I don’t see why the National Hockey League doesn’t move training camp/preseason ahead a month and start the season early in September. The advantage, to me, being an earlier playoff season. I’m sick of watching hockey in June. Who’s with me on this one? I’d also like to see a few less teams but I know they’ll never go for that; I’ll settle for the Stanley Cup champion being decided before my kids are out of school for the summer.
Amen.
The disadvantage is competing with the NFL as well as the Southern teams still being in the middle of summer in early September.
I know reducing the playoffs won’t happen. But, I wish it would
I don’t know if they should have started by now, but I sure wish they would start soon.
I am in Detroit. A promising baseball season has gone down in flames. The Lions have been eliminated in 3 weeks. All we have left is the Wings. Bring it on.
The Pistons get jobbed by the league every year. They will not be allowed to go all the way.
I kinda like hockey in june…
The Red Wings are everything the Lions are not aren’t they? At least you’re rid of Millen. It seemed to me the Martz wasn’t that bad a fit for the team, too bad this move didn’t happen last year.
The other thing that pisses me off about the late start to hockey is all the time they claim to need for player evaluation. Football teams make tougher (IMO) decisions in less time. NHL teams have plenty of season to re-evaluate their players and move players between the major and minor leagues if necessary, unlike NFL where it’s practise squad/sign free agents throughout the season. It’s greed that drives owners to keep the season long but I think they’d find more interest across the league if they shortened the season and dropped a few teams.
I’ve always thought that both the NBA and NHL would be better off wrapping things up earlier as well. Both sports fill that time between the end of NFL and the baseball season. If the NBA/NHL playoffs started the week after March Madness ended, they would fill a nice niche while baseball is still in the April/May slow time.
Bring on the NHL Games! I’m in Hockey withdrawl!
On a (barely) related note, the CFL should also start earlier, no? That way you wouldn’t have football fans freezing their butts off in outdoor stadiums, in Canada, well into November! Start the season around the May long weekend, not the beginning of July and avoid the -30C Grey Cup games.
(I was under the impression that the CFL basically schedules their start around when the NHL season is over, but I may be way out to lunch here…)
Oh, and
GO FLAMES!
No, cold weather, outdoor stadiums, and the CFL are a tradition. Problem is, stadium security and public disapproval nowadays means that mickey of rye you used to take to the game as antifreeze will be taken away at the gate. I recall going to Argos games in the old Exhibition Stadium years ago, and noticing the empties of Royal Reserve and CC as we left after the game. Sure you froze, and I well remember freezing in Commonwealth Stadium in late October 06 when Edmonton had its first snowstorm of the year, but it’s part of the tradition. Want sunny, warm stadiums where fans in shorts need cold beer to stay cool? Head for the US and an NFL stadium (well, except for NFL stadiums in cold climates). Want football in conditions that would make a polar bear think twice about going outside, but that has rabid fans that won’t quit the game in the third quarter? Head for the CFL.
CFL. Where the players are tough, and the fans even tougher. 
Enjoy your chilly stadium! I’m a total wuss when it comes to sitting around in the cold. I’m a terrible Canadian in that regard:p
Although the bottles of booze might help …
I’d rather have a shorter season than an earlier start. It’d be easier to introduce, as an early start would royally screw whatever team just won the cup when it’s started. It would also reduce a little of the wear and tear on the players and lengthen the offseason to allow players more time to heal, or in the case of players like Mats Sundin, Teemu Selanne, and Scott Neidermayer, more time to make up their minds about whether or not they well retire.
I’m torn between wanting the season to start sooner because I’m sick of no hockey and wanting it to start later because it’s nice being able to watch at home when I get done school in April. Preseason games are getting me through the withdrawal, but I can’t wait much longer for the real thing!
GO OILERS GO