2020-2021 NHL Thread

[Kin]

If the league ever decides to make changes to the penalties system (which I doubt they will anytime soon) I'd prefer something like this over making the less serious penalties 1 minute. 1 minute powerplays just seem like such a trivial punishment. One 50/50 face-off draw and there's a decent chance most of it has already been killed off (unless we also make icing's a thing while shorthanded, which I would also be in favour of).

I agree it seems like a bit of a trivial punishment...in every situation except ones where a minute of PP time(or PK time) is crucial and those are the moments, I feel, where you really want to discourage one of those infractions.

 

[bustaheims]

I don't think it's been posted here yet, despite being published a month ago, but this seems like a good opportunity to bring up the really thoughtful article that Ken Dryden wrote for The Atlantic about the state of goaltending:

https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2021/02/hockey-goalies-are-too-big-now/618021/

Dryden's point about goalies being bigger than ever is a valid one - especially with how he references how other sports have adapted to changes in technology and player height/size/etc. I read something a few weeks back about some testing (or something along those lines) with slightly bigger nets (I think 3 inches higher and wider), and the coaches and GMs didn't notice the difference from looking at the nets, but it did open up scoring some. So, marginally larger nets wouldn't have a huge impact on the game, but would move the needle some in terms of creating offence. I think it's something the league needs to consider. All sports and leagues need to evolve, and, as long as the basics of the game remain consistent, other aspects shouldn't be sacrosanct. Keep the net the same shape (there were some weird suggestions a few years back about new shapes for the net), keep the basic design of the rink the same, etc., but slightly larger nets or thinner posts or other changes along those lines? Everything like that should be on the table if the league is serious about increasing offence, etc. Over the years, they've already changed the shape, depth, and position of the nets relative to the end boards. Why do they need to stop now?

 

[OldTimeHockey]

Now you guys are just talking "make the nets bigger" silly

Are we? The league's already had success with playing around with how certain lines work in the game (changing two line pass rules, tag up offsides, no touch-ish icings). None of that has been set in stone (or ice, get it?).

I don't think it's been posted here yet, despite being published a month ago, but this seems like a good opportunity to bring up the really thoughtful article that Ken Dryden wrote for The Atlantic about the state of goaltending:

https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2021/02/hockey-goalies-are-too-big-now/618021/

Reads like a goalie that's upset that goalies are so much better now

 

[Guru Tugginmypuddah]

Now you guys are just talking "make the nets bigger" silly

Are we? The league's already had success with playing around with how certain lines work in the game (changing two line pass rules, tag up offsides, no touch-ish icings). None of that has been set in stone (or ice, get it?).

I don't think it's been posted here yet, despite being published a month ago, but this seems like a good opportunity to bring up the really thoughtful article that Ken Dryden wrote for The Atlantic about the state of goaltending:

https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2021/02/hockey-goalies-are-too-big-now/618021/

Reads like a goalie that's upset that goalies are so much better now

That's also true for skaters.  Transport any of today's fourth line scrubs in a time machine back to the 1970's and they would like super stars. 

 

[bustaheims]

So, the league actually has a pretty good history of rule changes up on their website. It's interesting to see just how much the game has changed.

https://records.nhl.com/history/historical-rule-changes

 

[Bullfrog]

I'd like to see them basically flip the red line and the blueline when there are penalties. Once the team on the PP gains the zone, the puck has to cross the red line to be offside. For the team on the PK, they need to get the puck outside the blueline to not be called for icing.

I'd be ok with something like that too, or at the very least just your 2nd point about making icings at the blue line for the shorthanded team. I know this isn't an original complaint, but the idea that the league gives the PK team an advantage like that is just plain strange.

B might be on to something. Just get rid of off-side altogether during a powerplay. The challenging part is if someone was "off-side" or not when a penalized player returned to the ice.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

The challenging part is if someone was "off-side" or not when a penalized player returned to the ice.

Well when that becomes a controversy we can just go to phase 2 of my plan and get rid of offsides altogether.

 

[bustaheims]

The challenging part is if someone was "off-side" or not when a penalized player returned to the ice.

That could be easily resolved by, if the puck is outside the offensive zone, making the offside rule revert once the team killing the penalty gains control of the puck or it crosses the redline. Once the puck enters the offensive zone or if it's still in the zone when the penalty ends, it's straight back to business as usual.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

Now you guys are just talking "make the nets bigger" silly

Are we? The league's already had success with playing around with how certain lines work in the game (changing two line pass rules, tag up offsides, no touch-ish icings). None of that has been set in stone (or ice, get it?).

I don't think it's been posted here yet, despite being published a month ago, but this seems like a good opportunity to bring up the really thoughtful article that Ken Dryden wrote for The Atlantic about the state of goaltending:

https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2021/02/hockey-goalies-are-too-big-now/618021/

Reads like a goalie that's upset that goalies are so much better now

My son's a goalie, and I agree with Dryden. There is way, way less open net to shoot at than there was 2+ decades ago because of how much space goalies take up. I think it is 100% by far the biggest reason scoring is so modest compared to 2+ decades ago.

 

[bustaheims]

My son's a goalie, and I agree with Dryden. There is way, way less open net to shoot at than there was 2+ decades ago because of how much space goalies take up. I think it is 100% by far the biggest reason scoring is so modest compared to 2+ decades ago.

The league has basically made every other reasonable equipment and rule change. There's probably still some room to slim goalie equipment, but we're rapidly approaching the point of diminishing returns there. Anything that's really going to impact goal scoring rates is going to need to be more drastic than some would like.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

My son's a goalie, and I agree with Dryden. There is way, way less open net to shoot at than there was 2+ decades ago because of how much space goalies take up. I think it is 100% by far the biggest reason scoring is so modest compared to 2+ decades ago.

The league has basically made every other reasonable equipment and rule change. There's probably still some room to slim goalie equipment, but we're rapidly approaching the point of diminishing returns there. Anything that's really going to impact goal scoring rates is going to need to be more drastic than some would like.

Like bigger nets? Not sure if you're agreeing with the implicit point or not.

I'm now on board with modestly bigger nets for adult/pro players, and I used to be vehemently against it. Like Dryden days, a few inches wider/taller is both significant and also generally imperceptible. Nobody's seriously talking about going to 5'x7' nets.

 

[Bullfrog]

The solution is obvious: smaller pucks!

 

[L K]

Have we considered tying the goalies to each post.  that way they can't go down in the butterfly.

 

[Bullfrog]

Goalies also not allowed in the blue paint.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Goalies need to take off one piece of equipment every 10 minutes.

 

[bustaheims]

Like bigger nets? Not sure if you're agreeing with the implicit point or not.

I'm now on board with modestly bigger nets for adult/pro players, and I used to be vehemently against it. Like Dryden days, a few inches wider/taller is both significant and also generally imperceptible. Nobody's seriously talking about going to 5'x7' nets.

Yeah. Modestly bigger nets feels like the logical next step. Just a few inches on either side and another few up top could make enough of a difference.

As long as they don't make them huge or go with some of the weird shaped concepts that were floating around a few years back...

 

[Frank E]

Two blockers, no stick.

 

[Guilt Trip]

Now you guys are just talking "make the nets bigger" silly

Are we? The league's already had success with playing around with how certain lines work in the game (changing two line pass rules, tag up offsides, no touch-ish icings). None of that has been set in stone (or ice, get it?).

I don't think it's been posted here yet, despite being published a month ago, but this seems like a good opportunity to bring up the really thoughtful article that Ken Dryden wrote for The Atlantic about the state of goaltending:

https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2021/02/hockey-goalies-are-too-big-now/618021/

Reads like a goalie that's upset that goalies are so much better now

Haha. I think goalies today are more shot blockers then anything else. They are def better athletes though. Equipment is huge.

 

[Bullfrog]

Two blockers, no stick.

With broom-ball shoes.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

https://twitter.com/CMDeDominicis/status/1375263387983155202

"No, I really want to keep playing here in Buffalo."