per year (plus costs for sharpening or wheels depending on whether you play roller or ice). Additionally, pads, a stick, pucks, etc... add up quickly. Then you have to pay for leagues, travel teams, etc.. These costs cane easily go into the thousands of dollars per year. Meanwhile, you can buy a basketball for $20 at most sporting goods stores and things like baseball gloves and a ball can be under $50. Factor that into how much easier it is to pick up games like baseball and basketball (which in my opinion are lower skill level sports) just playing around on the street vs. hockey which requires an ice rink or a good asphalt/cement surface for street hockey, and again it is much harder for your average kid to pick it up and play.

[@nthnthms1212]

Meta World Peace and Shaq would rinse the whole nhl