“Hockey Flashbacks” written by Howie Morenz - March 1935, Esquire

[Habsfan18]

Came across this last night and figured it would be of interest here.

Click to read more...

 

[Theokritos]

Very interesting read.

Two vs six on the penalty kill? Somehow I had not been aware that multiple minor penalties by one & the same team had to be served back then.

Tactically respectively technically, the comments on goaltenders coming out vs defenders coming out to meet the attacker are the most interesting to me.

Edit: Addition: The following statement is also interesting:

"Hidden from the spectators are many of the tricks by which goalies thwart the offense. For example, many a goalie deliberately leaves an opening and, as you shoot for it, instantly blocks the hole.
Not always do cagey forwards shoot for the opening, however. Anticipating the move, they shoot away from the open space."

This reminds me of two comments I've come across in the past:

1) One comment (it's buried on this forum somewhere) says that in the late O6 era, goaltenders would act just like Morenz describes, and that experienced forwards would see through the bait, and that goaltenders in turn already knew that many forwards would see through it, and so the goaltenders anticipated the forwards would not shoot at the obvious opening. But after a wave of new players had entered the league after the 1967 expansion, the new forwards didn't see through the bait and just shot at the deliberate opening and the goaltenders – not expecting such a lack of sophistication – got scored on.

2) The other comment is by visiting Soviet player Nikolai Sologubov on Glenn Hall:

The strongest impression on me, as, indeed, on our entire team, was made by the play of the Chicago Black Hawks goaltender Glenn Hall. I personally have never seen a more cunning goalkeeper than Hall. I would call him a goaltender-psychologist, perfectly versed in the manner of play of the most skillful forwards, who, in a cascade of feints and deceptive movements, are able to hide their true intentions from the goaltender. But the fact of the matter is that in the duel with Hall, that "old fox" as he was often called, everything was just the opposite. The conditions were dictated by the goaltender!
For example, Hall expressedly (as if by accident) opened one corner of the goal, as if inviting the forward to shoot the puck into the unprotected space, and when he saw that the forward fell for the bait, he instantly changed position and was quick enough to repel the puck that seemed already gone.
I was told that Hall has a special index of cards where the favourite techniques of all the most dangerous forwards are recorded. And one cannot help but believe this wonderful master when he says that "a goalkeeper who plays only with his hands and feet and does not play with his head will never become a great hockey player."

 

[nabby12]

A lot of love for Charlie Gardiner and rightfully so from Morenz.

Great find, @Habsfan18 !

 

[BraveCanadian]

Super cool info

 

[Habsfan18]

A lot of love for Charlie Gardiner and rightfully so from Morenz.

Great find, @Habsfan18 !

I certainly can’t take credit for this one. I saw it on twitter of all places and just passed it along. It’s a great read!

 

[Dingo]

I think I would PREFER worse than a 5 on 3.

Stop taking penalties, idiots!