from Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch,

The NHL has never been faster. The players have never been better conditioned. New players coming into the league have never been so prepared. The resources poured into scouting and statistical analysis has skyrocketed.

But for all the gains that have been made — parity has gripped the league like never before — many worry that the high-stakes NHL has squeezed out the great characters that used to make the game unique.

“Everybody says the game is great and it’s going in the right direction,” Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said. “I have a different opinion. I’m just a believer that you need personalities. It’s important for sports. We all want to win. But you’re also in the entertainment business, too.”

This has been a familiar refrain for Tortorella this season, and he is hardly alone.

Former NHL greats Phil Esposito and Igor Larionov have lamented that the league has become sterile and stale. The Hockey News wondered “What’s happening to this beautiful game?”

The great characters of the game used to propel easy story lines and attract casual fans. Now, the league has become so buttoned-down that it’s hard to find players who are comfortable letting their personalities show through.

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