[MyTurn2Raise]

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I used to be a big NHL fan (before they pussified the sport), and it was disconcerting when all the Russians came over, and everyone was named Blank-onov.

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I don't understand why this would be disconcerting? You couldn't overlook players' surnames and be happy with an increase in talent?

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the increase in talent decreased the excitement of the game for many fans

it caused the trapping defenses that brought in much lower scores

I believe the high-flying NHL of the mid80s was about the peak of that sport in Americans' eyes

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oh you mean when the Oilers were winning Stanley Cups and the playoff games were barely on cable television? Yeah, that's right.

Peak of the NHL was clearly from around 1990-1994. My guess is that there were 50 Russian players in the league at that time, so I have no idea what ytf is talking about.

Whatever the case, the foreigners in the game has made the NHL better, plus it's not like the NHL had regular sounding names to begin with. The best players in the sport were named Gretzky and Lemieux.

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you're right...94 was the peak with the Rangers winning the cup because it was the Rangers, ESPN coverage was at an alltime high, and expansion was going places people wanted hockey


as far as devotion and growth in interest, I still think the mid-late 80s had a more positive vibe