After a much anticipated Stanley Cup final, games 1 and 2 did not live up to their billing. Why? THE ICE SUCKS. Poor conditions have made quick skating, passing and puck movement impossible. The puck bounces all over the place. Every time a player receives a pass, he has to settle it down before making a play.
Bad ice is a problem throughout the league. I’m sick of it. It’s destroying the game. Even Edmonton, renowned for its hard, fast ice, frequently has bad ice days now. You can expect this problem from clubs in hot, humid areas – Florida, Tampa Bay – but these aren’t the worst rinks. Madison Square Garden in NY and Verison Center in Washington take the prize. After spending US$850 million to upgrade MSG, the quality of the ice is the one thing they didn’t renovate.
You’d think that in this technical age someone could solve this problem. Just think of some of the things we can do:
- GPS: Thanks to the GPS and its integration in just about everything tech-related, most of you will never get lost again even at the top of Mt Everest.
- Self-driving cars – finally the driver will be able to take in the sights on the family road trip.
- Google has developed contact lenses that monitor blood sugar levels.
And coming soon:
- Supercharged Photosynthesis: advanced genetic tools could help boost crop yields and feed billions more people.
So why can’t me make good ice? Come on. Dubai has a ski slope in the middle of a shopping mall. It is 40 degrees outside.
It’s time for team owners to pony up the bucks and fix the cooling systems. Fans are shelling out a lot of money for tickets. We deserve better.
Next time the NHL governors meet, this should be on the agenda. Instead of endlessly trying to retweak the rules to increase scoring, they need to think about the fundamentals of the game. Hockey is a sport played on ice. And if they want to “grow” the game south of the border, don’t shove the half-ass version of hockey we have now down their throats and expect them to buy it.
Hockey: The Lost Boys 