No suspension for Georges Laraque

Not really too much to say about this one, let the video do the talking:

Laraque hits Downie: 0 games

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xAEetam6HQ

Jones hits Bergeron: 2 games

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xAEetam6HQ

Hartnell hits Alberts: 2 games

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZQDjqahgM0

Cote hits Niskanen: 3 games

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZQDjqahgM0

Downie hits McAmmond: 20 games (A hit that 15 years ago would have been on EVERY NHL highlight reel.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=322zqTkL0-c

I defy anyone to tell me that there is not a bias against the Flyers...

The Integrity of the NHL Points Standings

I have never been one to understand rewarding a point to a team that loses. I have also never agreed with using a skills competition to determine the winner of a team sport. However, the evil ruler of the NHL empire, with agreement from his minions throughout the league, implemented a shootout system coming out of the lockout in 2005-2006.

As a hockey purist, a tie never bothered me. The shootout bothers me on two levels:

1. You won a game because your skaters could score more penalty shot goals than the other team.

2. Hey, your team couldn't score as many penalty shot goals as the other team, but you managed to stay tied with them through 60 minutes of real hockey and 5 minutes of 4-on-4 hockey, so we'll just be nice and give you a point in the standings.

These factors above soured me on the whole shootout idea from the get go, but when it was implemented I had no idea of the actual impact it would have on the standings. And it is a big impact.

I used http://www.nhlshootouts.com/ShootoutStats.htm to come up with the following numbers.

In 2005-2006, 281 games went into overtime, that is 281 extra points pumped into the NHL standings. (145 of those games were decided by a skill competition.) In 2006-2007, miraculously the same exact number of games (281) went into overtime. (164 of those games were decided by a skills competition.) So through the first two years of the shootout era, 11.8% and 13.3% of the games on the NHL schedule were decided by a skills competition, a gimmick.

In 2007-2008 the percentage is down from last season through January 17th with only 12.3% of games reaching the gimmick. However, I'd like to take a look at one specific team and show how INSANE these fake points they are pumping into the schedule really are.

Let's take a look at the 2007-2008 Edmonton Oilers. A storied franchise, a franchise that should be successful in the NHL. A franchise that has owned some of the greatest teams in the history of the sport.

As of the January 17th games, the Edmonton Oilers are 21-22-5. They have 47 points and are a mere 6 points out of a playoff spot, even though they have lost 6 more games than they have won. However, when you take a deeper look at the win loss record, 17 of their games (35.4%) have gone into overtime. 14 of those 17 games were decided by a gimmick (the Oilers are 11-3 in those games, 1-2 in games decided in the 4-on-4 overtime).

What this means, is that a team that has a total of 9, yes N-I-N-E, wins in regulation (18.75%). Yet they are still only 6 points out of a playoff spot. They are being rewarded for being able to get games into the shootout. 17 extra points have been pumped into the NHL standings thanks to the Edmonton Oilers...

Going to a Flyers Game? Leave Your Wallet at the Turnstile

We have all heard the joke a million times, "I had to mortgage my house for a beer at the Flyers game". Over the years I have become ambivalent to the fact that it cost a lot of money to take in a professional sporting event. But I love the sport, I love the team, so I suck it up and do it.

However, I have noticed this year, that the gouging of fans has just reached an all new despicable low.

A friend of mine who lives 2 hours away from Philly, and for some strange reason decides to keep Flyers season tickets, called me to invite me to tomorrow nights game vs. the New York Rangers. Face value of the ticket in the middle of the upper level is $58.00 and he only charges me what the season ticket holders pay. So the first time we went to a game together this year he was a tad late and I had to sit outside and wait; no big deal as the weather was nice.

To avoid this issue for tomorrow, he tells me that he can e-mail me the ticket. What a GREAT service for the Flyers to offer to the fans. So he e-mails it to me, and I go to print it. Much to my surprise, before I could get the ticket, I had to register an account with the Flyers and then pay them $2.50 to print up the ticket on my own PC, with my own toner, on my own paper. Are you kidding me? You guys have already been paid for these tickets, well in advance, and now you are going to charge me $2.50 for what? Hitting your web site and generating a new bar code?

I shouldn't be surprised though, each year the Flyers come up with an idea that sounds great, and then the do an awful job of implementing the idea. Ever hear of the family section? EXCELLENT IDEA. I could take my 4 year old daughter to a game for $10. I can create a new fan for the Flyers that someday will spend as much money as I do on the team. Ever try to get those family section tickets? Good Luck! But you will find them on StubHub 5 minutes after they were supposed to go on sale at 3 times the price.

How about those new Reebok Edge jerseys? I go to the 2nd home game and check them out to add one to my collection. $149.99 at the Wachovia Center for a blank jersey. I go to the mall the next day and get the same exact jersey for $109.99. Complete and total gouging.

I really want to throw my full and total support behind this team but damn do they try their best to make it hard. Nickel-and-diming the fans to death is not the way to build the next generation of hockey fans. But hey, they removed "Thank you fans!" from the ice, perhaps it should have been replaced with a collection plate...