GMs to discuss size of goalie equipment

[Devils731]

Believe me, a creative lawyer can sue anyone and get a nice chunk of change.  "Just" a bruised upper thigh?  Well my client missed a few weeks, lost his starting job and lost out on the gazillion dollars he would have made for the rest of his career.  Gimme, gimme, gimme.

 

Good luck suing based on a injury sustained during the normal course of a sporting event.  You know your risks as a player and you take them, the NHLPA and NHL would both approve any changes to the equipment, there would be no leg to stand and no chunk of change to be won.

[Devilsfan118]

I'd like for pad size to be reduced, but it's probably not going to happen.

However, goalies have gotten bigger over the years, and I don't see why net size shouldn't increase accordingly.

I'd imagine there's not much net to shoot at when you have guys like that 6'8'' freak from Ottawa going down in the butterfly.

[Devils731]

I'd like for pad size to be reduced, but it's probably not going to happen.

However, goalies have gotten bigger over the years, and I don't see why net size shouldn't increase accordingly.

I'd imagine there's not much net to shoot at when you have guys like that 6'8'' freak from Ottawa going down in the butterfly.

 

It's also boring as heck to watch the giant goalies just plop down and hope pucks hit them.  Too often turns games into the winner being the team that got the luckiest bounce around the goalie instead of which team created the best chances.

[Devil Dan 56]

It's also boring as heck to watch the giant goalies just plop down and hope pucks hit them.  Too often turns games into the winner being the team that got the luckiest bounce around the goalie instead of which team created the best chances.

 

This is something that kills me as a former goalie and huge fan of the position. There's so much less reflex and skill involved. Sure, you need to have great positioning and you need to know the angles, but I find watching Moose play much more entertaining than, say, watching Luongo or Lundqvist.

[ATLL765]

This is something that kills me as a former goalie and huge fan of the position. There's so much less reflex and skill involved. Sure, you need to have great positioning and you need to know the angles, but I find watching Moose play much more entertaining than, say, watching Luongo or Lundqvist.

 

This goes back to my point about Lou. I do not think he appreciates the big goalies, at all. I think that was a big reason why he picked up Hedberg, because he's an excellent back up and he does not wear oversized equipment.

[Devil Dan 56]

This goes back to my point about Lou. I do not think he appreciates the big goalies, at all. I think that was a big reason why he picked up Hedberg, because he's an excellent back up and he does not wear oversized equipment.

 

Good call. I think he looks for athletic goaltenders. Wedgewood, Frazee, and Kinkaid are all quick goalies that do more than just butterfly. I haven't seen enough of Clermont to know if he fits that as well, but I'd assume so.

[ATLL765]

Good call. I think he looks for athletic goaltenders. Wedgewood, Frazee, and Kinkaid are all quick goalies that do more than just butterfly. I haven't seen enough of Clermont to know if he fits that as well, but I'd assume so.

I assumed they all are smaller pad guys. The big pad thing is a Euro thing and we have exclusively North American goalies, Hedberg aside.

[Devil Dan 56]

I assumed they all are smaller pad guys. The big pad thing is a Euro thing and we have exclusively North American goalies, Hedberg aside.

 

They look normal for the most part. Clermont, Wedgewood and Frazee are all 6'0, and Kinkaid is 6'3. His pads are pretty big, but his shoulder ones don't look too ridiculous. Clermont's look huge on him.

 

 

 

Wedgewood:

 

 

Frazee:

 

 

Kinkaid

 

 

Clermont

 

[squishyx]

I'd be pretty disappointed if they changed the size of the nets. It's been 4x6 for how many years now? The thing that's changing is the equipment size, which is where the rules (if any) should be targeted too.

[Devils731]

I'd be pretty disappointed if they changed the size of the nets. It's been 4x6 for how many years now? The thing that's changing is the equipment size, which is where the rules (if any) should be targeted too.

 

I'm not sure, but I believe the league can change the nets on their own but need NHLPA agreement on any equipment changes.  The NHLPA won't give on meaningful goaltender equipment shrinking, so if that's the case then the league is left with the less good solution, but either are better than where we're at, IMO.

[squishyx]

I'm not sure, but I believe the league can change the nets on their own but need NHLPA agreement on any equipment changes.  The NHLPA won't give on meaningful goaltender equipment shrinking, so if that's the case then the league is left with the less good solution, but either are better than where we're at, IMO.

Has the NHLPA made an official statement on equipment size yet? I mean it's pretty obvious the padding is bigger then it needs to be from a protection standpoint. Didn't they agree to tone back the "cheater" part of the glove last CBA? I think there's room to negotiate for the sake of the game. If I were a goalie (and I was years ago) I would much rather have smaller equipment then attempt to get used to new net dimensions that I'd been playing with my whole life. Edited February 20, 2013 by squishyx

[NJDevs4978]

Problem is goalies themselves are bigger than they were 20 years ago, equipment or no equipment. Even 'legal' equipment is taking up more of the net. And it's not likely they scale back the equipment enough to make a real difference.

I don't see what's so bad about making the net larger if everything else is increasing.

[ATLL765]

Problem is goalies themselves are bigger than they were 20 years ago, equipment or no equipment. Even 'legal' equipment is taking up more of the net. And it's not likely they scale back the equipment enough to make a real difference.

I don't see what's so bad about making the net larger if everything else is increasing.

 

Because then every single league underneath the NHL, down to the mites, will adjust to that as well, forcing arenas to purchase new nets. It's such a wider sweep to change net size than to tell goalies to stop cheating. Clutching and grabbing is way that skaters attempt to make their job easier, but the NHL regulates that, why not restrict pad sizes more?

I understand the issue with getting the PA to agree, but changing the nets changes the game TOO much. It changes the angles in which pucks coming off the board will hit the net, it changes the ease in which you can hit the net from an angle, since the angle is now smaller than before due to the smaller distance from net to boards. People will change offensive strategies to fit it, defense will be different as shots from the outside will be a better bet than before. It changes the game fundamentally and pad sizes would not change the game nearly as much or in such a radical way.

Edited February 20, 2013 by ATLL765

[DaneykoIsGod]

If the nets get bigger, then the pads will get even bigger. Ever seen an indoor lacrosse goalie's chest pad?

 

 

What's funny to me is that Garth Snow's infamous roof shingle shoulder pads, which once looked comically humaaaangous, now look normal (well, normal in size, not in pointyness).

 

[NJDevs4978]

If the nets get bigger, then the pads will get even bigger. 

Eventually that leads to diminishing returns though since goalies won't be able to move nearly as quickly in a larger net.

[ATLL765]

I just realized that pic of Clermont also contains a pink ice surface and I believe he even duct taped his stick pink, lol. That's one way to very clearly support breast cancer awareness, lol.

I wonder if it made the puck easier to see. I always thought about that. Just like black text on white is terrible for your eyes on a screen, maybe there's an ideal color for the puck and ice to make the puck easier to see. Maybe if the ice was a light grey, just to cut down on the contrast of ice to puck.

Obviously none of that will ever happen, but seeing the puck is something the NHL and TV networks have thought about, as we once had puck trails on tv.

Edited February 20, 2013 by ATLL765

[BlueSkirt]

Union won't go for it.  What they really should be discussing is bigger nets.

I always want to get a keeper's opinion on what the harm is with reducing the circumference of the catching glove ?

I'd prefer that before considering making the nets larger.

You can't make the crossbar higher, as that results in higher pucks....

It's hard to make the nets wider, as possibly goalies will get groin injuries...

So I prefer trying alternatives with the equipment size first.

Things such as reducing catching glove circumference, reducing blocker width, reducing stick width on shaft & blade.

[BlueSkirt]

Also the pads were so thick decades ago because they were filled with deer hair.

I'm confident that modern pads can offer great protection today without such a size.

But really we need a keeper (DevilDan) to chime in with life experience to really see if this is feasible.

However there's more to the story of increasing scoring and/or chances then just reducing goalie equipment size.

You also have to examine how the defensemen have significantly changed the game over the past two-three decades

I've written before about having the "2nd period long change" be in effect for the 1st & 2nd periods, as the only time you really need the short change is in the 3rd to allow the goalie to leave the ice for an extra attacker.

There are multiple subtle changes that can be made before changing the net size, which has dramatic implications that impact the entire sport & noy just the NHL as someone described earlier.

Edited February 20, 2013 by BlueSkirt

[capo]

The equipment is just ridiculous.  The rule should be that the equipment is appropriate for the player based on their size.  It shouldn't be everyone can wear pads up to such and such a size.  Clermont's pads are just ridiculous.  I'd be embarassed to wear those things.  Players should harass him until he feels shame Denis Lemieux style.

[DevilMinder]

Eventually that leads to diminishing returns though since goalies won't be able to move nearly as quickly in a larger net.

 

 

I think its time for soccer nets in hockey!

[HOLLYWOOD]

Jesus tap-dancin' Christ!  He might as well be Robocop with that armor.

Another "abuser" of the goalie pad regulations is newcomer, Viktor Fasth of Anaheim. Which reflects to your post... because of his "oversized padding" giving such an appearance,  they're calling Fasth, "Megatron".

 

[David Puddy]

The equipment is just ridiculous.  The rule should be that the equipment is appropriate for the player based on their size.  It shouldn't be everyone can wear pads up to such and such a size.  Clermont's pads are just ridiculous.  I'd be embarassed to wear those things.  Players should harass him until he feels shame Denis Lemieux style.

That's what the rule is now. It was changed in 2010.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/05/sports/hockey/05hockey.html?_r=0

[devilsfan26]

Arguably, the fact shooters have less and less net to shoot at is the constant change and going to a slightly bigger net would be to cancel out some of that change.

I don't think I fully understand your point, but if you're saying it is to cancel out the goalies' pads getting so big, why not make the pads smaller instead of making the nets bigger?  Undo the bad changes rather than making more changes to cancel them out.

[devilsfan26]

Problem is goalies themselves are bigger than they were 20 years ago, equipment or no equipment. Even 'legal' equipment is taking up more of the net. And it's not likely they scale back the equipment enough to make a real difference.

I don't see what's so bad about making the net larger if everything else is increasing.

I don't buy this at all.  Yeah the goalies have gotten bigger, but not proportionate to the amount their pads have expanded.  If they trimmed down the chest protectors and made the leg pads shorter and a little thinner, it could definitely make a real difference.  You also have to consider that goaltenders have gotten better at goaltending than they used to be, but I don't think that needs to be canceled out.

I agree with others that have said trimming down the pads is a much better solution than making the nets bigger.  These guys have spent their entire lives in front of 6x4 nets, making them bigger is too drastic of a change for them to get used to.

[Devils731]

I don't think I fully understand your point, but if you're saying it is to cancel out the goalies' pads getting so big, why not make the pads smaller instead of making the nets bigger? Undo the bad changes rather than making more changes to cancel them out.

Because the NHLPA has always argued against smaller pads. Everyone other than goalies and some GM/coaches want smaller goalie pads but its doubtful the NHLPA will ever allow it.

So the only way to bring the amount of net showing back to where it used to be is a bigger net, if the NHLPA won't budge.