8 Radical Rule Changes to Revolutionize the NHL.

Hockey purest continue to deny changes are necessary, but reality dictates otherwise. The NHL needs needs to stop looking in the wrong places to improve (see: enlarged nets) and listen to these recommendations.

1. Bigger Ice Surface. It doesn't require much analysis to decipher why this would make the NHL game better. As the sun has shrank over the last few decades so has the relative size of the NHL ice surface with the increasingly larger men playing the game. Opening up the rink even fractionally will increase the defensive players' ability to move the puck up to the forwards (the most critical transition pass in hockey), in addition to providing skill players more room to negotiate down low, in the offensive corners. Expanding the rink hurts only the owners who must forfeit the revenue currently generated from the first few rows of pricey seating -- fortunately, most can afford it when adjusted for the greater good.

2. Balance the Schedule. Yet another shortsighted rule that has limited fan interest in the post-lockout era. The unbalanced schedule designed to create inter-divisional rivalries, in spite of those inter-conference, has depriving NHL fans of formerly more passionate and historical match-ups. At a time when the whole planet is expanding and embracing globalism, the NHL is foolishly isolating and disconnecting from it's fan base. To rectify, evenly distribute inter-conference contests amongst all 16 clubs and ensure each team in the NHL meets one another at least once per season.

3. Determine playoff seedings by raw point total within your conference. No more of this horrendous divisional non-sense. Once the schedule is balanced as per above, this initiative should be promptly inked into the rule book since teams are (now) playing inter-conference games in equal abundance, thus eliminating the any rationale in allowing divisional winners to steal the top three conference seeds. This will avoid mis-matches throughout the playoffs which often spoils some of the more competitive series prematurely.

4. Stop awarding points for LOSING. Why does the NHL insist on being the only professional sports league to award the loser points – it's like a participation ribbon: lame and ineffective? It skews the standings by inflating the points awarded to average teams who are good in specialized situations, like OT and the shootout. This was an unfortunate consequence of the New NHL which can instantly be repaired by rewarding three points for wins (while keeping all other things equal). Increasing the incentive to win will award aggressiveness at the games' conclusion rather than the passivity the league endorses presently. In turn, the fans are treated with clearly enhanced entertainment value.

5. Make like International Hockey. Replace the Conference Finals with League-wide semifinals by mandating a crossover when only four teams remain. The Top Western team plays the low-seed Eastern team and vice versa. Doing so will ensure the utmost competition in the final stages of the Stanley Cup Finals – utopia given the talent disparity between conferences (a phenomena that spoiled the NBA championships this year past). The League-wide Semi Finals could see season-long rivals, or traditional match-ups (like original 6 teams) that cannot manifest under the current playoffs structure.

6. Allow GM's to compensate trades with CASH. The salary cap has created an era with restrictive and often unfeasible constraints when negotiating moves in player personnel. In other words, trades are now very difficult to execute, which has decreased the ability for fringe teams to acquire star power or depth for a playoff push Were teams allowed to share a portion of Player X's contract following a transaction, the GM's would have more than enough freedom to be active and improve their respective team. Creating this degree of freedom will also help reduce the frequency of these well-extended, often front-loaded contracts that have become emerged as a byproduct of this CBA.

7. Drop the Instigator Rule. With powerplay proficiency a make or break characteristic in the New NHL, we mustn't penalize enforcers who protect the (often entertaining) skill players. Removing the Instigator Rule will likely reduce the cheap-shots and poor conduct observed in recent memory, while ultimately creating fewer serious injuries. Not only are these changes in the interest of players and their safety, but they also benefit the fans. Say what you will about violence in sport, and I'll say this so you don't forget it: fighting is good for hockey. This rule is much like the stringent regulation on celebration in the NFL -- they penalize players for performing an act in which 90%+ of the fans actually WANT to see! Why diminish the entertainment value of sport in need of exactly that?

8. Contraction. The excess of teams in the NHL has diluted the talent pool initiating a decline in the quality. By contracting the league and reducing the number of teams in the NHL to 26, the NHL can effectively concentrate talent and improve the overall quality of the game. Think of the impact that 12 top-liners would have on leagues remaining clubs by imagining what it would be like to add Eric Stall up front. (Yes, hint: Carolina, Tampa, Atlanta, Florida should get axed.)

BREAKING: Maple Leafs make Tavares an offer.

Very interesting reporting from Dave Shoalts of the Globe and Mail has revealed that the Leafs are up to some trickery – or at least up to something other than underachieving. A very unique set of circumstances surrounding the OHL's top goal scoring talent have prompted the Leafs to offer John Tavares an equally unique employment opportunity.

Much has been made about Tavares domination in the OHL and his failure to receive an exception for the next NHL draft – for which he is 5 days too young for eligibility. Tragic as it may be given the success of young talents like Toews, Kane, Cogliano, Gagner, and Price in the equally young season, the NHL has chosen to remain stringent on its draft eligibility policy.

Rather than play another season in the OHL, Tavares and his agent have some decisions to make. They have shopped around for interest in Europe, and now are considering an offer which would see Tavares opt out of the draft and play for the AHL's Toronto Marlies.

The 18yo age restriction holds in the AHL as it does in the NHL, making Tavares ineligible to play in either league until 2009-'10. The Marlies deal offers the comfort of familiarity and the opportunity to play very close to home. Aside from the geographical benefits, the prospect of joining the Maple Leafs as soon as he meets the NHL age requirements will provide a strong influence. But, there are a few key hurdles that require jumping before Tavares could ever play for the Leafs.

Unless Toronto can grease the skids prior to draft day, the likely #1 pick will command a hefty sum, and thus force the Maple Leafs to swap club assets for his rights – or worse – require Tavares to hold out and stay in the AHL for two additional seasons. This is due to restrictions whereby a given player must be two years removed from the original draft selection in order to sign with another NHL team.

Should the Leafs be unable to deal for Tavares rights, he would essentially have to forfeit any chance of playing in the NHL (for a team other than Toronto) in order to void any obligation to the organization with his draft rights until 2011, where he can then sign as an unrestricted free agent. While some will justifiably point out Tavares' reluctance to wait until he is 20yo before playing in the NHL, this scenario with the Maple Leafs allows him to sign as an UN-restricted free agent and thus fetch far more money than he would under current entry-level salary restrictions.

It is slightly complicated, and perhaps not the path of least resistance, but it's a proactive initiative by a GM hanging onto his job by a single of his slickly-combed hairs. Any attempt to acquire goal scoring for a team that has failed miserably in the talent development department gets a pat on the back at this point. Bringing in Tavares will create a vastly improved atmosphere at the Ricoh Colosseum, and will foster a winning attitude in the Marlies dressing room -- something that will hopefully carry over with the players that graduate to the big dance and lace 'em up for the Leafs.

If Tavares has the patience to play two full seasons in the AHL prior to becoming a Maple Leaf, he will be a hero on a Toronto club in dire need of a pure goal scorer. But we know he wants a crack at the NHL badly, making this scenario about as likely as John Ferguson Jr. holding onto his job at the conclusion of this NHL season.

NHL '07-'08 -- The Best-of-the-Best Part One: The 60-goal scorer?

It's been a long time since the NHL saw a 60-goal scorer and the league is begging for this trend to be broken. Following Mario Lemieux's '95-'96 season in which he buried on 69 separate occasions, the NHL has failed to produce a single-season goal scorer exceeding the 59 goals potted by Pavel Bure of the Florida Panthers in '00-'01. While some have ventured closely -- like Jonathan Cheechoos' Thornton-aided 56-goal campaign in '05-'06, and the most recent victor of the Rocket Richard Trophy, Vinny Lecavalier, with 52 -- the screeching reduction in goal scoring is well documented.

Few players in the NHL have the talent, skill and determination to score 60 goals, a fact that is quite evident in the statistics collected over the last 10 seasons, in addition to the tears of every hockey purist incensed over rule changes to beef up offensive production. While the numbers represent the historical precedent by which players of the last decade have failed to score, the newest rule changes and the evolution of the leagues' top talent may allow us present a strong argument for the emergence of a 60-goal scorer in the 2007-8 NHL season.

Player Metamorphosis:

The inflation of the size and speed of the overall talent pool in the NHL have reduced the ability for highly skilled, but slightly undersized snipers, ala Gretzky and Theo Fleury, and to an extent, Brett Hull, to impose their will through shifty end-to-end rushes and extended-range snipes. Instead, over the past six seasons since 2001, power forwards have demonstrated their ability to lead the pack in a category traditionally dominated with allusiveness, accuracy and finesse. The demands of the game have resulting in the leagues' best goal scorers evolving into physical marvels ranging from 210-225lbs of smooth skating and sharp-shooting threats. Since Bure's 59-goals as a Canuck in 2001, Iginla (x2), Kovalchuk, Rick Nash and the aforementioned Cheechoo and Lecavalier have been the leagues top goal scorers. For those who haven't watched an episode of Sportscenter since Y2K, these men average 6'2, 215lbs.

Aside from their size, these top goal scorers had chemistry with at least one top-notch linemate, received the lions share of the ice time, both 5-on-5 and on the PP, and are all prone to good health and durability. There are a slew of players who fit these broad characteristics, and thus would expectedly top the goals category. The likes of Vincent Lecavier, Simon Gagne, Ilya Kovalchuk and Jonathan Cheechoo will likely remain at, or near, the top and should be watched closely during extended hot streaks, but fall short when considering players capable of a 60+ goal season.

Sixty goals just doesn't come often enough to presume definitively that any player will reach that mark this season. That being said, I'm never the type known for aversion from bold and outlandish claims, so here are some things to consider prior to sweeping the 60-goal mark under the Rug of Impossibility. The most likely candidates to push towards the 60-goal plateau this season be Alex Ovechkin and Dany Heatley. They are the only two players situated in what may be the perfect storm allowing them the nearest passage to the 60-goal plateau; a passage they may have the strength and momentum to break it.

The Best of the Best:

At 6'2, 215lbs, the speedy and confident Alex Ovechkin will break his career-high 54-goals this season, playing on a youthful and improving Washington Capitals team. However, the extent to which he exceeds his previous best in goals scored will likely be determined by factors out of his control. For example, will the health of his supporting cast, namely his countryman linemate, Viktor Kozlov, hold up over the course of the season? Aside from the powerplay, how often will he be paired with the newer acquired Michael Nylander, who's tallied 113 helpers over the past 2 seasons in NYC, and whose averaged 40+ assist in each of his past 7 seasons? Lastly, look for Ovechkin to step up and provide more highlight-reel lamp-lighters under the added pressure of a potential playoff birth in the US capitol, all the more reason to believe in this Russians quest to 60 goals.

Just like a good story book, (arguably) the best sniper in the NHL, from the best team, playing on the best line is preserved for final consideration. Dany Heatley has made a strong case for himself early this season by firing six into the twine in seven games. Aided immensely by linemates Jason Spezza, and Daniel Alfredsson -- both know for their skill and playmaking ability -- the sky is the limit for the leagues only back-to-back 50 goal scorer. Heatley will also be featured as the go-to goal scorer on a Senators team who expects to not only compete, but win the Eastern Conference on route to the Stanley Cup Finals.

If we were talking about 40+ goals, the list would include many others. But in the NHL today, only Alexander Ovechkin and Dany Heatley deserve mention in the vacant and baron upper echelon of 60+ goal scorers. If you think I missed anyone, let me know. Lastly, think we'll see 100 assists this year? Stay tuned for Part Two in my continuing Best-of-the-Best Series on the NHL, which will feature the leagues' top passers in a few days.

Why Leafs' Coach Paul Maurice is a GENIOUS!

Game Theory 101: Professor Paul Maurice

Without officially announcing anything, the Toronto media deduced the starter for tonights Leafs v. Sens season opener: incumbent Andrew Raycroft. To many peoples surprise, the Leafs big off-season prize, Vesa Toskala, will be riding the pine. Inherent to this sticky situation is the 'controversy' that will brew for the next several months. Additionally, the brilliant declaration by Coach Paul Maurice, who claimed he will not announce his starting goaltender for the duration of the season, is a glowing indication for his plans this season. He is telling us, without telling us, that he is going with a goaltending-by-committee system. I love it. If this isn't reason to shower Coach Maurice with the praise, then you just don't get it.

The pre-season in Leaf Land was a venerable disaster (from a goaltending perspective) as neither Raycroft or Toskala could effective grab the bull by the horns and win the starting position. Rather than reduce his hairline further, the cunning and courageous Paul Maurice turned it into an opportunity to seize and exploit in an effort to improve his club. A top notch game theory lesson worthy of the Jack Adams Trophy (of course, only if it pays off).

Maurice may have come to realize that the best option for the Leafs is a tandem 'tender system. If you can't rely on one of them, make them compete – scratch and claw each others eyes out – for that starters role. This competition, among men nearing the prime of their career, will bring out the best in both of them just as it did for Jacques Lemaire in Minnesota when Roloson and Fernandez played their finest hockey to date. By the way, this move helped Lemaire take home the Jack Adams in 2002-03, for those wondering the potential dividends of move of this nature can have on the success of the team.

This move makes so much sense when you consider the following. Firstly, nothing in the hockey world aside from a trade will abolish the goaltending controversy talk in TO, so get used to it. Given the current Leafs lineup, there are only three logical hypothetical scenarios whereby the Leafs make the playoffs. We can dream that either Raycroft or Toskala will post Luongo & Brodeur-type numbers, but if you know enough, you'll know better. The most probable scenario that sees the Leafs playing meaningful games in the Spring features both Raycroft and Toskala playing well. I'm talking well in the neighborhood of .905-.920 SV%, 2.66-2.88 GAA, and +20 wins (each), something that is both realistic and necessary for the Leafs to compete.

Furthermore, Toskala is a veteran of the tandem system, splitting time with Nabokov in San Jose for the past two seasons. This setup -- not surprisingly -- featured Toskala as the back-up, in other words in the same scenario he finds himself on opening night. Do you think Paul Maurice considered this when he gave Raycroft the nod for the season opener? If Raycrofts' poor season last year is any indication, it is safe to assume that the money and the pressure that accompanies a starting keeper in Toronto is crippling. Placing Toskala in a scenario that he is very familiar with will only expedite comfort in the chaos that is playing the most scrutinized position, in the most scrutinized event in all of Canada. Well done, Mr. Maurice.

The END.

[PS -- Another indication that this is the right play in Toronto is the fact that perennial foghorn Mike Milbury hasn't gotten anything right in a decade, exemplified by his deplorable track record as a GM on Long Island. He thinks this is a terrible play by Maurice – thanks for the support Mad Mike, you'll be proved wrong again at seasons end.]