Bring Back Old Time Hockey Or If I Was Commissioner For a Day

Remember when hockey was popular?  Maybe it only those of us that are old enough to remember the good old days when hockey was fun to watch regardless of who was playing. The game has suffered greatly under commissioner Gary Bettman, yet the owners refuse to speak out against him.

If I had a choice to be anything I could ever want to be for just one day, my choice would be an easy one. Commissioner of the National Hockey League. They say God created earth and everything on it in seven days, well saving the NHL in 24 hours would be an even greater challenge.

First on my to do list would be to workout a buyout of the current agreement with Versus and NBC to televise hockey games. Let them stick to Ultimate Fighting and Howie Mandel peddling suitcases. Get on the phone to ESPN and work out a deal. Allow ESPN to oversee all television contracts with the 30 teams, including their independent contracts.

This would immediately assist the revenue for all 30 teams, after all Madison Square Garden Network controls not only the Rangers but the Islanders, Devils, and Sabres. Allow ESPN to televise two games a night for the entire season, while the local networks would still be caring their team's games.

Let them bring back the goalie commercials from the '90s. Who can forget the poor homeless goalie stopping change on the corner because of Mats Sundin?

Become more involved as a league in the players' individual camps for young players.  More exposure means more kids growing up dreaming of playing someday in the NHL.

Switch the Winter Classic to the All-Star Weekend. This will not only boost ratings for both events and make it more enjoyable for the players, but it will also reduce costs by using the makeshift rink more than once. Even choose the host city to play a game on Friday, skills on Saturday, and the Young Stars and All Stars on Sunday.

Cut salaries for the players. In addition to the salary cap, no single player can be worth more than 10 percent of a team's available salary cap space. This would keep costs down and ticket prices down as well.

Exposure to the game by having each team play one home game in a non-NHL market.  For example if the Sabres play the Rangers in Syracuse, NY or the Kings play the Ducks in San Diego. This will widen the fan market for every team within a few years, as well as create an opportunity to sell merchandise.

Actually enforce the obstruction rules and speed up the play of the game. Do not worry about bigger or off shaped nets, reducing equipment size, let them play hockey the way the game was meant to be played.

If possible institute a 30-second shot clock. This will speed up the game and force teams to adapt to a faster style of play. No more trying to hold on to a one-goal lead by dump and runs.

Bring the game back to the people. Promote to the working class by encouraging face painting, ridiculous outfits, and colorful characters at the games. The business man sitting on his hands grumbling if you stand up in front of him during a 3-on-1 rush is annoying to the fan that actually is watching the game and not worried about making a business deal that night.

These changes would help the entire league. Not every team is as financially stable as the Rangers and Leafs. Fans would get a much needed boost by allowing them to see more games every week. My plan would get more kids involved in wanting to watch and see NHL games.

My plan would build the league fan base in non-hockey areas, create revenue for smaller teams, and—most importantly—let the players and fans enjoy hockey the way it was meant to be played.