January 13, 2025 – The NHL has been making cash by expanding, but expansion has come at a price.
Simply put there is not enough good quality talent to go around. Of the 32 teams how many can field two high quality lines and 4d? How many teams have a good Gilcig Core?
We’ve seen some older skill players extend their careers simply because of the diminished quality of the opposition, but what we’re also seeing is a higher rate of injuries because of the new faster kinetic style of play and injuries, especially of star players do not lead to better product. Muckers are simply grinding better play leading to a strange on ice brew that goes from scrum to scrum until a puck goes into a net.
When I read the boxscores each day I see more and more games were a team has under 20 shots per game. To me that’s the line. Anything under 20 shots in my opinion, as the NHL’s first modern day analytics pro (Habs 1995/96 season) is substandard and something that reflects poorly on the franchise to the GM down to the players. It’s one thing for an occasional aberration or bad night, but this has been a common appearance this season.
The game is becoming like pin ball with players hacking the puck around until someone gets a shot off. There’s less real play development. The refs also seem to not want to blow their whistles as often which leads to fewer powerplays.
This isn’t to pick on any one player. To be a professional hockey player is a major achievement, but frankly about 20% of the players on rosters would not have been on an NHL roster ten years ago.
And if you look at the AHL it’s even more apparent at the weaker talent pool.
Simply put, expansion has weakened the on ice product and it’s something the league has to look at before considering further expansion. There simply are not enough good players go to around and if they’re getting injured too frequently then the impacts are disastrous for the overall product.
jamie@cornwallfreenews.com