Michael J. Baranowski
Dear editor,
Oh how the game of hockey has changed from the better to the worst.
Hockey was at its best with the initial six team format which included the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens in Canada and with the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, and Detroit Red Wings in the USA.
It was still great when they expanded to 12 teams, but after that with added franchises hockey talent was watered down considerably so imports from outside North America were brought in to keep the talent stable.
The hockey changed again after mediocre player and coach Don Cherry brought violence to the game with his “Rock ’Em Sock ’Em” style on how the game should be played, which was fighting, dumping the puck and hitting (the last of which brought in a new NHL statistic “Hitting”).
Now for my thoughts on the arbitration that is going on now between the players and the owners. They had no fixed salary cap which should have been left at a million dollars but now has skyrocketed out of hand.
I believe this has caused the third lockout that could end hockey for the 2012-2013 season all because of greedy millionaire owners and players alike. This only hurts their fans that pay big money, and without them there would be no hockey.
We would be better off on having more junior hockey which is more like the way hockey should be played—in other words, scoring to win and not fighting and hitting like we have now in the NHL.
I loved watching hockey in the past especially when the Fort Frances Canadians won the Allan Cup, which was hockey at its best.
As for myself, I will not miss the hockey as it is played today, so let these greedy millionaires fight it out while the fans have to bear the consequences of not watching NHL hockey, which if it was not for them there would not be any hockey; period.
The only fans that will benefit with this lockout will be fans from the American League in the USA and all the European fans wherever there is the game of hockey.
Their hockey will be much better with the added players coming from the NHL which will make them a more talented team to watch while we Canadian fans have to find another sport to watch.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Baranowski
