Hockey

There are three major types of hockey--ice hockey, field hockey, and rink hockey. Ice hockey is an incredibly popular sport in Russia, Canada, and northern U.S. cities. Field hockey, which can be played on grass or turf, is more common in rural America. Other variants of hockey include air hockey, underwater hockey, street hockey, floorball, shinny, and bandy.The rules for the game can be rather flexible. The basic idea is to knock a ball into an opponent's goal, which is located on the far side of a long field or rink. Summer hockey (a.k.a. 'rink hockey') and ice hockey are two different sports, but sports historians believe that both games evolved from a similar parent ancestor.The National Hockey League is the organization that oversees professional ice hockey in the United States and Canada. It was formed in 1917 to settle blistering debates among Canadian teams. The NHL experienced serious trouble during the 2004-2005 season, when a dispute between players and owners got so out of control that the entire NHL season had to be cancelled. The Stanley Cup finals for that season were also cancelled.Some observers believe that the NHL's problems can be linked to the over-expansion of the league in the United States. By 2000, the NHL had developed 30 different franchises. The United States sports market was, at the time, moving away from ice hockey to basketball and football. In July 2005, the NHL players and employers finally ratified an agreement to start up play again in the 2005-2006 season.