GM Meetings and rule changes

[Penguinsfanatic 0]

Not sure if anyone started a discussion on this yet but I know the big one thing on their docket is the goalie equipment. They are talking about making it smaller, in terms of the percentage of length it can go up the goalies thigh. I can't remember which game I was watching, I think it was the LA Kings the other night and during intermission they had someone on to talk about this. Instead of making visors mandatory the NHL is looking at reasons why pucks are going higher now a days. They said that this was due to the fact that the length of the pad in the butterfly covers the 5 hole and not the actual goalie with his stick anymore. With the lower portion of the ice being taken away, players are opting to shot even higher from farther out (ie defenceman) to score.

I'm not trying to start an argument about goalies in the 70's & 80's and still making saves prior to all this gear size increase because lets be honest here, goalies have gotten leaps and bounds better in terms of their athletic ability. Also the techniques out there that have helped goalies get even better, the butterfly and hybrid. I'm just curious as to what thoughts are. Could they create smaller gear without sacrificing safety?

[chippa13 1844]

It is definitely an interesting theory. High shots from defensemen is a relatively recent phenomenon. Gone are the days when they shot like Ray Bourque and always put it low and on net to create rebound chances. Another possible reason other than butterfly goalies covering the entire bottom foot and a half of net is the willingness of defenders to slide to block shots. Shots have to get up to avoid getting blocked.

[wrangler 157]

And it doesn't take a high shot to hit a sliding defender in the face. Heck, it doesn't take a high shot to get deflected up into a face, from a routine stick blade placed in the way.

[Chadd 916]

Originally, goalie gear was about protecting the goalie and was not allowed to be designed to stop the puck. They could absolutely reduce the size of the gear without putting the players at risk. Smaller blockers and less rise in the thigh are easy places to start. If you want to cut down on players blocking shots, start handing out penalties for players leaving their feet to block a shot and it will stop very quickly.

[Penguinsfanatic 0]

That is an interesting way to go too. What about composite sticks vs wood sticks? Would that be a way to compromise in a goalies mind for reducing the pad size?

[Chadd 916]

That is an interesting way to go too. What about composite sticks vs wood sticks? Would that be a way to compromise in a goalies mind for reducing the pad size?

No, it isn't a viable option. Ignoring all of the other reasons why it's a bad ideal. nobody has the capacity to make that many high level wood sticks anymore.

Surprisingly, a goalie thinks shrinking pads is a bad idea, despite the fact that he doesn't think it would make him more open to injury.

http://espn.go.com/chicago/nhl/story/_/id/9086639/chicago-blackhawks-corey-crawford-says-shrinking-goalie-pads-help-make-game-exciting

[hamstercaster 2]

I tend to agree with him. When I watch a game I don't care how many goals are scored. I want a good fast and intense game. I think that the NHL is missing the point by putting so much emphasis on the number of goals per game scored on average. Lets not kid ourselves, by talking about making goalie equipment smaller, they are not looking after player safety by expecting shots to be lower if goalie pads don't cover the entire five hole. They are looking for a goals per game increase as to them it seems that it is what the fans want. Maybe in some markets it's the case but I think it's safe to say that the number of goals scored in one game is often not very indicative of what the game was like. Goalies are simply good to a point where goals are often few and far between. But lets not overlook the defensive systems in place and how many shots are blocked per game. Take that away and there are probably a couple more goals per game right there.

If you take away pads covering the five hole like they do now, you pretty much change the way a goalie plays the game as he'll need to find an alternative and may have to alter his style in order to adapt to the new pads.

The wood sticks/composite sticks idea is interesting. Obviously the league will not ban them from the game and what Chadd brought up is probably by itself a good enough reason not to but if you are going to let the players have better, more efficient equipment, you somehow gotta let the goalies do the same to an extent. It goes both ways. Some goalies were exaggerating and the league took care of that aspect but now you gotta cut them some slack IMO.

[chippa13 1844]

So the down side is goalies will have to be able to actually play the position and not just let equipment do the job.

[Chadd 916]

I agree that the pace of the game is more important than the final score. That said, goalies could still have their gear cut down significantly without any additional risk of injury.

[hamstercaster 2]

That's one way of seeing it Chippa, I guess. However, implying that goalies no longer require skills because of pad size... Obviously their lives are made somewhat easier by having pads blocking the entire five hole but they still have to get down fast enough. We see enough goals scored in the five hole IMO to justify not having to touch the pads length.

Chadd, I didn't mention anything about injuries. I tend to agree that there wouldn't be more injuries if pads were shortened, or at least may be not that much more but there might be. If the pads are shorter, then the knees will more likely be more exposed when a goalie goes down and although they pretty much all wear some extra knee protection under the pads, at least I think they do, I think that there would be a slight chance of them getting hit there and get bruised enough to miss a game or two even with that extra padding.

Either way, what they would give up in 5 hole coverage they would probably gain in mobility. So if goalies say, become a bit more mobile and goals per game don't go up, what next? What do you make smaller on goalies? The gloves? the stick's blade and shaft? Force them to play with dull skate blades so they can't go from one side of the net to the other while in the butterfly position?

Player and goalie gear is getting better and lighter and both are pretty equal on that. However, with sticks being what they are now, players IMO have a big advantage on goalies. Almost every player and their mother have a good shot now which wasn't the case with wood sticks.

It's just easier to tinker with goalie gear I guess. I mean they've already regulated goalie gear quite a bit, stopped them from going to fetch pucks in the corners so let them shorten pad length again and if that doesn't work, then just make the nets bigger and if that doesn't work, what next?