Ever since the NHL returned from the 2004-05 lockout season, it has been referred to as the “new” NHL.
At first, I did not agree with the new slogan, catch phrase, or whatever you want to call it. However, after much thought and looking how things have changed since the dreaded 2004-05 lockout, I can now see why it is called the “new” NHL.
For starters, it is “new” on the ice. The game is much faster, there are shootouts, games are more exciting, and there is a heckuva lot more parity.
Secondly, it is “new” when it comes to how the media covers the game. It seems like now, every hockey beat reporter not only covers the game for a newspaper, but also has their own blog to go with it.
Hockey reporters now also have their own Twitter accounts, giving them the ability to post team news as soon as it becomes available. For hockey reporters, the job never ends now.
It is also “new” for the fans. Many fans have become involved with blogging, Facebooking, and Tweeting about their favorite sport and team while also having access to hockey news and coverage every single hour of every single day.
It is a good time to get into and be a part of this “new” NHL in any way that you can because believe me when I say that it is only going to get better.
