Ahem, NHL, who the F do you think you are?

So get this NHL is "forcing" all teams to give up the reins of THEIR OWN websites??? WTF? Who wants their teams website to look like every other freakin website on the web? This is bull. I always thought this league was a step apart from other pro leagues with the way it ran its "business" and handled its teams and players. This leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I had always wondered why I couldnt buy team stuff from sjsharks.com directly. Why would it always direct me to nhl.com to buy my Sharks gear? This aint right, it looks like every other team gears just in my teams colors. Its crap, why cant my team create its own gear? Who wants to look like every other jerk out there just in different colors?

Where does it stop, why not take over control of the uniforms?

Finally its time for hockey season, close enough. Pre season is over, and now its real hockey time. Time to see what each team really has to offer. Time to see our favorite players from last year and some new ones added to our favorite team. The more and more I read about my San Jose Sharks, the more I am starting to believe some of the hype. We have a super talented team with marque players and some amazing not so well known/talked about players. TSN is saying there is a really good chance the cup will stay in CA and they arent talking about the ducks.
Why is it that sjsharks.com wont post pics that you can download? They are all in a flash media style. They dont even offer a small amount of high res pics that you could use as wallpapers. Dont you want me to show my team off at work? Not even any pics of our new logo or uniforms.

This thread is really to show off my team and the great pics that Getty Images offer up during the season. Thank you yahoo and allowing some great pics of my team, boo sjsharks.com not really
ps, Mike Grier is really coming into his own with San Jose, I love watching him play and am so thankful that he plays for us.

Dear NHL.com

why? why arent you as good as your Canadian counterpart? You are the sole representative of the NHL, you are named after the league you are to support and report on. Please explain why TSN.ca always scoops you, has better content, and is all around a better source for hockey info and news? Why not more high quality pictures? Why no live hockey feed? I want more from you damn it.

I remember when Thomas Vokoun was traded, it was up much quicker than it was on nhl.com. How can you get scooped on anything hockey?

This rant was prompted by the change in rules for the upcoming season. A buddy mentioned on his blog about a "shady" penalty call at a pre season game he was at. Come to find out nhl.com hasnt provided any info (not that is found with reasonable searching) about the upcoming seasons rule changes but tsn.ca has.

So enough ranting, lets talk hockey.

1 of the new rules is actually a tweak on a rule put in place a few years ago, interference. Now if a player is taken down or "interfered with" outside his blue line they can call for a penalty shot. Used to be if the player was beyond center ice and was messed with. Also if there is an injury during said penalty they can call a major (5 min penalty) as well. This always raises the question of "diving". Well I have thought for years that the NHL needs to be more strict on diving and call it more often. If we can see it and the announcers can see it, call that shit will ya? I think diving should be a major as well, make it not worth your while to dive unless you are a Meryl Streep.

I think this rule wont change things too much but you will see less of the "train on the tracks" type hits across the middle of the ice, if a guy blind sides another guy it used to be called a "clean hit" and perhaps it was but man if it isnt dangerous.

They mention in the TSN article that this might give more incentive for a defenseman to jump on a puck and take it down ice short handed, I agree. I think it will promote just that cause if he gets pulled down, wham penalty.

So look for more penalty shots, short handed rushes, and a few more major penalties this year.

Have I mentioned I cant wait for next week?

NHL, Preds, now partial season ticket holder

So I did it. I supported my local NHL team. Even though I am not a Predator fan, I live here so there for this is my only option for my live dose of NHL hockey. The Preds play my beloved Sharks twice a season and play a good amount of top ranked teams throughout the season. For this reason I am now a proud owner of a 2 seats for 33% of the Predators upcoming season. I would like to say to the Preds fans and organization. You are Welcome. I was the only 1 at your "save the Preds" rally in a non Preds jersey. I was there to support your team in your hour of need and in the past have gone to see them play (and payed nearly all times). And now I am supporting your team significantly, (according to my checking account) financially. Now please dont be idiots when I go to games wearing my Sharks jersey. My team does not suck, fact is they are much better than your Preds. The real truth is you do not like my team, in fact might be starting to hate my team. But they do not suck. Please change your insults to "I hate your team". Below is my schedule for this year.

10/6/2007 Saturday 7:00 Dallas Stars

12/6/2007 Thursday 7:00 Vancouver Canucks

12/8/2007 Saturday 7:00 Anaheim Ducks

12/10/2007 Monday 7:00 Detroit Red Wings

12/13/2007 Thursday 7:00 Colorado Avalanche

12/29/2007 Saturday 7:00 San Jose Sharks

1/15/2008 Tuesday 7:00 Calgary Flames
1/17/2008 Thursday 7:00 Anaheim Ducks

2/7/2008 Thursday 7:00 Tampa Bay Lightning

2/12/2008 Tuesday 7:00 Detroit Red Wings
2/21/2008 Thursday 7:00 Vancouver Canucks

3/11/2008 Tuesday 7:00 San Jose Sharks

3/18/2008 Tuesday 7:00 Washington Capitals