The Incredible Disappearing Goal

[nodak hockey fanatic]

i agree with alot of what you are saying here, especially guys leaving early for the ahl rather than finishing out school. the top end guys like toews and parise and turris will never be (and never have been for that matter, ever) four year guys. the big problem is the guys leaving early that arent ready. does anyone know where robbie "dive" earle is? i don't know, but it is not the nhl. so why don't kids like that stay and get their degree? it sucks for college hockey, and sucks for the kids who give it a try and never get there. how many 30 something ex ahlers or echlers are now jobless without a college degree? i don't really know, but the number is growing. better goalies and better equipment also hinder scoring, but there is nothing that will be done about that (for now). so, i think most of us here agree, the most logical way to increase scoring, create more exciting hockey, and grow the sports fanship, is to call the game like they are in the nhl. eliminate the obstruction and open the game up. it is not a cure all, but it will help. and to your point on not losing top end talent if this continues, i disagree, i think top end talent will start looking elsewhere... major juniors, ahl or whereever else. in fact i think it may be a reason we are losing so many underclassmen early in the recent years. the nhl clubs will say (thanks garth snow) "they are not being developed how we would have liked" or reading between the lines... "because the hacks are allowed to mug and tackle our guy, he's not getting any useful game time, so we're sending him to the ahl to see what he can do". an exageration i know, but you get my point.