For Immediate
Release
Forward this News October
5, 2005
How will the NHL woo
its fans back after a one-season hiatus?
With revamped rules designed to cleanse
the game of hooking, holding and interference,
the 2005-06 season, which kicks off
Wednesday, promises to be the most exciting
ever.
“Will the new rules
for a ‘new’ NHL, and a promise
of fan-friendly entertainment be enough
to wín back the hearts of sports
fans?” asks Calvin Ayre, Founder
and CEO of Bodog.com. “The implementation
of these new rules may be just what
the NHL needs to lure fans, and allow
it to regain a noticeable foothold in
the lucrative U.S. market.”
Attempting to overcome
the dwindling popularity of the game,
the NHL has added some drastic changes
to the way it is played. The most radical
change will be the implementation of
the “shootout”. If no victor
is decided after 60 minutes of regular
play and five minutes of sudden-death
overtime, there will a shootout, which
will ultimately produce a clear winner.
The NHL looks to some
of its biggest names to bring the game
back into the limelight. Joining Hall
of Famer Mario Lemieux and the Pittsburgh
Penguins is 18-year-old prodigy Sidney
Crosby, who laces up for his professional
debut against the New Jersey Devils
in Wednesday night’s season opener.
Bodog.com has listed a proposition wager
on whether Crosby will skate away with
the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year.
The No. 1 overall pick
in this year’s NHL Draft, Crosby
is not new to the spotlight. The hockey
sensation from Nova Scotia has been
on the pro scout radar for years. As
a 16-year-old, he helped Team Canada
to a silver medal in the 2004 World
Junior Championship, a tournament for
players 20 and under. This year, Canada
won gold with Crosby in the lineup.
Crosby has been compared
to superstar Wayne Gretzky and is often
likened to Lemieux. The phenom’s
scoring stats from his junior career
are second only to Lemieux’s.
As Crosby aims to establish
himself on the ice, “The Great
One” will look to get comfortable
behind the bench. After successfully
leading Team Canada to Olympic gold
as a general manager, Gretzky takes
over as head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes
– a team he co-owns – and
will aim to add to a career of unparalleled
success in the hockey world.
Looking to bet on Gretzky’s
success? Bodog.com bookmakers have listed
a line on whether “No. 99”
will wín the first game of his
coaching career. The Coyotes visit the
Vancouver Canucks, and the current odds
show Gretzky’s chance of victory
at –195. Will Gretzky coach his
team to a .500 record during the season?
It’s a toss up with odds showing
–125 for both “Yes”
and “No”.
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