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Thu Aug 07, 2008 12:44 pm EDT

Matt Bradley, Washington Capitals: 5 ways I'd change the NHL

By Greg Wyshynski

Every weekday in August, Puck Daddy presents "5 Ways I'd Change the NHL," in which a cross-section of sports media and hockey personalities offer solutions, suggestions and absurdities to remake the League to their liking. We're thrilled to have Matt Bradley, forward for the Washington Capitals, contributing his list today.

By Matt Bradley

1. Play every team home and away at least once. This is a no-brainer. It's a national league -- it only makes sense that every city gets to see every team.

2. Make the nets bigger. With the size of goalies and their equipment now, sometimes you look up and there's not much net to shoot at. Some of us can't always hit the part of the net we see. Make'em bigger and there will be a little more margin for error.

3. All the first and second line players have to play wrong-handed. Let's level the playing field a bit for those of us on the third and fourth lines. I bet these guys would adapt, no problem. They'd probably have wicked backhands, too.

4. Goalies are blindfolded for shootouts. We had a shootout go 12 rounds this year without a goal. It got so bad I had to hop over the bench and take things into my own hands.

5. I automatically get to play on Alex Ovechkin's line every game. I've talked to Coach Boudreau about this before, but it hasn't gotten anywhere. If I'm in charge, I'd make it a league rule and take the decision out of his hands. Let's add 10 years to my contract while we're at it so Ovie doesn't have to worry about changing linemates as he's hitting his prime.

Matt Bradley signed a new three-year deal with the Washington Capitals earlier this season. On Friday at noon (OK, noon-ish): Mike Ross of XM Radio's NHL Home Ice.

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78 Comments

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  1. c.w.
    25. Posted by c.w. Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:47 pm EDT

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    point #1 is priority ammendment to the scheduling. as hockey player thru and thru, i can tell you that you'll find most are funny like matt (just most of them can't write as well!)
    @gosharx
    i thought the carter was pretty funny... however i do agree with leaving the jokes to the end like you did!
  2. Bumperhead
    26. Posted by Bumperhead Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:42 pm EDT

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    Matt Bradley is one of the nicest players I have ever met. He is so genuine and a real pleasure to have on our team. I was fortunate enough to be there for the shootout game he is referencing and it was one of the best moments of the season. I'm proud to have him on our team.
  3. Got Stanley?
    27. Posted by Got Stanley? Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:11 pm EDT

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    @Sherry: Or their stupid pants.
    Baha -- that's awesome. And I will never get tired of watching that shootout reel.
  4. The Carter
    28. Posted by The Carter Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:21 pm EDT

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    @ GoSharx
    You're right. I should totally reconsider my sarcastic approach...it's too laborious. Short and sweet and to the point. That's the ticket.
    But...the Leafs? Really?
    @ Sherry
    Blindfolded goalies in humour pants! That's entertainment, yo!
    (see...that was a non-sarcastic, straight to the point joke. Still maybe not funny. But at least comprehendible.)
  5. GoSharks
    29. Posted by GoSharks Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:31 pm EDT

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    @ The Planet- We had him... He was trash when he played in San Jose so we never resigned him!
    I'd be down for a Leafs(long shot)/Sharks final.
  6. aris21
    30. Posted by aris21 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:14 pm EDT

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    Wow a pretty good post this time, still need a few more of those, but i can say much better than the usual crap you have been posting.
    Wyshynski you still stink.
  7. Spon
    31. Posted by Spon Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:42 pm EDT

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    Ahh Matt Bradley. one of my favs when he was in San Jose. Gave you it all he had.
  8. Sombrero Guy
    32. Posted by Sombrero Guy Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:10 pm EDT

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    Haha great post. Bradley is a good dude. My friends and I went to Ottawa for the draft this past year, and he went out of his way to thank everyone for supporting the team. I had split off from the group to head downtown by that point but everyone who met him said he was the nicest pro they'd ever met.
  9. Sombrero Guy
    33. Posted by Sombrero Guy Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:10 pm EDT

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    Haha great post. Bradley is a good dude. My friends and I went to Ottawa for the draft this past year, and he went out of his way to thank everyone for supporting the team (we were all in Caps gear). I had split off from the group to head downtown by that point but everyone who met him said he was the nicest pro they'd ever met.
  10. mikeed66
    34. Posted by mikeed66 Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:19 pm EDT

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    I remember Matt when he played here in Pittsburgh. Always had a comment for the press. The one thing that struck me about his list (all humor aside) is how easy it would be to play each team both home and away. Each team would play everyone in their division 6 times (3H/3A=24 games), play everyone in the conference 3 times (30 games, and alternate odd home games with each team year by year) and play everyone in the other conference twice (H/A=30 games). Grand total=82 games, and everyone would see Sid and Ovie and everyone else every year. Great idea, Matt!!
  11. commit to the indian
    35. Posted by commit to the indian Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:17 pm EDT

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    I know this guy is saying some of these sarcastically. I feel the goal nets being bigger will never happen because the present day goalies will be totally lost. Think about it, a goalie grows up learning how to play his angles according to the size of the net if you change the size the geometry of goaltending changes. Roberto Luongo has stated that he will retire if they change the size of the nets for this reason.
  12. diehard_wings_fan134096
    36. Posted by diehard_wings_fan134096 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:43 pm EDT

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    forget the blindfold lose the shootout altogether..........nothing but a crapshoot gimmick and a horrible way to decide a contest.......let them play a full OT period 4-4 then go 3-3 for the rest of the game if the teams are still tied.....
  13. GoSharx
    37. Posted by GoSharx Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:37 pm EDT

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    @ The Carter
    No no, short and sweet, to the point and without sarcasm, bleh, all of it--I recommend that we all try to take as long as possible to make a sarcastic point! Long live dry wit! We shall fly in the face of those with no reading comprehension! Onward yo!
    Let me also add:
    Leafs: Wilson and nearly his entire coaching staff running the bench, Toskala making historic saves in net, Bell running his pewter mug across the bars of his cell demanding to see the warden....
    All those former Sharks swimming around in Toronto makes me excited to see them in December!
    Now for something completely different, and by that I mean, related to this article in some fashion: Nah, I'm kidding, I don't have much to say on that.
  14. Wyshynski
    38. Posted by Wyshynski Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:21 pm EDT

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    @ Sombrero Guy
    Anything interesting happen up in Ottawa this summer?
  15. Sherry
    39. Posted by Sherry Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:45 pm EDT

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    @is it september?: I suppose stupid pants are a step-up for the "no pants" the anonymous commenters usually wear.
    @Carter: Yes, but are the humour pants within the regulation equipment size?
    Pants.
  16. GoSharx
    40. Posted by GoSharx Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:37 pm EDT

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    @ The Carter
    Straight to the point, no sarcasm, short and sweet, all bleh!! I say we take as long as needed to belabor our sarcastic points! Viva La Dry Wit! Let us fly in the face of those who lack rudimentary reading comprehension skills! Onward yo!
    Okay, so it doesn't have to be the Finals. Sharks host the Leafs in December, but I just want to see the grudge match with all of the former Shawx now in Toronto: Wilson and his entire coaching staff running the bench, Vesa Toskala making dramatic saves, Mark Bell running his pewter mug along the bars of his jail cell and demanding to talk to the warden....
    Btw, in something just a tiny bit related to this article, if we really want to see increased scoring, don't increase the size of the net, or reduce the goalie equipment.... in fact, I say, decrease the size of the net to half its current size, bulk up the goalies another 25%, but then... shorten the stick lengths for non-goalies, give the forwards and defensemen two each, one for each hand. Then, one stick is allowed to engage the goalie in hand to hand combat while the other stick is for scoring. Defensemen get free escrima classes, too. It'd be like Gladiator meets Slapshot. Good times! But, knowing Bettman, he probably wouldn't go for any of it. Fire Bettman!
  17. GoSharx
    41. Posted by GoSharx Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:37 pm EDT

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    I always say, if something is worth saying once, it's worth saying twice.
  18. Semper Fi
    42. Posted by Semper Fi Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:47 pm EDT

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    I hear every year that the NHL is going to crack down on cheap shots, and do things to protect the players and yet players are still getting tagged (incidental or actual intent to do harm) and we see no calls. I feel the NHL should adopt in their rules an instant replay at the stoppage of an injured player and reveiw the play to get the right call and to ensure they are protecting the players.
    Game on..!!!
  19. Jack H
    43. Posted by Jack H Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:32 pm EDT

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    Make slashing a 5 minute minor. Second slashing penalty on a team a 5 minute major. Second slashing on the same player a game misconduct. Any penalty inflicted above the shoulders should be a five minute major. High sticking therefore 5 minutes. Draw blood - game misconduct. And the refs have to call them.
    I also think the goalie who leaves the crease is fair game. He should be checkable like any other player.
    Maybe make the crease a little bit bigger. Offensive players in the crease without the puck or attempting to play the puck (puck precedes them into the crease) for let's say 3 seconds (like basketball) are whistled and a faceoff occurs to the right or left of the offending teams goaltender (choice of offended team).This should get more skating. Less penalties or pay the piper.
  20. Dan I
    44. Posted by Dan I Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:46 pm EDT

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    Brilliant! There's a reason he's one of my favorite players. Every team needs a guy like this...and we've got a great one.
  21. PAS
    45. Posted by PAS Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:22 pm EDT

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    Just genus!! Just so everyone knows this is one of the reasons Matt is know to be a "fan favorite" here in DC, he is freakin hilarious!
  22. habs1rule
    46. Posted by habs1rule Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:15 pm EDT

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    Seriously, here is what hockey Really Needs. 1-The players are bigger and faster, so there is little room to maneuver. Bring the European sized rinks here. 2-The goalie equiptment is too bulky. Can youeven see any room to score behind them? Look at videos of todays goalies, and those from the 70s and 80's. 3-Canadas teams should have an increased salary cap. Why? They're taxes are higher, so free agents dont go there, Yet they sell out All their home games, creating revenues for All the teams, yet they dont benefit. The also fund All junior league, Not US.
  23. William P
    47. Posted by William P Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:51 pm EDT

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    One comment.
    Let's also have Betman in nets for at least one of each initial home game, just to open things up a bit.
    Oh. Cupless would be good too.
  24. LMP
    48. Posted by LMP Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:53 pm EDT

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    Matt Bradley is cool, not to mention articulate and a fan favorite.
  25. WTF
    49. Posted by WTF Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:59 pm EDT

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    Awesome!
    Oh yeah... The Carter = idiot.
    Have a great day ;)

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