The Rise, Fall and Resurrection of Hockey

Do you like speed? Do you like seeing big hits? Or even seeing legends in the making? If you do, then this essay is meant for you. Hockey is one of the greatest sports on the planet but not a lot of people know the Origin, Rise, Fall and Resurrection of Hockey. I will be discussing how hockey rose to be known as the number one sport across the world but only to fall prey to greed, money and power. When you are done reading this paper you will understand the Origin, Rise, Fall and Resurrection of Hockey.

The Origin of Hockey is not really known nor its history been precisely recorded. However records show that a rough form of hockey was played in Egypt 4,000 years ago and in Ethiopia around 1,000 BC. There are also quite a few historians that believe that hockey started in Northern Europe and there is several museums offers evidence that a form of hockey was played by the Romans, Greeks and by the Aztec Indians of South America. It really all depends on whom you believe and how you interrupt the evidence. As for myself I found that the first ice hockey game was played right here in Canada and the first rules of hockey were published by the Montreal Gazette in 1877. Between the years of 1857 - 1904 hockey really formed itself to be a sport that people enjoyed to watch and from that came the Raise of Hockey.

The Rise of Hockey came as no surprise to the people of the late 1800s – early 1900s, hockey was an amateur sport but because of the great support of the fans and the passion of the players, hockey evolved in to a professional sport. In the early years of the 1900’s some of the greatest games played were played during the Olympic Games; hockey was played internationally and players who represented their country during the Olympic Games were seen as symbolic warriors who played for the honor and pride of their countrymen. When the first professional league was created in the United States, it was based on five teams in the United States and one from Ontario. They form the International Hockey League (IHL); it only lasted for three seasons. After the last game from the IHL two more leagues were formed the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) and National Hockey Association (NHA), these two leagues were the creators of the basic rules and regulations that are still observed today and they also gave birth to the National Hockey League (NHL). The NHL is the biggest hockey league in the world, players of any country can play and be part any team of the NHL. In 1945, the NHL started there first season with six teams (Montreal Canadians, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks) and played 30 games per season. Now the NHL has 30 teams and plays 82 games per season. Hockey became one of the top sports to be played and had a strong fan base; players across the world came to North America for the opportunity to play in the NHL. As the NHL grew and expanded, the love and joy of the game was placed in the hands of hockey agents, team and arena owners who corrupted the game, this is what lead to the Fall of Hockey.

The Fall of Hockey happened within the last few years. The sport known as hockey started to become mainly based on money, greed and power which reflected the way the sport was being played. The fans started to lose there interest in the game because players where playing to rough, the game lost it speed, the players would only play if they got what they wanted, the owners raised all the prices and then they had a lockout which was the catalyst that triggered the Fall of Hockey. The first lockout happened during the 1991-1992 season which lasted for 11 days. There was a second lockout which occurred in the 1994-1995 season which lasted for about half of the season; the NHL teams played a 48 game schedule the shortest in 53 years. During the most recent lockout the 2004–2005 season of the NHL, players refused to commit to their contracts because the owners wanted a salary cap, thus shutting down the NHL for the entire season. A lot of hockey fans were very disappointed and lost there passion for the sport. The year that hockey was canceled took a huge toll on the sport of hockey; hockey as a sport was dead in many fans eyes. Many sport reporters would ask hockey fans about their thoughts on the NHL’s lockout and as the static’s have shown 85% were on a negative note. Within that year of the third lockout, the NHL and the player finally came to terms on some new rules and a new salary cap to be in effect immediately when the 2005-2006 season began. As the new season has begun and both players and owners have made the many of the changes that were necessary to improve the game, the majority of the hockey fans have come back with great enthusiasm! The new rules and regulations have allowed the game to be played as it once was meant to be based on skills and talent, not on the team with the most brute force and money. The game has become more interesting and enjoyable to watch again. The fans are happy that the NHL’s teams are back on the ice and to see the Resurrection of this great sport.

The Resurrection of Hockey is still at its early stages but with the hype that the NHL has gotten back and with the new rules that are applied for this year’s hockey, only time will tell on how this third lockout will affect the NHL. Most of the fans that have return to the NHL have mixed reaction on some of the new rules and some are just glad that the sport is back in action and as from what I have seen it setting up to be one awesome season. Over the past 10 year the average scores were between 2-1 or 4-2 but these days you will find most games end in a 5-1, 7-5 or even 9-0; the final scores have been very random and has added a lot of excitement back to the game. In my opinion the Resurrection of Hockey is mainly based on what the fans and players have lost over the few years. This sport known as hockey will always be around, it may not be the hockey of the 1900’s or even the hockey that we have today but some form of it will live on. All I know is hockey is back and is still going strong.

Now that you know the Origin, Rise, Fall and Resurrection of Hockey I would like to leave you with one final thought, I have realized that in life even when times are tough and you hit rock bottom like the NHL has done several times, if you believe in your dreams and are willing to work hard for what you want then one day you can achieve your dreams. As The Great One of hockey Wayne Gretzky once said “You’ll always miss 100% of the shots you don't take.”

Extra

An assessment of NHL rules changes for the 2005-06 NHL season.

On July 22, 2005, the board of governors approved the most radical set of NHL rule changes in many years. Most of the changes are designed to boost offensive chances and scoring, and several represent a return to rules that were in place years ago. This page looks at the major NHL rule changes for 2005-06, according to the latest media reports.

A new standard of enforcement for existing rules.

The league promises zero tolerance for hooking, holding, tripping, slashing, cross checking and interference. Players who use their stick or free hand to slow any opposing player will be penalized.
The Case: Time to put an end to the grappling, wrestling and bear-hugging that sucks the speed and skill from the game.
Impact: Initially it means way more penalties, which turns the power play into the most important tool on any NHL team.

If the new standard is permanent, it will definitely open up the offensive play.
Down Side: What good is a hockey game if you can't hit anybody? Half the appeal is watching the stars succeed in a physically brutal environment. And who needs the constant parade to the penalty box? Do we want every night to look like the annual NHL All Star Game, always a contact-free, wide open, high-scoring, and painfully boring affair?

Tie games are decided by a shootout.

Regular season games continue as before: 60 minutes of regulation time followed by five minutes of 4-on-4 overtime to break a tie. If it remains tied, a shootout determines the winner.
The Case: Nobody likes ties. Everybody loves penalty shots. Or so it's said.
Impact: Should be a big hit with the fans. Goal scorers will enjoy it. Tie games are eliminated, though the NHL will continue to award one point for a shootout or overtime loss.
Down Side: Most NHL execs used to dismiss the shootout as a cheap gimmick. The shootout remains controversial, with some concern that its novelty will fade if fans see it too often. And what effect will it have on the preceding game? Might some teams play a conservative defensive style, preferring to guarantee one point and take their chances with a shootout?

The two-line pass is legal.

The red line at center ice remains, but used for icing calls only. A pass from the defensive zone all the way to the opposing blue line is legal. This is also the rule in the NCAA, international hockey and Europe.
The Case: The dreaded neutral zone trap clogs the ice and destroys hockey's entertainment value. With the long pass, defending the neutral zone becomes harder. The game needs more breakaways and more speed.
Impact: Longer passes favor teams with speed and skill, creating quick attacks and more end-to-end action in general.
Down Side: Some say the two-line pass leads to a more conservative game: defending teams abandon the fore check and spread players back through the neutral zone to guard against the long pass. Also, teams can use the long pass as a sort of "legal icing" - the defenseman throws the puck up ice, and the forward simply chips it into the opposing zone.

Goaltender leg pads, blockers, catching gloves and jerseys are all cut down in size.

The Case: Compared to his forebears, today's goalie fills far too much of the net. The limit on leg pads was increased from 10 to 12 inches in 1989. They are now reduced to 11 inches. Sweaters and other pads also shrink.
Impact: Hard to say. Today's great goaltending is mostly due to athleticism and good coaching. But smaller leg pads could expose more of the bottom half of the net. After a couple of months, the NHL's best shooters should be asked if they see any more room down low.
Down Side: Some goaltenders complain that smaller equipment leaves them more vulnerable to injury. The move also fuels a persecution complex among goaltenders.

Goaltenders cannot handle the puck behind the goal line, except in a restricted area.

The Case: Goalies have too much control in their zone. They play the puck like defensemen, handing it off to teammates, shooting it out, making forward passes. They do so with immunity, protected by goaltender interference rules. Many say the goalie should be declared "fair game" - outside his crease, he should be open to body checking and puck battles. But NHL GMs will never increase the injury risk for their most important assets.
Impact: The idea is to encourage fore checking. If the goalie can't play a shoot-in, the attackers have a better chance to retrieve the puck. But this rule still allows goalies to play the puck in a zone directly behind the net. The restriction is a minor one and its effect on scoring will likely be negligible.
Down Side: Defensemen won't like it, as they count on the goalie to help them win races for the puck. This rule also encourages a dump-and-chase attack, not always the most exciting style of hockey.

A Brief History of Hockey: From the first games to the Original Six.

Early to mid-1800s:
Ice hockey as we know it is first played in either Windsor, Nova Scotia, Kingston, Ontario or Montreal, Quebec.

1877:
The first known rules are published by the Montreal Gazette.

1888:
The Amateur Hockey Association of Canada is formed, with four teams in Montreal, one in Ottawa and one in Quebec City.

1889 or 1892:
The first women's hockey game is played in Ottawa or Barrie, Ontario.

1893:
Frederick Arthur, Lord Stanley of Preston and Governor-General of Canada, donates a trophy to be called the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup. It will be known more commonly as the Stanley Cup. The first winning team is from the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association, champions of the AHAC.

1894:
The first artificial ice rink is opened in Baltimore.

1895:
College athletes from the United States and Canada play the first international series of matches, with the Canadians winning all four games.

1896:
The Winnipeg Victories become the first team from Western Canada to win the Stanley Cup.

Late 1800s and early 1900s:
North American ice hockey appears in European countries, taking its place alongside similar games such as bandy.

1900:
The goal net is introduced.

1904:
Five teams in the United States and Ontario form the International Hockey League, the first league of professional teams. It last three seasons.

1910:
The Montreal Canadians play their first game after joining a new league called the National Hockey Association.

1911:
Teams in Western Canada form the Pacific Coast Hockey Association. The league introduces several innovations: Blue lines are added to divide the ice into three zones, goaltenders are permitted to fall to the ice to make saves and forward passing is allowed in the neutral zone.

The 60 minute game is divided into three 20 minute periods.

1912:
The number of players allowed on the ice is reduced from seven to six per team.

1917:
Four NHA teams reorganize to form the National Hockey League. A new Toronto franchise, the Arenas, is added. The Arenas will become the Maple Leafs in 1927.

The Seattle Metropolitans of the PCHA become the first American-based team to win the Stanley Cup, after the Cup's trustee’s rule that teams outside Canada can compete for the trophy.

1920:
An ice hockey tournament is played at the Summer Olympics. It will later be declared the first World Ice Hockey Championship. Canada wins.

1923:
Foster Hewitt calls the first hockey broadcast for radio, an intermediate game between teams from Kitchener and Toronto.

1924:
The Boston Bruins defeat the Montreal Maroons 2-1 in the first NHL game played in the United States.

The NHL increases the regular season schedule from 24 to 30 games. Players on the first place Hamilton Tigers refuse to compete in the 1925 playoffs unless they are paid for the extra games played. The players are suspended and the team is subsequently sold to become the New York Americans.

Ice hockey debuts at the Winter Olympics, with Canada winning the gold medal.

1926:
The New York Rangers, Chicago Black Hawks and Detroit Cougars (later renamed the Red Wings) join the NHL.

The Western Hockey League disbands and sells most of its players to the new NHL teams, leaving the NHL as the undisputed top hockey league in North America.

1929:
The first offside rule is introduced.

1934:
Ralph Bowman of the St. Louis Eagles scores the first penalty shot goal.

1936:
The New York Americans defeat Toronto 3-2 in the first game to be broadcast coast-to-coast in Canada.

Great Britain wins the Olympic gold medal, marking Canada's first significant loss in international ice hockey.

1937:
The first rule to deal with icing is introduced.

1942:
The Brooklyn Americans withdraw from the NHL. For the next 25 years the league will be comprised of the Canadians, Maple Leafs, Red Wings, Bruins, Rangers and Black Hawks, now known as "the Original Six."

1945:
The NHL season begins in October for the first time.

1946:
Babe Pratt becomes the first NHL player suspended for betting on games.

Referees begin using hand signals to indicate penalties and other rulings.

1947:
Billy Reay of the Montreal Canadians becomes the first NHL player to raise his arms and stick in celebration after scoring a goal.

1949:
The center red line first appears on the ice.

1952:
Hockey Night in Canada makes its television debut.

1955:
Maurice "Rocket" Richard is suspended for the remainder of the season and the playoffs after punching a linesman during a fight.

The suspension sparks the "Richard Riot" in Montreal.

NHL officials wear striped sweaters for the first time.

The Zamboni makes its NHL debut when Montreal hosts Toronto.

1956:
Jean Beliveau is the first hockey player to appear on the cover of "Sports Illustrated."

The USSR enters Olympic ice hockey for the first time, winning the gold medal.

1957:
The first NHL Player's Association is formed with Detroit's Ted Lindsay as president. The owners soon crush the organization and the Red Wings trade Lindsay to the last place Chicago Black Hawks.

CBS is the first U.S. television network to carry NHL games.

1958:
Willie O'Ree of the Boston Bruins is the first black player in the NHL.

1961:
The Hockey Hall of Fame opens in Toronto.

1963:
The first NHL amateur draft is held in Montreal, with 21 players selected.

1965:
Ulf Sterner plays four games with the New York Rangers, becoming the first Swedish-born player in the NHL.

1967:
The NHL doubles in size, adding franchises in Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Oakland, St. Louis and Philadelphia.

1970:
The Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks join the NHL.

1972:
The World Hockey Association begins play, outbidding NHL teams for several star players. Bobby Hull becomes hockey's first million-dollar man when he leaves the Chicago Black Hawks and signs a 10-year, $2.75 million contract with the WHA's Winnipeg Jets.

The Atlanta Flames and New York Islanders join the NHL.

The Summit Series pits the best Canadian professionals against the best from the Soviet Union for the first time. Canadian players who have jumped from the NHL to the WHA are not invited to play. Canada wins the last three games to finish with four wins, three losses and a tie, clinching the series on a dramatic goal by Paul Henderson in the final game.

1974:
The Kansas City Scouts and Washington Capitals join the NHL.

The USSR wins the first World Junior Hockey Championship.

A second Canada-Soviet exhibition series takes place, featuring Canadians from the WHA against the Soviet nationals.

1975:
Soviet club teams play in North America for the first time when Central Red Army and Soviet Wings play a series of exhibition games against NHL teams.

1976:
Two franchises move: The California Seals become the Cleveland Barons and the Kansas City Scouts become the Colorado Rockies.

Canada defeats Czechoslovakia in the final to win the first Canada Cup tournament.

1978:
The Cleveland Barons merge with the Minnesota North Stars.

1979:
The World Hockey Association folds, with the Edmonton Oilers, Quebec Nordiques, Hartford Whalers and Winnipeg Jets joining the NHL.

1980:
The United States defeats the USSR in the semifinal and Finland in the final to win the Olympic gold medal. The "Miracle on Ice" will be enshrined as one of the greatest moments in American sports history.

1982:
The Colorado Rockies move to New Jersey and become the Devils.

1983:
The NHL introduces a five-minute sudden death overtime period at the end of ties games in the regular season.

1989:
Sergei Priakin plays for the Calgary Flames, becoming the first Soviet player permitted to join an NHL club.

1990:
Canada wins the first Women's World Hockey Championship.

1991:
The San Jose Sharks join the NHL.

The NHL introduces video review.

1992:
The Ottawa Senators and Tampa Bay Lightning join the NHL.

1993:
The Florida Panthers and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim begin play.

The Minnesota North Stars move to Dallas and become the Stars.

1994:
One of the NHL's most famous futility streaks comes to an end as the New York Rangers win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1940

Rangers' defenseman Brian Leetch is the first American-born player to win the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP.

In the league's first major labour dispute, NHL players are locked out for 103 days at the beginning of the 1993-94 season. The regular season, which begins January 20, 1995, is the shortest in 53 years.

1995:
Jaromir Jagr becomes the first European to lead the NHL in scoring.

The Quebec Nordiques move to Denver and become the Colorado Avalanche.

1996:
The Winnipeg Jets move to Phoenix, where they are re-named the Coyotes.

1997:
The Hartford Whalers become the Carolina Hurricanes.

Craig Mactavish, the last remaining helmetless player in the NHL, retires.

1998:
The Nashville Predators join the NHL.

The NHL begins using two referees in each game.

NHL players compete at the Olympics for the first time, with the Czech Republic winning the gold medal.

The United States defeats Canada to win the first Olympic gold medal in women's hockey.

1999:
The Atlanta Thrashers join the NHL.

2000:
The Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild bring the total number of NHL teams to 30.

2002:
NHL players return to the Winter Olympics, with Canada winning the gold medal. The victory comes 50 years to the day after the last Canadian gold medal in men's hockey.

Canada defeats the United States to win the second Olympic gold medal in women's hockey.

The Detroit Red Wings win the Stanley Cup, with Swedish-born defenseman Niklas Lidstrom claiming the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Lidstrom is the first European to win the award.

2004:
The United States wins its first ever World Junior Hockey Championship.

The Stanley Cup arrives in Florida, as the Tampa Bay Lightning win the NHL championship in their 12th season.

Canada wins the second World Cup of Hockey, defeating Sweden 3-2 in the championship game and finishing the tournament undefeated. Vincent Lecavalier is named tournament MVP.

On September 15, the owners lock out the players, putting the 2004-05 NHL season on hold pending a new collective bargaining agreement.

2005:
On February 16, the 2004-05 NHL season is officially cancelled because of the failure to reach a new collective agreement.

On July 13, the 301st day of the lockout, the NHL and NHL Players' Association announce a tentative agreement, allowing the league to resume play in October.