Trying Hockey Out

[traderumor]

Don't know why, but the NHL has me intrigued for the first time in my life. I have never paid much attention, understand the very basics, but not really much. Heck, I"m so lost that I can't figure out why the defenseman are called that when they play offense too. Of course, in this area the Blue Jackets are easy enough to follow, and I know new offensive minded rules have been adopted, which I looked at and made sense of, but how does a newbie get up to speed?

BTW, watching a game on tv is slim pickings so far and it is a little hard to keep track of on the radio. CBJ does show some games on FSN, but is ESPN still carrying games?

[westofyou]

Don't know why, but the NHL has me intrigued for the first time in my life. I have never paid much attention, understand the very basics, but not really much. Heck, I"m so lost that I can't figure out why the defenseman are called that when they play offense too. Of course, in this area the Blue Jackets are easy enough to follow, and I know new offensive minded rules have been adopted, which I looked at and made sense of, but how does a newbie get up to speed?

BTW, watching a game on tv is slim pickings so far and it is a little hard to keep track of on the radio. CBJ does show some games on FSN, but is ESPN still carrying games?

If you have the Outdoor Network you can see games.

As for the defensemen, Bobby Orr changed all that.

[Johnny Footstool]

It really helps to know the players.

Playing video games, namely EA Sports NHL Hockey, helps you get to know the players and basically what they can do -- speedy goal scorers, slapshot experts, hard checkers, and thugs. Plus you get a feel for the rules and how the game works. That's what got me hooked on hockey back in the 90's. My interest has waned quite a bit lately, though.

[OldRightHander]

It's a shame that the minor league teams skipped town, because at least then you could attend some cheap games and get a pretty good handle on the rules that way. It's a lot better live when you can see all of the ice. I used to go up to the Gardens for a lot of Ducks games for $6.00 a piece. I'm a little ticked at the tv deal this season as well. It seems that unless I shell out some money for Center Ice or something, I'm going to be stuck with listening on the radio and catching the very occasional game on tv.

[OldRightHander]

It really helps to know the players.

Playing video games, namely EA Sports NHL Hockey, helps you get to know the players and basically what they can do -- speedy goal scorers, slapshot experts, hard checkers, and thugs. Plus you get a feel for the rules and how the game works. That's what got me hooked on hockey back in the 90's. My interest has waned quite a bit lately, though.

I never thought of that. I have followed hockey since the late 70s and I can't say I've ever tried any of the video games. When I was a wee one attending Stingers games, they would always have a breakdown of the basic rules in the program and between reading that and just being observant, I figured it out pretty fast.

[westofyou]

When I was a wee one attending Stingers games,

I had Stinger season tickets, woo hooo Dennis Sobchuck.

FWIW the owner of the Stingers now owns the Cardinals.

[traderumor]

I had Stinger season tickets, woo hooo Dennis Sobchuck.

FWIW the owner of the Stingers now owns the Cardinals.

I used to listen to the Stingers on the radio and really enjoyed it.

[Johnny Footstool]

NHL '95 introduced me to Joe Niewendyk, Theo Fleury, and Big Al McInnis (best slapshot in the game). I still root for the Calgary Flames.

[SandyD]

I enjoyed having the Brass in NOLA. Of course, I often forgot to bring a sweatshirt or jacket to the games. But they left when the Hornets came. No idea what will happen now.

BTW, I had very little idea what was going on most of the time. But it was fun.

[OldRightHander]

I had Stinger season tickets, woo hooo Dennis Sobchuck.

FWIW the owner of the Stingers now owns the Cardinals.

We had season tickets the last couple seasons. Actually, that's how I picked a favorite team in the NHL. The Stingers went down the tubes, Mike Liut ended up on the Blues, and that was that.

[Red Leader]

ESPN usually has a NHL hockey night once the season gets in full swing (begins in November). They have some that are called "NHL Rules!" or "Hockey Rules", or something like that. Don't miss those games. The announcers go out of their way to explain rules and strategy to the novice fan. They are actually quite good even though they only have about 5 of them the whole season. I think Hockey on ESPN is on Wednesday's, although I don't know if ESPN has NHL rights this year or not. Haven't seen a game on ESPN yet this year.

[westofyou]

We had season tickets the last couple seasons. Actually, that's how I picked a favorite team in the NHL. The Stingers went down the tubes, Mike Liut ended up on the Blues, and that was that.

Barry Melrose and Mark Messier where on those teams (as was my fave Robbie Ftorek, who played briefly for my all time team the Red Wings initially)

[westofyou]

http://www.olntv.com/nw/article/view...l&UserDef=true

STAMFORD, CT AND NEW YORK, NY (August 18) – OLN, a television leader in action and adventure sports, and the National Hockey League (NHL) today announced that OLN will be the new national cable television home for the NHL.

Under the terms of the multi-year agreement, OLN will televise at least 58 regular-season games. These games will air consistently on Monday and Tuesday nights and be exclusive to the network. OLN will carry the NHL All-Star Game exclusively in the US and will provide wall-to-wall coverage throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including exclusive Conference Final action and the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final. OLN will kick off NHL coverage beginning with the Rangers-Flyers match-up October 5, the first day of the new season.

OLN and the NHL will bring television viewers closer to the ice by leveraging the League’s new telecast enhancements – increased behind-the-scenes access, microphones on the players and coaches, netcams and in-game interviews.

The partnership between OLN, Comcast and the NHL will redefine the sport for hockey viewers. More action on video on demand (VOD), in HDTV and online will create an experience like never before, including:
• VOD game highlights and library footage of hockey’s greatest moments with full fast-forward, rewind and replay capability;
• HDTV game coverage in a crisper, faster-moving, more exciting game for hockey fans every week;
• Online streaming of two live games per night (subject to local blackout), broadband highlights, commentary, and library footage;
• Round-the-clock coverage on the NHL Network, to be launched in the US in the future; and
• Comcast will have the ability to carry and/or syndicate additional games on Comcast’s regional sports networks where it has the consent of the local team and team’s rights holder.

[Red Leader]

So, I guess that means that ESPN doens't have NHL rights this year.

So much for the Hockey Rules games with Barry Melrose and Gary Thorne.

[traderumor]

what is OLN? Outdoor Network? Not sure if we have that one here in Nerk, unless its a digital station. Guess I'll try to catch the Blue Jackets when they're on, although they are off to a poor start.