In case you haven't heard by now the NHL will now have shootouts after 5 min 4 on 4 OTS if there is not a winner.
The 2003-2004 season the Flyers went to OT 21 times and 15 of them were ties. Who ever wins the shoot out will be rewared a goal and say the game was 2-2, the winning score will read 3-2. Also, the goals scored won't count for players totals.
Anyway these shootouts will be not only fun to watch, but it will have a very big impact on the game and standings. There are no more ties, so games bettween divison rivals will ALWAYS SWING TWO POINTS. For example the Flyers fall to the Rangers. Thats 2 points the Rangers will gain on them if you add the point the rangers got and the one the Flyers failed to get.
What will happen is the shootouts will force another "special team" in addition to the PK and PP units. PLayers will be hand picked by coaches in order to help put the game away. Players like Mario Lemuiex will still be a huge threat. Yeah he is 40, but come on what goali still wants to face super Mario on a break way shot?
Coaches are going to have to consider who to dress and GMS who to keep. Players like Sami Kappanen might go up in value. He is not Brett Hull, but that man has got some serious moves that will come in hand when faking the goalie out of his skates and putting the puck in the net.
This will allow more exposure for the superstars too. Highlight reels on ESPN every night will have a close up the player going in for the kill.
The toughest thing is going to be goalies trying to deal with this. It will be their worst nightmare. Even the best goalie in the world will have trouble with the shootouts. Take the skills competition for example. Its a very low percent of pucks that are stoped.
Also teams that are defensive minded are going to be in trouble after OT ends and the shootout out beings. Look at the Penguins roster compared to the Devils. The devils will be slightly better team this year, with better goaltending thatn the penguins, but the penguins will smoke the Devils in a shootout. The Devils do have Elias and Mogliny (I consider Friesen more of sniper and there for less of a threat). The Penguins have Mario, Sid Crosby, Sergi Conchor Mark Recchi, Ziggy Palffy and Ryan Malone.
In order to get the coachers and players used to it. The NHL is having shootouts for every single preseason game regardless of the score.
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2 comments:
From what I understand the Devils, and Brodeur especially, are have a hard time with the new rules and shootout. He has been getting lit up in practice and has looked awful during shootouts. This is great news because the Devils are evil and all of their fans are dickless bitches.
The Devils are in serious trouble.
I worry about our netminders with these shootouts imagine losing that many more points because of a freaking shoot out.
Someone will either lose out on #1 in the conferance or a playoff shot, because of the no ties deal. A lot more people are going to hate shoot outs at the end of the season than the start. Trust me.
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