Every year since the lockout I've been saying this, but with less enthusiasm year after year...

But there's a boiling point here. There's a line where coaching can't stifle offense anymore. Perhaps it's just hope. But I still think that line exists.

We've been foiled the last two+ years. But injuries and circumstance from NHL's goals per game from surging.

Injuries - Malkin, Crosby, Goligoski, Green, Letang
I know Goligoski's name doesn't belong there, but I had a lot of faith in defensemen leading the offensive charge. After seeing what Green did with Washington, and then what Yandle did with Phoenix...Goligoski was key. If he was healthy - never hurt - and had 52 points right now, how would that impact league attitude? Each year it's one defenseman. This year it's Erik Karlsson!

Circumstance - Radulov in KHL, Washington changes system


Odds are this will never happen, but here is fantasy hockey's version of "the stars aligning":

1. Healthy Malkin, Crosby, Ovechkin, Giroux, Stamkos, Tavares, Sedins, Backstrom
2. Healthy Green, Karlsson, Goligoski, Yandle, Ekman-Larsson, Doughty
3. Radulov re-signs with Nashville.

What this would do:
1. Give us 7-10 players with 100+ points
2. Give us two players with 130 points
3. Two defensemen with 75+ points, another four with 60+

The best coaching in the world isn't stopping the Penguins right now. Imagine that over a full season?

With defensemen racking up the points, the copycat coaches will want their own puck-movers to match.

This would be enough to turn the game on its ear.


Problem is...the stars probably won't align like this. But one can dream.

__________________
DobberHockey Rules
14 Team Keeper, points only, best 12 skaters 2 dman 2 G count. Playoffs count.
F - Crosby, C.Smith, Wheeler, Parenteau, Hudler, Clowe, Grabovski, Atkinson, Frolik, S. Kostitsyn, Marchand, Peverley, Tavares, Read, Brouwer, Bickell, Gionta, Setoguchi
G - Anderson, Hiller, Markstrom, Brodeur
D - Letang, Del Zotto, I. White, Kronwall, Brodin, Nikitin

This reminds me of a great discussion I had once...
Is the universe finite or infinite?
It is one of my favourite discussions of all time.

We were all 10+ beers in when we discussed it.
For some reason, I feel like your blurb would make more sense if I drink 10+ beers...

If [Goligoski] was healthy - never hurt - and had 52 points right now, how would that impact league attitude?

Huh... what... ????... why do the stars need to align???...
I'm glad you didn't actually put this in a rambling because I would've chewed it more to shreds than I already have.

ps. I luv ya... but sometimes Dobbs... you are just straight-up nutty!!!

That's what it's all about! A collection of events, if A and B then C! There is no see if A or B are gone LOL

__________________
DobberHockey Rules
14 Team Keeper, points only, best 12 skaters 2 dman 2 G count. Playoffs count.
F - Crosby, C.Smith, Wheeler, Parenteau, Hudler, Clowe, Grabovski, Atkinson, Frolik, S. Kostitsyn, Marchand, Peverley, Tavares, Read, Brouwer, Bickell, Gionta, Setoguchi
G - Anderson, Hiller, Markstrom, Brodeur
D - Letang, Del Zotto, I. White, Kronwall, Brodin, Nikitin