Official Hockey discussion thread

Perhaps not, but it does not help over here. The feelings were already pretty bad over the choice of Canadian refeerees.

Losing against Finland? We can take that. We like their hockey. Canadian hockey? That ugly thing? No thanks.
 
I mainly credit Toewes, Keith, and Sharp for the Canada win :) Seriously, the US really needs to look hard at the types of teams they are putting together ... I am not taking anything away from Finland, but the US seemed like they did not care to be there/give a shit about a bronze medal
 
The Canadian referees are consummate professionals from the NHL. They are the best in the world, and if they can be fair refereeing Stanley Cup games in their hometown, they can be completely fair at the Olympics. Kelly Sutherland and Brad Meier are exceptional referees, and quite frankly, only NHL-calibre refs should be allowed at these tournaments. I watched that game start to finish and I don't think I've seen a better called game in my life. No missed calls, no bullshit calls, no makeup calls. Every offside was correct.

Hell, the closest thing to a missed call was not calling a hit from behind on a Swedish player.
 
In most other team sports, it would have been unthinkable to have referees from one of the countries involved in a match. But if the players themselves don't have an issue with it, I don't see it as a problem. At least not when the referees do their job well, and today's referees definitely did.

However, if they make a crucial mistake. their integrity will be questioned - regardless if it is justified or not. Therefore I think it should be avoided if possible. It would surely not be difficult to find four qualified officials from the US?
 
International hockey's refereeing is classically substandard. Almost every IIHF tournament, and other international tournaments such as the original Summit Series, have been fraught with corruption, incompetence, or bias. There were some blown calls in the men's tournament this year, but overall it was simply the best called international tournament I've ever seen. That's because of a reliance on NHL officials. The team that selected the officials for the playoff games was 5 IIHF guys, 4 NHL guys, and they picked almost all NHL officials for a reason - they're the best, and the most fair.
 
I'm really glad we can say that, don't get me wrong. But what would have happened to international hockey if they had made a vital call that could have been questioned? Why even have the oppurtunity for that to happen? I'd rather have a less than perfect referee who couldn't bee questioned on that. Peter Forsberg was quoted calling it "a fucking* joke".

There's a lot of problems with SHL and international hockey right now as I see it. Some sort of existential crisis. Does it want to be its own thing or does it want to play by NHL standards? (Just renaming the perfectly acceptable Elitserien "SHL".) I know where I stand, and I am a bit sad about SHL's weakening these last years. During the NHL lockout 2005 we called it the best league in the world. Not so now.

The IIHF World Championship is still big here, but I guess it doesn't carry much weight over the Atlantic. Something probably needs to happen, but I am not sure about breaking away ice hockey from the Olympics and running a "World Cup of Hockey" in the summer-time is the right way to go.
 
I think that if you go through the history of ice hockey and look at international games and refereeing, there have been far more games ruined by bad, inexperienced refereeing than by biased refereeing - and many of the famous biased examples were often due to Soviet-era corruption. The fact is that only one European referee has ever worked in the NHL, and he couldn't hack it - he's back in Sweden now. What does this mean? It probably means the IIHF should begin development programs to get European referees to the AHL to be trained like NHL refs, but that displaces the very hard working officials who have tried hard to get into the NHL from the AHL.

Regardless of intent, or even officiating talent, European refs don't get to ref games with the same speed and skill level that exists in North America. This works OK in the World Hockey Championships, but that's because no team in the WHC brings a fully-loaded NHL roster like the Olympics (and the World Cup of Hockey). It's definitely something to be addressed - I firmly believe that if any NHL-caliber refs existed outside of the NHL/Sweden they should have been chosen to referee that game. Unfortunately, they simply don't, and it's not even close. The gap is simply astronomical.

Not to say NHL refs are perfect. Ask any Toronto Maple Leafs fans about the infamous 1993 Western Conference Finals missed call by Kerry Fraser. And I'm sure Forsberg will look back at the actual game and agree that it was a perfectly called game. But when I think about the '72 Summit Series, or the 2007 World Juniors, or the 2002 Olympics, I shudder to imagine that sort of "standard" being brought out again on the biggest hockey stage of them all. I hope someone realizes there is an inherit conflict here but I think with the resources available it was solved best today - and with some work between the NHL and the IIHF it can be planned for, maybe not in 4 years, but in 10 or 15, to have NHL-caliber refs everywhere in the top IIHF countries.

As for the Swedish Elite League, I know there is serious concern in Sweden that the NHL is attracting the best players away to North America and leaving Sweden with the leavings - and I think the name change and the direction confusion is from a desire to create a KHL of their own - a league that attracts the best players back to the country, much like how Kovalchuk "retired" to go back to Russia. Unfortunately, the KHL just isn't working like that, except in a few superstar cases - Jagr back from 07-10, Radulov, Kovalchuk - and the SHL won't either. A lot of this is reminding me of the WHA back in the 70s. It might draw out talent but in the end, it's not going to make a difference. It's going to hurt the SHL way more than it helps. In the end, people who watch hockey everywhere in the world dream of Lord Stanley's Mug.

Personally, I think the eventual outcome is European expansion of the NHL, or at least an official league-sharing alliance between the top Euro leagues (maybe not the KHL) and the NHL. Something that moves competition for the Stanley Cup to a truly international stage. Something that lets the Pittsburgh Penguins play in Sweden and the Czech Republic and Finland once a year, and lets Modo come to Montreal and Toronto and Detroit. Is this possible? Not today, but it could be something the leagues could agree to push for. If it happened today, it'd be very difficult for those teams to compete, as their payroll is...not nearly that of the NHL. Very few facilities in Europe are to NHL-level as well. And who knows if the fans would show up.

But it would be magnificent.
 
I agree with LC. Even if Canada lost Crosby, they essentially had 4 first lines. Sweden on the other hand lost Zetterberg, one of the Sedins, some other player I think and finally backstrom. I don't think they were as decimated as Finland without the Koivus (at least the younger of the two) and Filipula.

The biggest dissapointment was the U.S, classic Bylsma team, great offense, but when push came to shove they couldn't hack it, like the pens have cracked in the playoffs as of late.

I don't think Russia ever had a chance.
 
Bob McKenzie said on Twitter last night that the Sabres intend to flip both Halak and Stewart. Senators are reportedly interested in Stewart and are willing to move a significant prospect for him. Minnesota is said to be interested in Halak and is willing to move at least a 1st for him.
 
Miller is significantly better than Halak.
Blues have to be among the cup favourites now.
 
I checked Halaks numbers. He's been very consistent even from his days with the Habs. Miller on the other hand has had very high highs, but also very low lows. If he is "ON" for St. Louis they will be heavy contenders, no doubt, but which Miller will show up?

p.s: Lafontaine resigned from Buffalo. Times are a changing in Northern New York.
 
That was a fun game to watch last night at Soldier Field, Hawks were really clicking. I like the moves they have made to shore up a few weak spots and think they are well positioned to make another Cup run
 
Miller is significantly better than Halak.
Blues have to be among the cup favourites
Onhell said:
I checked Halaks numbers. He's been very consistent even from his days with the Habs. Miller on the other hand has had very high highs, but also very low lows. If he is "ON" for St. Louis they will be heavy contenders, no doubt, but which Miller will show up?

p.s: Lafontaine resigned from Buffalo. Times are a changing in Northern New York.
Click to expand...

Miller has been magnificent for a terrible team this year.
Halak is not as a good as his numbers. I think the Blues recognized that.

Lafontaine's resignation is very odd.
 
Looks like Hossa will be out 2-3 weeks, which might not be a bad thing. Let him rest his back, get him in the last regular season game or two and have him ready for the playoffs
 
WOW! It finally happened! Luongo off to Florida! They will still cover 15% of his salary. Florida now has two "old" proven goalies in Thomas and Luongo while Vancouver is putting A LOT of faith in Lack and Markstrom.
 
Both those trades were shockers, IMO.
Vanek won't be a Hab too long, but they didn't pay much for him.
Lou must just feel relieved.
Very interesting deadline this year.
 
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