I'd been wondering if we'd be seeing any of the slimmer equipment in the World Cup and found this CBC article:
Quote:
NHL goalies won't look as trim as expected this season because of delays to an ambitious redesign of their bulky equipment.
NHL officials at the general managers' meetings in March said the league and the NHL Players' Association were planning to introduce equipment more befitting of a goaltender's actual size this fall, perhaps even in time for the World Cup of Hockey.
Now it's appearing likely that only some pieces of new gear will be ready for the upcoming season. A complete overhaul isn't expected to be finished until the 2017-18 campaign.
....
Reductions were to be made to the pants and upper body equipment, but it's now thought that only the pants stand even a chance of being ready when the regular season gets underway in mid-October. Certain elements of the altered chest protector gear may be available later in the year.
Great news for guys like Bishop that have only this season to go before being a free agent. I think he's a good goaltender but a lot of his success has to do with his sheer size and ability to cover the net. Smaller equipment could open up a few holes in his game.
Great news for guys like Bishop that have only this season to go before being a free agent. I think he's a good goaltender but a lot of his success has to do with his sheer size and ability to cover the net. Smaller equipment could open up a few holes in his game.
Big goalies are still big. This worry that certain goalies will be in trouble with slightly smaller equipment is overblown. When scoring doesn't go up after this next round of equipment changes the NHL will finally figure out that increasing the size of the nets is the best way to increase scoring.
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Yeah, you reduce the equipment for goalies, bigger longer guys cover less of the net than before the change, but they still cover more of the net than the smaller guys. And Bishop isn't exactly just standing around in his net.
For the umpteenth time, scoring is down because:
- Coaching is 1000% better, better defensive systems (or actual systems)
- Player conditioning is better. Now they're some of the best athletes on the team, not the shortest guy who got stuck in the net because he couldn't skate too well but wasn't afraid of the puck in pee-wee
- Equpment is better, lighter, and more protective. (i.e. skates and pads alone make a huge difference in weight, so goalies are able to move much better
But most of all, the style of the goalies and the pad that was developed for generations of goaltenders to learn and craft their styles, the butterfly or Pro-Hybrid, whatever you want to call it. Once the rotating knee-pad was invented the position was changed forever as a result. The goalies just got really good at covering the bottom third of the net, and also moving laterally to cover rebounds and second/third chances.
If you want to go back to ####ty goaltending please go back and rewatch the Great One score 1000 goals on stand-up style goalies trying to make kick saves left and right. Puke...
I want guys to wear the most appropriate equipment sizing for their bodies, of course. But let's not get crazy and blame it all on the equipment. Better goalies force the players to be better players...
Last edited by Envitro; 09-12-2016 at 03:16 AM.
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Big goalies are still big. This worry that certain goalies will be in trouble with slightly smaller equipment is overblown. When scoring doesn't go up after this next round of equipment changes the NHL will finally figure out that increasing the size of the nets is the best way to increase scoring.
If that was true why do they fight tooth and nail to keep the equipment the same? Hockey can be a game of inches and an inch here or there absolutely matters. Reducing the size of goaltender equipment and increasing net size are two in the same in regards to opening more net for shooters. I for one would prefer the NHL exhaust all routes of going back to 80's size equipment than changing the traditional net size. Take a look at the size of the equipment going back to the 80's and it's no surprise it's harder to score goals today. Why change the game and increase net size when they can correct goaltending equipment?
I have zero doubts that guys like Price would still be very good if the league went back to 80's style equipment (Roy, Belfour, Moog, and others were fine) Guys like Bishop however I'm not so sure.
Last edited by Erick Estrada; 09-12-2016 at 08:59 AM.
A big goalie with big equipment that isn't all that athletic is in trouble. I don't watch enough of Bishop to know if that's the case.
The hype around Gillies was the fact that he was big, but but agile and athletic. He had to alter his game with his hip to be more of a blocker, but apparently is now back to being athletic again.
I don't know what is taking so long, they have been talking about this for over a decade but never seem to go through with it. I don't understand how people can say that goalie equipment is reasonable as it stands right now. Here's an example of how ridiculous these chest protectors have gotten over the years:
Ben Bishop in gear...
...and out.
And shots are harder with composite sticks and the development of athletes that we see today and goalies should be protected. But the contrast between goalies from past era's and today is a bit ridiculous and not at all in line with changes in shot speed. Bobby Hull had a 118.3mph slap shot on record (though speed guns were less reliable back then), Al MacInnis registered a 100mph slap shot a few times in the All Star Competition in the 90's, and Al Iafrate had a 105mph slap shot registered back in 1993.
1993 Stanley Cup Finals
Today's goalie
(Please note Mason is out of his net a bit in the picture above so it's not as drastic as it appears)
And new nets is definitely not the way to go but a significant change in shoulder pads (materials and size) and a continued decrease in leg pads would make a huge difference, all IMO of course.
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I don't know what is taking so long, they have been talking about this for over a decade but never seem to go through with it. I don't understand how people can say that goalie equipment is reasonable as it stands right now. Here's an example of how ridiculous these chest protectors have gotten over the years:
Ben Bishop in gear...
...and out.
And shots are harder with composite sticks and the development of athletes that we see today and goalies should be protected. But the contrast between goalies from past era's and today is a bit ridiculous and not at all in line with changes in shot speed. Bobby Hull had a 118.3mph slap shot on record (though speed guns were less reliable back then), Al MacInnis registered a 100mph slap shot a few times in the All Star Competition in the 90's, and Al Iafrate had a 105mph slap shot registered back in 1993.
1993 Stanley Cup Finals
Today's goalie
(Please note Mason is out of his net a bit in the picture above so it's not as drastic as it appears)
And new nets is definitely not the way to go but a significant change in shoulder pads (materials and size) and a continued decrease in leg pads would make a huge difference, all IMO of course.
It's very easy to make photos tell the story that you want. Here is Johnny Bower making the net look tiny in the 60s.
Smaller goalie equipment will make the NHL more exciting. that said, the difference should be marginal. NHL goalies are world class athletes and they will respond. Goals should not go up that much, however, exciting saves might. If that is the only result I am completely behind those changes.
It makes sense that these changes are taking a while. The NHL and the NHLPA are bureaucratic and such institutions, by nature, do not work quickly. I would rather they make the right choice over time than to rush a bad idea.
As per the post above with Bishop in and out of gear, I actually think that his C&A is quite slender, especially by today's standards. Proportionally speaking he's bang-on.
Get rid of cheater rolls on goalie pants. They were a feature that was designed not to protect but to be used to stop the puck on five hole shots.
What? Balanced thoughts involving examples, reasons and critical thinking have no place in discussions about goalie gear. Please continue posting photos of small goalies wearing unsafe gear that a beer leaguer wouldn't wear with no helmets who can't skate playing five feet out of the crease.
What? Balanced thoughts involving examples, reasons and critical thinking have no place in discussions about goalie gear. Please continue posting photos of small goalies wearing unsafe gear that a beer leaguer wouldn't wear with no helmets who can't skate playing five feet out of the crease.
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Get rid of cheater rolls on goalie pants. They were a feature that was designed not to protect but to be used to stop the puck on five hole shots.
I hope you don't mean the padding on the inside of the thigh, because as someone who had an old pant and upgraded to a newer one about 7 years ago I am thankful for it. I get way less bruising and pain now, and I play beer league, not in the NHL.
Same with my chest and arm protector. I get about 6-10 really good welts in my belly and shoulder over the course of a season so I have to go and spend $600 on a pro-level C&A that's actually about 15% smaller than what I wear because it's that much better and newer. And again, I play div 4 NCHL.... Nobody has a 100mph slapper where I play
Last edited by Envitro; 09-12-2016 at 05:58 PM.
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LOL... I hope you don't mean the padding on the inside of the thigh, because as someone who had an old pant and upgraded to a newer one about 7 years ago I am thankful for it. I get way less bruising and pain now, and I play beer league, not in the NHL.
That is exactly what I am talking about. They have the ability to protect the inside of the legs without putting a two inch roll stitched over the inseam like a smashed pool noodle. The fact that it is called a "Cheater Roll" should tell you that it is enhanced to stop pucks as opposed to solely offering protection.
I hope you don't mean the padding on the inside of the thigh, because as someone who had an old pant and upgraded to a newer one about 7 years ago I am thankful for it. I get way less bruising and pain now, and I play beer league, not in the NHL.
Same with my chest and arm protector. I get about 6-10 really good welts in my belly and shoulder over the course of a season so I have to go and spend $600 on a pro-level C&A that's actually about 15% smaller than what I wear because it's that much better and newer. And again, I play div 4 NCHL.... Nobody has a 100mph slapper where I play
Look man, if you want to get paid the big bucks, in your case presumably beer, you've got to be willing to sacrifice for the team! And if that means that pucks have to whizzing by your nether regions at speeds usually only obtainable in a motor vehicle then thats something you're just going to have to come to grips with.
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Changes in Goalie Equipment Delayed
