Recently, excitement has returned to hockey fans as the NHL preseason kicks off. All 32 teams are back on the ice, yet many agree the games lack excitement. Carolina Hurricanes head coach, Rod Brind’Amour, believes the preseason should be eliminated entirely.
During an appearance on TSN’s “Overdrive,” Brind’Amour expressed his thoughts, “Guys just want to play. Guys just want to drop the puck and start for real. They don’t like practicing.” This sentiment mirrors the famous words of Allen Iverson who dismissed the emphasis on practice.
The current NHL collective bargaining agreement already reduced the preseason from six to four games, adding more to the regular season. However, Brind’Amour suggests this is still unnecessary, as teams’ rosters are typically already decided. “It’s not like even I remember, there were always spots available,” Brind’Amour explained. “Now, hardly ever. The team’s picked.”
Despite these arguments, the preseason serves some purposes. It provides the NHL an opportunity to reach areas that rarely see live hockey. For example, games have been played in non-traditional markets like Hershey, Pennsylvania, and Trois-Rivières, Quebec. This approach helps attract new fans by offering more affordable tickets.
However, with most NHL rosters already set and prominent players sitting out until the regular season, the argument for reducing preseason games remains strong. As the league evaluates its structure, discussions like Brind’Amour’s may influence future changes.
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