“3Ice has been a lot of fun, and we had a couple guys sign with American Hockey League teams. Yeah, I think it’s great for the offensive talent, it’s great for goalies, we’ve had a few goalies sign contracts out of the league. It’s exciting and a great place to try some different rules. [No power plays, only penalty shots / puck bouncing off the netting back into the ice is in play / goalies can play the puck anywhere, etc…] Sometimes possession can get boring, so we have a rule where you can’t take the puck back across centre, some different things that keep the offense in it, try to keep it fun.”
People have been pushing the no taking the puck back after you get possession in NHL overtime, so perhaps another summer of 3Ice doing so will get it more noticed.
Something I’ve also disliked recently is the trend of AHL teams moving into NHL cities. From Stockton, California to Calgary with the Flames. From St. John’s, Newfoundland to Laval, near the Canadiens. From St. John’s, Newfoundland to Toronto with the Maple Leafs. When Grant Fuhr played in the NHL he played for the Cape Breton Oilers in that great time the Maritimes was home to AHL teams, not Major Junior. PEI Senators, Saint John Flames, Halifax Citadels. What a time. It built fanbases for those teams outside their home provinces, and gave some cities pro hockey when they knew they would never get NHL teams. Fuhr is currently doing radio and broadcast work for the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the brand new Seattle Kraken AHL affiliate. The Kraken are building a fanbase from the ground up in the California desert.
