Battle of Alberta not as nasty
The intensity remains, but Oilers vs. Flames derby games just not as nasty as before
Like it or not, and a lot of people don’t, the NHL is changing the way it plays the game.
Old-Time Hockey, that beautiful blend of skill and aggression that served the fans well for so many generations, is being replaced by the speed game.
With much more of a premium being placed on skill and quickness rather than size and strength, teams are loaded now with younger, smaller players who can do things with the puck that only a handful of their NHL ancestors ever could.
It’s an entertaining product when it all comes together on a team like the Toronto Maple Leafs, but it’s not quite the same as those mid-80s Oilers and Flames games, is it?
Whether that’s good or bad is a debate that will never be won because neither side will ever change its mind, but one thing is for certain: that captivating blend of artistry and savagery will never be seen again.
“What’s going on in this series isn’t even close,” Edmonton coach Ken Hitchcock said of a sanitized and decaffeinated Battle of Alberta that bears little resemblance to its legendary predecessor.
“It was must-watch television. It was fun. Two big teams going at it. They went to the edge and beyond. It went into the streets. It went into the rivers. It went everywhere. It was fun to watch.” And it’s gone.
There’s still a lot to love about the game today, including elements of it we didn’t get a chance to love before, but the passion and intensity generated by these Edmonton-Calgary games — then, and on rare occasions, now — reminds us that we shouldn’t be so quick to bury hockey’s proud history and replace it with basketball on ice.
“I think it’s better when there’s a mix,” Oilers winger Jujhar Khaira said of skill and rough stuff. “Fans like to see the fights and the aggressive play. Guys in this locker-room like to do it, too.
“And when there isn’t a lot of fighting and you don’t have to fight, there is a lot (of dirty stuff ) that gets overlooked.”
This is what the league is wrestling with now. While policemen are all but weaned from the game, predators, antagonists and players who hit to hurt are still making a very good living at their craft now that they don’t have to be accountable on the ice.
The NHL is doing what it can to keep players honest, to the point that every time somebody gets laid out with a punishing bodycheck, there seems to be a 12-hour waiting period to see if anyone is getting suspended, but there is a lot that falls into the grey area of not quite suspension-worthy, but still dangerous enough to hurt somebody.
“When you look around the league lately there have still been a lot of fiery games,” said defenceman Darnell Nurse, adding things have still been heating up lately in places like Toronto and Calgary, where good teams employ a speed game.
“You still see the fire and physicality.”
And frustration. Players realize they have to stick up for a fallen teammate at their own peril these days because they could be facing a suspension of their own if the opponent who made the initial cheap shot doesn’t want to engage.
Hitchcock says today’s player has to learn how to curb the anger that arises when he’s mad as hell but his hands are tied.
“When you play in games where the stakes are high, you have to play through stuff,” he said. “Some of it is nasty, some of it is hard, but you have to play through it individually and as a team and as a coach. If you allow yourself to be distracted against good teams like Calgary they’re going to beat you every time.
“If you want to go the distance you have to take it right to the edge and you have to know when to pull back.”
Asked specifically about dealing with Flames antagonist Matthew Tkachuk, who was described by Nurse as “an elite s--- disturber,” Hitchcock said it becomes more about mental toughness than physical strength.
“He’s a good player who plays on the edge. When you play against him you just have to have a bigger edge,” he said. “He’s no different than any other good, aggressive player. You just have to stay with it and not get frustrated or feel like you have to react and respond all the time because it doesn’t do you any good. You have to play through it.
“You want to play them hard, but you are not going to win if you are distracted. Distraction leads to frustration and lost energy.”
It’s a fine line they walk, but as Khaira says, every once in a while you have to say ‘screw it, I’m crossing.’
“There is always going to be a little bit of that in the game because there are stars in this game and once they get cheap shotted there are guys in the dressing room who are going to do something,” said Khaira. “That’s just how I look at the game and I think most people do.”