Welcome to the fourth edition of “This Week in NHL Stupid” where we track stupidity from all facets of the league. Now I want to start by ranting on a couple of things that aren’t so much “eye-catching” as they are “brain-hurting”.
No Games On Halloween
So the obvious thing is that there’s a random day on the schedule that isn’t during the All-Star break or before the playoffs. How in the world does this happen? I know there are always scheduling conflicts with concerts and what not, but Justin Bieber can’t be in 30 hockey arenas at once. I mean, we can’t get a 10:00 Flames/Devils game or something?
But then you have the added layer of the empty date being Halloween. I’m not sure if the scheduling was intentional because of that (the league is dark for Christmas break), but my biggest problem with Halloween being dark is that I had to sit and hear that music from the NHL Network commercial where they show all the fans and babies and dogs in their hockey themed costumes … and there aren’t even any games on Halloween???
Brooklyn Slushlanders
Then comes the story that the ice at Barclays Center in Brooklyn is still horrible in year two. This counts as stupidity not only because it’s year two, not only because they had an entire off-season to work on the problem, but because the issue is about a very common standard that isn’t even being met by a National Hockey League club.
1. NHL source: Floor piping system at Barclays Center in Brooklyn does not meet NHL standard requirements for ice-making.
— Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL) October 22, 2016
2. Barclays has PVC piping. All other NHL rinks have steel pipes. PVC cannot maintain ideal temp of 21 degrees for NHL play.
— Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL) October 22, 2016
There’s really no way around it. This is incredibly stupid. And if it’s intentional to not dig up the floor and replace the pipes to bring them up to NHL standard because they don’t want to spend the money on a team that may not be in the building for more than four, five seasons, then it’s dangerously and absurdly stupid. If this keeps up there’s going to be a night where the teams can’t play hockey because the ice will be better suited for water polo. Just ridiculous.
Some other things …
Tom Gilbert Serves Cold Revenge … Pays the Price
4-0 may have been a time to get revenge on an earlier hit, but Gilbert going head hunting and leaving his feet was a little extreme. And it caused multiple donnybrooks between the rival Kings and Ducks. Gilbert was suspended three games for not being smart.
David Pastrnak Preys On The Vulnerable
Pastrnak gets flagged 15 yards for not allowing Dan Girardi to make a fair catch. And he was also suspended … for two games.
Who is Tam Calbot?
Finally, from Oilers Reddit, a screen shot from the Oilers’ website:
The Rangers defeated the Oilers 5-3. Maybe the Oilers should have started Cam Talbot instead.
