Bigger Nets

[Split98]

With the smaller pads, I'm also excited to see the athleticism of the goalies more on display.

The blocking-because-I'm-huge goaltending isn't all that exciting. Gaudreau dangling around 2 defenders and Price blowing our minds with an incredible save will always be exciting to me.

It will certainly cut down on available goaltenders though. Right now, there always seems to be a backup that is ready to be another team's starter. Is there really even 30 goalies that have the talent to hold under 3GAA all season with smaller pads?

We do need to increase scoring though. These untouchable records are a little tired. I don't want someone pushing to break records every year, but it'd be nice to know that a player on the ice today has a CHANCE to do something legendary.

Smaller pads, same size net and slightly higher scoring sounds like a blast to me. And just feels a lot more classic than a changed net size, a nifty angled post or monster padded goalies.

[Mathgod]

Anyone notice all the goals that are being called back on offsides lately? Maybe by moving or changing the dimensions of the blue line, a lot more goals would be scored & count.

[Regulator75]

Just go to 4 on 4 for 60 minutes...

[Frequitude]

Really, what's the difference between smaller pads and bigger nets?

[Trailer Fire]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

Really, what's the difference between smaller pads and bigger nets?

The 6x4 has been a 6x4 for a long, long, long time. Big pads haven't been this big for very long. 10 years maybe?

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

Really, what's the difference between smaller pads and bigger nets?

But it goes to 11.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

Just go to 4 on 4 for 60 minutes...

NHLPA would never agree to that as there would be no need for a 20 man roster

[FBI]

Why don't they just hire a guy to check the size of pads and equipment before each and every game? Creates another job as well.

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by getbak

...
Eliminating offsides would also get rid of the importance of dumping the puck out of the zone because the other team wouldn't have to clear the zone before continuing their attack. In fact, along with eliminating offsides, I'd also eliminate icing. Any team with a goalie who can handle the puck well would be able to pick apart teams that ice the puck too much.

Getting rid of both offsides and icings would also reduce the number of stoppages. Basically, play would only stop on goals and penalties or when the puck goes out of play or the goalie freezes it. The game would be almost constant action.


Look at the NLL. They don't have offsides or the equivalent of an icing rule, and their scores are extremely high, despite the fact that their nets are smaller and their goalies wear massive pads. Obviously, there are other factors that impact scoring in lacrosse (notably that a player can release a shot from anywhere in his full range of motion, so it's harder for a goalie to know where the shot is coming from), but the fast breakout definitely opens up the game.

Hmm, that's a great, simple solution that I'm surprised I haven't heard of more. It'll change the way the game is played drastically, and as an early post mentioned, radio hosts were discussing that there isn't problem scoring when it's 4-on-4/3-on-3. The issue may not necessarily be with the goaltender size to net ratio, but more so the amount of players on the ice.

5-on-5 is actually pretty crowed. How often do you expect a goal to be scored when it's 10 players on the ice, compared to when a team is on the power play? And compare that to 3-on-3 OT now? Restricting the zone players are allowed to be in based on the position and possession of the puck may actually be making it too difficult for players to create strong scoring chances.

If you remove the blueline and icing line, you essentially make the whole ice available for players to do as they please, which would open up the game much more since you can't force play stoppages due to violating a possession rule. Players can wheel the puck around much better for the cycles, and it'll open up some fast breaks that will lead to more odd man rushes and breakaways. 5-on5 will edge closer to what we see in overtime now. The pace of the game should pick up tremendously.

I've been of the opinion that either the goalie equipment needs to be reduced in size, otherwise the net should be expanded; but that may not even be necessary if you get rid of the blueline and icing line.

I'm not even necessarily interested in more goals so to speak, but more creativity, pace, and intensity to the game. With that, goals should increase, but we would be seeing great players flex more of their talents. The elimination of the line rules would probably contribute to that more so than increase the size of the net would. Increasing the net would lead to more shots on net, but changing the line rules would lead to more pace and creativity; letting Johnny Hockey be more of Johnny Hockey.

[Frequitude]

True purists should care about a consistent padding size to net size ratio over time. If goalies really do need larger equipment due to harder shot velocities, then let them have it. Just increase the size of the net to keep the ratio the same.

[cofias]

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/14...-scoring-issue

[Otto-matic]

I actually enjoy the floating blue line used in Ball Hockey leagues, makes the offensive zone much more open to plays. Essentially once a player has moved the ball over the blue line into the attacking zone, the attacking zone increases to include the entire opponent's half of the rink.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Split98

With the smaller pads, I'm also excited to see the athleticism of the goalies more on display.

The blocking-because-I'm-huge goaltending isn't all that exciting. Gaudreau dangling around 2 defenders and Price blowing our minds with an incredible save will always be exciting to me.

It will certainly cut down on available goaltenders though. Right now, there always seems to be a backup that is ready to be another team's starter. Is there really even 30 goalies that have the talent to hold under 3GAA all season with smaller pads?

We do need to increase scoring though. These untouchable records are a little tired. I don't want someone pushing to break records every year, but it'd be nice to know that a player on the ice today has a CHANCE to do something legendary.

Smaller pads, same size net and slightly higher scoring sounds like a blast to me. And just feels a lot more classic than a changed net size, a nifty angled post or monster padded goalies.

The standards for goaltending should change. If scoring goes up league wide, you shouldn't expect an average starter to have a 2.25 GAA.

You should also see a shift away from the bigger positional goalies. There are plenty of athletic goalies in and around the league looking to take over their spots.

[cofias]

http://www.tsn.ca/craig-s-list-five-...e-nhl-1.394965

These suggestions are cringe-worthy. More whistles and interruptions and half of all goals would be scored on PPs. That people would go to such lengths to avoid something as trivially simple and non-invasive as increasing net size to compensate for larger goalies is absurd.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by cofias

http://www.tsn.ca/craig-s-list-five-...e-nhl-1.394965

These suggestions are cringe-worthy. More whistles and interruptions and half of all goals would be scored on PPs. That people would go to such lengths to avoid something as trivially simple and non-invasive as increasing net size to compensate for larger goalies is absurd.

Scotty Bowman keeps pushing for icings on the PK to be treated like normal icings. In no way do I want more games decided by a referee

[CroFlames]

I wrote a letter to Brian Burke begging him (or Brad) that when it comes time to vote on rule changes to increase scoring they convince the other GMs/Governors and vote not to change anything at all.

In my mind, the only thing that should be addressed is goalie gear size, and the removal of the trapezoid.

Sorry to everyone else scheming to change the game I love to suit your wet dream of an extra goal or two per game.

[Igottago]

I can't believe so many people that care about the game want to destroy it. So many different ideas, the vast majority of them, idiotic, even if legends like Bowman or others are suggesting them.
I just see these legends suggesting stupid things as being like George Lucas and what he ended up doing to Star Wars. No good.

Just focus on the 2 main issues in the league, and get them fixed properly:

A) The point system -- get rid of the loser point
B) The draft system -- don't reward failure, I don't even think I need to mention the absurdity of the situation with the team up north. The system needs a complete re-evaluation and overhaul. My respect for the league has actually been tarnished significantly by this, and that's not hyperbole.

The biggest issues with the game today aren't even on the ice. Forget about increasing scoring.

[#-3]

I was listening to the Fan talk about this today, and it got me thinking, what kind of hockey game do I enjoy?

I particularly remember a 1-0 Chicago win over the Flames a few years ago when both goalies stood on their heads under constant series of sustained pressure at both ends of the ice. I think it was the most exciting regular season I can every seen in person, and the lack of scoring was not an issue at all.

So what is really enjoyable? Sustained Offensive pressure, that keeps people on the edge of their seats.
It's the reason the no line change on icing rule was so successful, for all of the time tired defenders have become hemmed in.

So here's my outside of the box idea to increase offensive pressure. Keep the Blue line for off sides on zone entries, but move it back to the red line for clearing a zone. Once a team has successfully gained the blue line onside, they do not need to tag up again until the puck crosses center ice. It will make it much easier for offences to keep pressure on for longer periods of time, and will have players like Gaudreau, and Brodie space to move with the puck inside the offensive zone.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by #-3

I was listening to the Fan talk about this today, and it got me thinking, what kind of hockey game do I enjoy?

I particularly remember a 1-0 Chicago win over the Flames a few years ago when both goalies stood on their heads under constant series of sustained pressure at both ends of the ice. I think it was the most exciting regular season I can every seen in person, and the lack of scoring was not an issue at all.

So what is really enjoyable? Sustained Offensive pressure, that keeps people on the edge of their seats.
It's the reason the no line change on icing rule was so successful, for all of the time tired defenders have become hemmed in.

So here's my outside of the box idea to increase offensive pressure. Keep the Blue line for off sides on zone entries, but move it back to the red line for clearing a zone. Once a team has successfully gained the blue line onside, they do not need to tag up again until the puck crosses center ice. It will make it much easier for offences to keep pressure on for longer periods of time, and will have players like Gaudreau, and Brodie space to move with the puck inside the offensive zone.

That'll confuse fair weather fans even more.

[#-3]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

That'll confuse fair weather fans even more.

Right after I wrote this, I noticed there had already been the same suggestion earlier in the thread.

IMO fairweather fans don't care about the whistles, glove passes, offsides.... that much, all they want is the anticipation of a goal. Not even a goal itself but a reason to keep their eyes on the puck, and expect something could happen at any moment.