NHL Tests New Net with Leafs

[DarkStar50 679]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=264137&amp...s=headlines_nhl

Interesting but just leave the net alone.

[RadioGaGa 162]

If their options are this or bigger nets...I'll take this in a second.

[Burning Bear 76]

I think they need to stop making changes to the NHL period. Maybe I'm alone here, but I really feel like the sport's been taking turns for the worst since the inception of the "new NHL". Change was a bad idea in 2005 and time hasn't sweetened it.

I don't know... maybe I'm just overly nostalgic. I'm all for change if it's for the better, but I'm just not convinced the NHL's headed in the right direction. After all, you don't see golf eliminating sand traps and making the holes a half-inch bigger so that scores will lower in an effort to draw more fans.

[sectachrome 40]

I think they need to stop making changes to the NHL period. Maybe I'm alone here, but I really feel like the sport's been taking turns for the worst since the inception of the "new NHL". Change was a bad idea in 2005 and time hasn't sweetened it.

I don't know... maybe I'm just overly nostalgic. I'm all for change if it's for the better, but I'm just not convinced the NHL's headed in the right direction. After all, you don't see golf eliminating sand traps and making the holes a half-inch bigger so that scores will lower in an effort to draw more fans.

Golf isnt having any trouble drawing in fans.

That said, I think this idea is lame and they should stop changing shit.

[habsfan87 0]

I think the league has to stop trying to attract the markets that they will never win over, and focus on the markets they do have. That being said Radio took the words right out of my mouth, this is worlds better than a bigger or oddly shapen net. I think goaltenders should be looked at first, if you see footage from 15, even 10 years ago you'll notice that nets didn't shrink, but equipment grew.

[playthehawkee 0]

I think they should leave the nets be the way they are. Why do we need to make it easier to score goals off the posts? At this level of hockey most people can score hitting posts...so what's the problem?

[Chadd 916]

Golf isnt having any trouble drawing in fans.

Actually, they have problems when Tiger isn't playing.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=264137&amp...s=headlines_nhl

Interesting but just leave the net alone.

You don't need more fluke goals, you need more scoring opportunities. The NHL is doing pretty well in terms of game flow lately. Now they just need to crack down on the guys trying to cripple other players and they'll be in good shape.

[mrusse01 0]

I think they should leave the nets be the way they are. Why do we need to make it easier to score goals off the posts? At this level of hockey most people can score hitting posts...so what's the problem?

The problem is scoring is down. 5 on 5 scoring is still WAY down, the NHL has just kind of masked it by calling more penalties, thus more power plays, thus more goals. Like it or not, the league has a mandate to try and increase scoring because they believe it makes for a better game.

The post idea is kind of flukey, I'd rather see them just add a couple inches to the dimensions of the nets. You wouldn't even be able to tell while looking at it, and it would make a difference. The increase in skill, talent, and equipment for goaltenders is out of proportion to similar increases for skaters. It's not unusual for sports to recognize their players have evolved, and adjust the rules to compensate (golf making courses longer, football moving back where kickoffs are kicked from, baseball lowering the mound), I don't see why people flip out at the suggestion that similar measures be introduced in hockey.

[Chadd 916]

The problem is scoring is down. 5 on 5 scoring is still WAY down, the NHL has just kind of masked it by calling more penalties, thus more power plays, thus more goals. Like it or not, the league has a mandate to try and increase scoring because they believe it makes for a better game.

I repeat, more fluke goals is not going to help the game. Flow and skill are what they should be pushing.

[Neal 41]

Overly complicated, overly focused solution that will likely only work on certain shots. If you want to improve the chances of a shot to the outside of the net going in you have 2 options. Larger nets or posts that are thinner. With the 2nd option you could retain the same 6 by 4 measurements, but the actual scoring area would be larger. Visually the net would look very similar, especially from a distance but the slight difference might make for more goals, especially with elite shooters.

Those posts are of surprisingly thin walled tubing. A stronger tubing with thicker walls could be made substantially smaller in overall diameter.

[mrusse01 0]

The problem is scoring is down. 5 on 5 scoring is still WAY down, the NHL has just kind of masked it by calling more penalties, thus more power plays, thus more goals. Like it or not, the league has a mandate to try and increase scoring because they believe it makes for a better game.

I repeat, more fluke goals is not going to help the game. Flow and skill are what they should be pushing.

I agree that simply having more goals is not an ideal solution, but I'm not sure the NHL is of the same mind.

And there is an argument that by making it physically easier to score goals (either by making goalies smaller, nets bigger, posts different size, etc), you'll develop more 'flow and skill' because it will be worthwhile to put more strategy behind offensive tactics.

Not sure I entirely agree with that argument, but it's out there.

[Law Goalie 147]

Trust me, this is WAY better for the goalies than increasing net-size - even a few inches total will really screw up angles.

The elliptical posts may be the subtlest way to increase scoring yet devised; and for that reason, I'm all for them. They're infinitely better than every other concrete approach suggested. I'm not 100% sure on their geometry (seems like it might not work as well on vertical posts as on the crossbar), but that's a matter of refinement.

I do not, however, believe that increasing scoring in and of itself improves the game. I don't buy the argument that an audience in a non-traditional hockey market only understands and responds to goals, which is tantamount to saying that they only know to cheer when a huge siren goes off and the spotlights come up. If anything, that NHL's emphasis on 'selling goals' has only succeeded in blinding new fans to the real beauty and power of the game played between goals. If you teach people only to react to goals and sirens, that's all they'll engage with.

I still think the best thing the NHL could do is discretely amplify ice-level noises. You can do it with electronics, but ideally with electronics and arena design, and an effort to keep the delay to a minimum. If people hear the players' skating, talking, and hitting, they'll have a better appreciation of the athletic contest.

Also, the new 'bespoke' tailored goalie gear in 2009 will be a big, big improvement - the drop in C/A and pant sizes will be... impressive.

[Gummer12 134]

Also another not so major logistical problem, is going to be the Mag-Nets. Obviously not an end all of problems, and a whole lot easier fix than if they were using the pegs...but still could be a minor issue.

I agree with Law, if they just did the Cross Bar, or even just the top half of the verticals and keep the bottoms round could solve the magnets, and wouldn't be that drastic of a change. But also the NHL has to be aware that all of the changes they make, if successful, will eventually trickle down to the lower ranks and end up costing the local rinks more and more $ that they already don't have. I know we have to move our lines this summer or we can't have any USA hockey playoffs or events. And with this latest idea, with nets going anywhere to 500 a Piece (1000 for a Set for you mathmagicians), and no rink only has One Set, it's going to end up pushing the bottom line down that much further, and passing on those costs to the users is Not going to help increase membership in the least.

[playthehawkee 0]

I'm not bent out of shape about it, but it just seems odd that the NHL believes that higher scoring games will draw more fans and make for a more 'exciting' game.

I'd rather watch a really tough matchup where the scores only 1-0 or 2-1 rather than an 8-5 scored game. It makes it look like there's absolutely no defense involved in the game. And the closer the game is, the more people will get into it. Because they're 'tough matchups'.

Take football for instance. If you catch a game score that's 56-42 lets say. You can pretty well bet your ass that neither team played good defense. Otherwise the score of at least one team would have been significantly lower?

I know that it's not just me, and I don't mean to be stubborn but I think that the NHL should focus on other stuff rather than getting scoring up.

[TBLfan 25]

How about they focus on getting some games on TV over being on pay packages and leave shit alone? Hmmm, people not being able to watch a game without actually going to a game or paying for center ice MIGHT just help a little.

[kosydar 0]

They should have tried them out on a team that can shoot places besides wide and into the goalie's chest.

[highorder 0]

Is it too simple to suggest that goaltender equipment be reduced back the the point where it primarily protected the goaltender?

Also, I agree that selling goals (only) is not the way to expand the sport... There is so much more going on out there that people can get interested in.

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

its the excitement of a scoring CHANCE that gets fans to the edge of their seats. Moving the blue line back was a good idea, no sure how this will work out though. I still think goalie equiptment should be addressed before nets.

[Steve_v3 289]

I think they need to stop making changes to the NHL period. Maybe I'm alone here, but I really feel like the sport's been taking turns for the worst since the inception of the "new NHL". Change was a bad idea in 2005 and time hasn't sweetened it.

I totaly agree, it seems like every year since Bettman took over there has been rule changes. Lets leave the rules alone for more than one year.

Is it too simple to suggest that goaltender equipment be reduced back the the point where it primarily protected the goaltender?

Also, I agree that selling goals (only) is not the way to expand the sport... There is so much more going on out there that people can get interested in.

That does seem to make the most sense. It has been said a million times but when you compare goalies from the 70's and 80's to today's goalies it's a big difference.

[rampage 0]

i dont like how the new nhl works at all. its all based around goals and they think the only thing that attracts fans is goals and messes with the game completely. i agree totally with Law Goalie that it would be cool to put mics around the ice or w/e to hear the sound of whats going on the ice. that would really get the newer fans of the game to appreciate the game itself, not just the goals.

[stick9 891]

It's not the size or shape of the pipes, it's the guy between em. Better goalies and more of them equals less overall goals scored.

[camhockey16 5]

correct me if im wrong - but it looks like they just flattened the face of the post - which seems like it would have the opposite effect of what they want. maybe its just a funny camera angle?

with the way it currently looks, most shots would be even more likely to bounce back out towards the shooter.

[interpathway 9]

I was thinking the same thing...it would have to hit the upright posts on their back half. And as it stands, if a puck hits a posts' back half it'll be going in anyway. The only change I can see is that a shot going slightly off head on into the post will ricochet back towards the goalie and crease... () If this is the post and a shot hits it from directly above, it will definitely make it rebound more left and right rather than straight back out. Not quite sure how this will help.

[DoublinUp 0]

i like the way they are now!!! I didnt think hockey was supposed to be a high scoring game

[dw91 0]

it needs to be a more severe angle probably. What about posts that obsorb the impact of the puck, leaving rebounds closer to the net? Not necessarily rubber guard on posts, but some sort of metal or plastic that isnt as hard as the current posts. Do you guys remember seeing these lighted net things?

maybe they could use those while theyre at it.