Early 90's NHL Vs. Current NHL

[Eazy_b97 1]

I've been watching alot of old games recently and I definately see alot of differences. I notice how crappy the goaltending was, I mean come on Potvin and McLean were considered "good", even Richter wasn't that good IMO. He seemed to be one of the better ones back then, but as the game moved along it seemed he wasn't able to improve. I see this in alot of aspects, watching Selanne in his rookie year he wasn't faster, or more talented than now, his moves just worked on a weaker defense corps. I'd definately like to see some defensive systems thrown out, in these older games theres alot more room to move and the goalies are junk.

My pick goes to players being more well rounded, there isn't room in todays NHL for a player who can only play in 1 end. It was way too easy to get around some of these guys back then, and in my opinion, there skills are the same then as they are now if not improved.

[Chadd 916]

Coaching is far better, to me that has to be number one.

[JR Boucicaut 3760]

Richter stayed with small pads while everyone else bulked up...

[Chadd 916]

Richter stayed with small pads while everyone else bulked up...

Brodeur uses some of the smallest pads out there for a guy his size.

[Accord 0]

New defensive schemes and the fact that refs do not enforce any rules at all which have destroyed the game.

[Borsch 0]

1.Lack of talent - most superstars and stars and good players are in twilight of their careers and current crop are not as good and there aren't as many of them. 2.With bigger "expanded" NHL talent is so thinly spread.

3.Very few good playmaking D's (they really DO make a difference starting an attack!) nowdays.

4. Negative coaching.

5."American football on ice" rules cancel out much of the skill and make skill less important.

[#1STUD 0]

I think within the next 10 years, if everything goes right, you'll start to see some "superstars" seperate them selves from the rest of them. I mean just look at all of the talent that was at the world juniors. I think its a promising future.

[Louie 28]

I've been watching Classic Pens Games on Fox Sports and its just so weird to see how much the game has changed. I really don't want to see rule changes (no touch icing, shootouts...), but there was so much finesse to the game along with the big hits and stuff. It was so fluid. I really think the trap was a big part of it.

[Eazy_b97 1]

I think within the next 10 years, if everything goes right, you'll start to see some "superstars" seperate them selves from the rest of them. I mean just look at all of the talent that was at the world juniors. I think its a promising future.

There's always been players coming up deemed "the next ones". Take look back on the Junior's from past years, often the stand-outs are nobodys now. Christian Dube anyone? Daniel Tzachuk (sp?)? Dan Cleary? Hell McCauley won the CHLs top player a little while ago.

Borsh the only thing I disagree with is the thin talent. That alone should make the scoring go up as the better players should have an easier time against a weaker group of opponents, but when you factor in the hooking/holding/defensive system, I see how it can negatively effect the game.

[kosydar 0]

I understand what Borsh means. I think he means that the offensive talent is spread thin. Teams/players make up for that by becoming more defense first, which drags down the overall level of play of the NHL. Lets face it, you take away four teams, roughly twenty players per team, thats eighty total. There are easily 80 people in the NHL who probably should be playing in the AHL. Take the good offensive players (because thats who teams will pick up, not the defensive specialists), concentrate them on 26ish teams, tinker with the rules to make the game more offensive friendly, and that solves a huge problem of the game.

[2048 0]

I've been watching alot of old games recently and I definately see alot of differences. I notice how crappy the goaltending was, I mean come on Potvin and McLean were considered "good", even Richter wasn't that good IMO. He seemed to be one of the better ones back then, but as the game moved along it seemed he wasn't able to improve. I see this in alot of aspects, watching Selanne in his rookie year he wasn't faster, or more talented than now, his moves just worked on a weaker defense corps. I'd definately like to see some defensive systems thrown out, in these older games theres alot more room to move and the goalies are junk.

My pick goes to players being more well rounded, there isn't room in todays NHL for a player who can only play in 1 end. It was way too easy to get around some of these guys back then, and in my opinion, there skills are the same then as they are now if not improved.

On the contrary, Richter had a great season and went to the all-star game in 2000, however he tore his ACL and that is when his game started to decline. He was a reflex goalie whose game relied on his legs and mobility, but once his knees went his game followed. It also didn't help that he was behind the worst defense in the league. Richter's biggest problem was not having any puckhandling skills, it was a roller-coaster ride whenever he'd go to play the puck. Eventually, he just learned not to. Also, he had a freaking scary glove hand and some of the best anticipation of any goalie all-time. There were few who were ever better on breakaways and penalty shots than richter. That includes odd-man breaks, too. His lateral mobility was obscene when he was in his prime. Don't let him not using the butterfly fool you into thinking that he was ever bad, he was good until his injuries caught up to him.

Potvin was also a reflex goalie. He didn't improve at all when time went on, but I'm also just not sure about how good he ever was.

As for the rest of the game, the skill has definitely increased over-all. Just look at fourth liners and third liners across the NHL. 10 years ago, none of the grinders had this much skill, today llots of grinders have a decent amount of skill. That isn't to say that they could have played on the top two lines 10 years ago, but what I am saying is that they almost all have pretty-well rounded games, they just can't do it all at the same speed as the stars.

[Borsch 0]

I understand what Borsh means. I think he means that the offensive talent is spread thin. Teams/players make up for that by becoming more defense first, which drags down the overall level of play of the NHL. Lets face it, you take away four teams, roughly twenty players per team, thats eighty total. There are easily 80 people in the NHL who probably should be playing in the AHL. Take the good offensive players (because thats who teams will pick up, not the defensive specialists), concentrate them on 26ish teams, tinker with the rules to make the game more offensive friendly, and that solves a huge problem of the game.

Yeah, exactly ;)

2048:

"As for the rest of the game, the skill has definitely increased over-all. .." You would never say that from just watching a game from last year though ;) ;)

[Eazy_b97 1]

Thats what I mean though 2048, for Potvin he was highly regarded, played on a number of all-star teams and he was just never that good. All of these guys were very prone to a bad goal. Richter was in my opinion the best goalie of that era to move along with the changing NHL. I think his out of the crease style really helped him as the years passed, and although I don't watch alot of NYR games he seemed to drop off rather than excel. In a league as defensive as it is his out to the top of the crease style should've been phenomenal because the chances of getting that 2nd and 3rd rebound with him out of position should've helped. It doesn't help me that I wasn't able to watch alot of NYR games in my youth and he was an example because I watched the '94 finals last night. Sorry if my facts are a little off though, its been a long, essay filled day.

[Borsch 0]

Thats what I mean though 2048, for Potvin he was highly regarded, played on a number of all-star teams and he was just never that good. All of these guys were very prone to a bad goal. Richter was in my opinion the best goalie of that era to move along with the changing NHL. I think his out of the crease style really helped him as the years passed, and although I don't watch alot of NYR games he seemed to drop off rather than excel. In a league as defensive as it is his out to the top of the crease style should've been phenomenal because the chances of getting that 2nd and 3rd rebound with him out of position should've helped. It doesn't help me that I wasn't able to watch alot of NYR games in my youth and he was an example because I watched the '94 finals last night. Sorry if my facts are a little off though, its been a long, essay filled day.

I don't buy that "better goalies" theory :) For me, any decent pro on an end of a great move will (should) put the puck in the net. Doesn't matter whos in goal - Brodeur, Roy, even Hasek... does not matter. Goalies make tons of saves on shots from the blue line, "just put it on net" wristers from the top of the circle, from the "outside". I'm sure their ratios of shots to goals on "proper" scoring chances are mach the same as ever. The problem is: there are MUCH fewer of those "proper" scoring chances in todays game.

[Chadd 916]

1: The gap between the best players and simply average ones is much smaller than ever before.

2. Teams run shorter shifts and play at a higher temp than ever before. That gives the players less time during a shift to create a scoring chance.

3. Defensemen take fewer risks resulting in fewer scoring opportunities at each end of the ice.

4. Goalies are much better at positioning and preparation than ever before.

[MDE3 0]

More systematic interference away from the play....call it the trap, "left wing lock" whatever, but there is never much skating room even when you do not have the puck.