Ronning, Nicholls Pumped About New NHL

Both Bernie Nicholls and Cliff Ronning are giving thumbs up to the "new" NHL.

"There's no clutching and grabbing, at least not like there used to be," he said. "You get in front of the net now and no one is going to grab you or cross-check you. They can't even put their stick on you without getting a penalty," said Nicholls.

"When I played you'd get punched in the back of the head, cross-checked in the ribs, slashed, you name it, and without a penalty," he said with a wry smile. "It's so much easier to create offensive chances today. The game is pretty exciting because of it."

Adds Ronning:

“It would have made a big difference for someone like myself. I was probably the most hooked and elbowed guy to the head ever to play the game in the NHL. You’d spin off a guy and get to the net and they’d have to hook you. A smaller guy can play the game now. It’s way better.”