[vincesanity82]

The league perhaps mistakenly thought that it had to turn the game into more European style — less rugged but more artfully skated. "You can't touch anyone anymore and you can't really fight," Former KC Blades broadcaster Bob Kaser said. "Hockey is supposed to be a physical and emotional game. And I think some of that is gone. "You look around hockey at any level, and the attendance is down. I think part of that is because the NHL lost its ESPN contract and is on Versus. But it's also the style of play that has changed. Everyone thought that fans were turned off by all the fighting, so they make these rule changes, or enforce them more, but look what's happened? "A city like Detroit once had 390 consecutive home sellouts with crowds over 20,000. Now a big crowd there is 17,500." -- KC Star

www.kansascity.com | 10/29/2007 | Curtailing NHL fights changed league personality

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Maybe we split the NHL into two divisions...the Euro Conference and the All-American Conference...one for artful skaters, and one for rough NHLers...then the winner of each division meets for the Cup.

[ThePundit]

Originally Posted by vincesanity82

The league perhaps mistakenly thought that it had to turn the game into more European style — less rugged but more artfully skated. "You can't touch anyone anymore and you can't really fight," Former KC Blades broadcaster Bob Kaser said. "Hockey is supposed to be a physical and emotional game. And I think some of that is gone. "You look around hockey at any level, and the attendance is down. I think part of that is because the NHL lost its ESPN contract and is on Versus. But it's also the style of play that has changed. Everyone thought that fans were turned off by all the fighting, so they make these rule changes, or enforce them more, but look what's happened? "A city like Detroit once had 390 consecutive home sellouts with crowds over 20,000. Now a big crowd there is 17,500." -- KC Star

www.kansascity.com | 10/29/2007 | Curtailing NHL fights changed league personality

I think it's a better game now. Before this, some of these games were unwatchable. Now there's at least more back and forth.