The Carolina Hurricanes finished their preseason schedule yesterday with a 5-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. The issues around preseason games have surfaced across the NHL after some key injuries and questionable hits. The NHL is not alone in the complaints for the prolonged preseason as the NFL players have complained about the amount preseason games.
Currently, the NHL participates in 6 preseason games that can vary in locations. Some teams like to expand the games to local affiliate arenas or special sites. The Buffalo Sabres and the New Jersey Devils headed to Prague to open the season. Due to the travel, the teams played some exhibition matches over there.
The bottom line for the preseason games in any sport is the revenue brought by the vendors and tickets. The reason preseason was originally created was more pure and for the right reason of getting the players prepared for the start of their respective season.
Any position battle in training camp will always be elevated in a true game situation, like a preseason match. Younger players will have a chance to show off their skills and in the NFL's case, a documentary series was created in "Hard Knocks" to cover some rookie experiences in camp.
Rod Brind'Amour did not contribute to any position battles in his preseason rosters. Personally, I did not agree with the lineups Brind'Amour sent out as some players like Bradly Nadeau and Jackson Blake were playing with a group of younger players, while most of the veterans played with each other.
The younger players need to develop chemistry with veterans and learn the ropes in a sense. If a player like Blake is going to make the roster and play with the veterans than how will you know if he can handle it by playing with PTO players and prospects?
The players that are looking to make a name for themselves in these preseason games can take the physical play too far and cause unnecessary injury to regulars like Montreal's Patrick Laine. Injuries are a part of the game, but can't hurt to have the NHL preseason knocked down to 4 games.