The 2014 - 2015 NHL Season - Game ON!!

Mark your calendars, October 8 is the start of the 98th NHL season. This season will be a bit different for fans because of the new broadcast rights. Rogers Communications (Canada) will be the big winner with all kinds of offerings. It's heartening to hear that the CBC has managed to work a deal that keeps the iconic Hockey Night In Canada broadcasting in the traditional Saturday night time slot.

There's a bunch of rules changes:
( 2014–15 NHL season - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia )
The following rule changes were voted upon by the NHL Board of Governors in June, and were approved by the Players' Association in September 2014.[13][14]

• The trapezoidal areas behind each net in which goaltenders are allowed to play the puck are to be made 4 feet (1.2 m) wider than their current width.
• The width of the hashmarks outside the faceoff circles will be extended from their current 3.5 feet to five feet, seven inches apart (international markings).
• Prior to any overtime period, both teams will change ends and the ice will be dry-scraped by an ice resurfacer. The league hopes that the "long line changes" and the better ice surfaces will increase scoring in overtime, and thus decrease shootouts.[15]
• Coaches no longer have to submit a list of shootout participants as it begins. The coaches will be free as to who they will pick next.
• Teams that ice the puck can only use one center to take the ensuing faceoff. If that player attempts to get kicked out of the faceoff to buy his team time, he'll get a two-minute delay-of-game penalty.
• The NHL's "situation room" will have more latitude to conduct video reviews of goals that don't fall under the guidelines of what can be reviewed but that clearly weren't scored legally.
• The wording "embellishment" will be changed to allow an escalating scale of fines to repeat-offense players and coaches.
• The spin-o-rama will no longer be allowed on penalty shots and during the shootout.

that last one is disappointing. Probably the most exciting thing about the shoot out is the occasional spin-o-rama...


for example:



and this one from the Olympic American Women's:




Also, we have a new team in the league. Well, it's an old team: The Phoenix Coyotes have been renamed to Arizona Coyotes. To help keep them where they are instead of where they should be (Quebec City anyone? Hamilton? Toronto???) Come on Betman!

The first Saturday of the season (October 11) will feature 15 games, involving all 30 teams in the league.

So... what are your thoughts of the sweetest game? Will there be any losing records broken? (er Go Leafs!)

 

The rules changes all seem pretty minor to me. Nothing groundbreaking. Go Rangers, lets hope they go one step further this year.

 

Today is the day.

For those who know the city, the downtown intersection of Yonge & Dundas is shut down for the festivitiess, with the Tragically Hip playing a free concert at Dundas Sq, and the game between Toronto & Montreal will be broadcast outdoors on the giant TV screens


NHL Kick Off Viewing and Party and Yonge-Dundas Square

Toronto, ON, Canada / Talk Radio AM640
Tina Trigiani
October 07, 2014 09:21 am

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nicblockley / CC​

The puck finally drops!
The NHL regular season hits the ice Wednesday October 8 and in preparation for the new season, the league is hosting the “NHL Face-Off” at Yonge-Dundas square.
Yonge Street, between Dundas Street and Queen Street, and Yonge-Dundas Square will host various activities from noon until 10 p.m.
Hockey fans will be treated to live performances by the Tragically Hip and Tim Hicks, meet and greets with NHL legends like Wendel Clark and Darryl Sittler, and a live broadcast of the Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre will be played on all video screens at the square.
It all ends with the Official 2014 Molson Canadian NHL Face-Off After Party at EFS Nightclub (19+).
The event is a rain-or-shine event, and is free to the public.
Yonge street will re-open by 4 a.m. on Thursday, October 9.
TTC buses will be diverting on Victoria Street.NHL Kick Off Viewing and Party and Yonge-Dundas Square | Talk Radio AM640

 

Hey, this is pretty cool...

When the Mic Died During the U.S. National Anthem in Toronto, That’s When the Canadians Did Something Pretty Cool | Video | TheBlaze.com

We know the words too!