MTH

I loved his look with the Flyers - with long pants and the mustache, he looked like an olde tyme boxer:

1. The Flyers of their cup days (mid 70s) invented system hockey. While they did a good job with the roughhousing - they implemented offensive and defensive systems that nobody else was doing yet. Now everyone does it from Squirt level up. Look at the game against the Red Army where the Flyers held them to just a handful of shots. The Red Army was running over every team in the NHL then. 2. The Flyers scored goals. Dave Shultz even tallied 20 goals one year with the Flyers. 3. The players today are faster than ever. So even innocuous collisions on the ice are bigger impacts than actual "big hits" in the day. Can't help this. 4. The hit Smith put on was obviously legal - but I wish guys were scared to even legally touch the names. Why I wish the instigator rule was gone. Opposing players would have to weigh the risk versus reward of even a legal hit like that. You may have only bumped Bedard a little if you knew Glen Cochrane was going to punch your face in. 5. I think the rule change will ban this type of hit as Smith made to attempt to get the puck. His only goal was to hit Bedard. Legal now, but youth hockey as already made that type of play illegal. I'm betting the NHL will soon too.

I'm the same. We're in the waning seasons of open ice hits. The game will change.

More 80s Oilers style than anything. Or Yzerman making plays with Probert and Kocur on the bench keeping tabs on who went near their guy. Lessons don't keep fans watching. NHL can barely get people to watch their games on tv.

All the kids coming up using these rules are in (or will be) the NHL. It's not going to get better, unfortunately. The teaching the kids how to get hit does occur - but mind you - the hitting in youth hockey is now different. So the instincts on getting hit and defending yourself are not developed like they were decades ago. Different game.

I didn't see any fights in this game. Guys wrestled and all, but no fight. Again, answering the bell - does nothing. No opposing players think twice about taking a shot at any player on the ice. The term and the useless tussles after are just a waste of time. Want so see a similar hit and a real reaction and fights? This was the playoffs too.

I'm good. Not really old man rant. Old guys are the ones saying the current game is soft. Man up! Stinks that the stars get abused in the NHL. Then the league and the fans whine that nobody cares about the NHL. Yet they defend their star players getting hurt by their own players. The league will change because of this. IIHF rules for head contact are pretty tough. While the hit wasn't head hunting at all - he still obviously struck him in the head (jaw). Add in that USA Hockey's modified checking rules also would not allow this hit - the defender made no attempt at the puck and only targeted the player. You could even stretch it too and say he was in a indefensible position to be hit (he was reaching for the puck). The rules are changing and they'll use plays like this as the reason(s). Then the same fans that applauded this play will then be mad at the new rules ruining the game. Again, the league needs stars. The NFL knows this and banned any type of contact with a quarterback's head. I can see this being the case here soon with the NHL.

Nobody bought a ticket to watch Brendan Smith. Nobody. This is why the NHL is like 5th on the ranking of pro sports. They have no stars. When they do, they aren't protected. Blah blah - head down - the game is tough - blah. Nobody cares. It's like rooting for the storm troopers that shoot Han Solo. The NHL can fix this easily. Drop the crazy instigation rule. Just make it 2 extra minutes for instigation. No suspensions, fines, game misconducts, etc. Let the teams dress a criminal on skates every game. Leave him on the bench until it's time to make someone pay. It won't happen often, but the threat of it will do more for the stars than any fines, penalty, etc. they implement. No one in their right mind would dare touch Bedard if they knew there was someone going to basically beat them to a pulp if they do. Stop the lame 'challenge to a fight' with two dweeb players who never been punched in the face before. It's useless. You're not standing up for your teammate. Just stop. Nobody is afraid to take runs at your best players still. Just let some gorilla jump any player that is out of line. Everyone will toe that line quickly. Then we'll have stars that are healthy and can make the game more entertaining. (Also we get to witness those that cross the line get put into their place). Win win!

I will never forget the first time I saw an elder standing at the hand dryer with his hands behind his back.

I like it. More pro hockey the better. The checking rules are easy enough. With my boys playing, I like the way they are written. Checks are done to remove the player from the puck. Which makes sense. You need to initiate contact with the puck carrier with your stick (you're after the puck, right?) then you can follow through with your body. You're not allowed to just blow up the puck carrier. The one rule that has been forgotten already here in USA Hockey is the 'no finishing checks'. So once the puck is gone, you can't come and run over the player like has been done forever. It's hard to not allow it, but it's the rule. It was enforced at first, but it has been somewhat forgotten by the refs around here. Somewhat is the issue, because there are some that will call it - some don't. So it's a tough situation for the kids to figure out game to game. I had many arguments with refs where I tell them that USA Hockey specifically stated in their rules "no finishing checks".

With gear on - No way I'd even fit.

I wear my gear to and from the rink. Fight me.

Technically speaking - the Penguins old arena - The Civic Arena (or Igloo) had a roof that could open up. How cool would it have been if they could have used this place like this for their games?

This is tough, sorry. The market for goal cut NHL jerseys is pretty confusing to say the least. There was a time where CCM was selling replica grade jerseys in goalie sizes. No more today. There are ways. One, make the NY Rangers squad. Plenty of gear for you and you get paid to play too. Not a bad combo. Two, know someone who can get you one. Asking here isn't a bad start. I see people with current jerseys in goal cut. So there are ways to do it. Three, order a knock off and have it tailored to fit you. The knock off market is quick and readily available. Have it opened and all so that it will be the correct size (I've done this).

Was this the first Winter Classic in a stadium with a retractable roof? Game - roof was pulled back:

Winter Classic gear sitings... Even Junior was ready:

No matter how you get beat, someone will say "you should have..."

The fact that Minnesota has a team again, nobody thinks the Dallas Stars are the same franchise that was the North Stars anymore. Similar to the Cleveland Browns and Ravens.

The Wild should just switch to the North Stars and end this bull crap already. Dallas Stars can stay. Texas, stars, America plus they've been there 30 years now. Nobody is going to mix them up. Dallas should also switch to the same colors as the Cowboys too.

My schedule makes attending yoga classes a challenge. So I supplement them with ones on YouTube. There are plethora of classes on YT.

Highly suggest yoga. Especially with the right instructor.

I'm doing just that. I'm pretty nice. I think most aren't. So the ladies are caught off guard by me.

Renting is the plan. Maybe even a lease. I don't think they want more either.

Off hockey topic - I'm learning that I'm too old for this dating shit. More expensive and tiring than hockey.