Blocking shots should be illegal

[Freudian]

If there was a rule against blocking it should be that you can't leave your feet to block shots. That would significantly reduce the risk of getting hit in the head, hands and so on.

 

[Mayor Bee]

Here are some numbers I put together several years ago, looking at whether blocked shots or diminishing power plays had more to do with the decline of offense.


Format is as follows:
Year - Total blocked shots (number of teams, and average number per year) GPG - avg number of power plays, PP %

1997-98 - 17,564 (26 teams, 676 each) 5.28 GPG - 380 PP/15,08%
1998-99 - 23,813 (27 teams, 882 each) 5.27 - 359 PP/15,81%
1999-00 - 26,165 (28 teams, 934 each) 5,49 - 331 PP/16.15%
2000-01 - 28,735 (30 teams, 958 each), 23.36 - 5.51 GPG - 376 PP/16.64
2001-02 - 28,653 (955 each), 23.30 - 5.24 GPG - 338 PP/15.47%
2002-03 -
2003-04 - 28,293 (943), 23,00 - 5.14 GPG - 348 PP/16.46%
2005-06 - 31,959 (1,065), 25.98 - 6.17 GPG - 480 PP/17,68%
2006-07 - 33,182 (1,106), 26.98 - 5,89 GPG - 398 PP/17.58%
2007-08 - 29,660 (989), 24.11 - 5.57 GPG - 351 PP/17.75%
2008-09 - 32,324 (1,077), 26.28 - 5,83 GPG - 341 PP/18,95%
2009-10 - 33,452 (1,115), 27.20 - 5.68 GPG - 304 PP/18,23%
2010-11 - 34,904 (1,163), 28.38 - 5.59 GPG - 291 PP/18,02%
2011-12 - 29,208 (through 1,032 games; 974 per team, 28,30 per game) - 5.45 GPG - 228 PP/17.45%

This year, 27/31 teams have over 1,000 blocked shots and the other 4 are all over 900. In a single game, we're likely to see over 30 blocked shots between the two teams. The average for the year will likely end up over 1,200 per team, and the number of blocked shots is roughly 20% higher than the number of missed shots.

Watch a game from 20 years ago, or 25, or 30, or earlier, and then tell me that "it's always been part of the game". It hasn't been.

 

[atilla the honeybun]

Not only would it create more goals, but the fewer injuries are the real reason.

Hate to see skilled guys go down, just because they have to "take one for the team"

so incredibly stupid. Let the goalies stop the pucks !

No

 

[Seanaconda]

Here are some numbers I put together several years ago, looking at whether blocked shots or diminishing power plays had more to do with the decline of offense.
U can blame the oilers for that

Format is as follows:
Year - Total blocked shots (number of teams, and average number per year) GPG - avg number of power plays, PP %

1997-98 - 17,564 (26 teams, 676 each) 5.28 GPG - 380 PP/15,08%
1998-99 - 23,813 (27 teams, 882 each) 5.27 - 359 PP/15,81%
1999-00 - 26,165 (28 teams, 934 each) 5,49 - 331 PP/16.15%
2000-01 - 28,735 (30 teams, 958 each), 23.36 - 5.51 GPG - 376 PP/16.64
2001-02 - 28,653 (955 each), 23.30 - 5.24 GPG - 338 PP/15.47%
2002-03 -
2003-04 - 28,293 (943), 23,00 - 5.14 GPG - 348 PP/16.46%
2005-06 - 31,959 (1,065), 25.98 - 6.17 GPG - 480 PP/17,68%
2006-07 - 33,182 (1,106), 26.98 - 5,89 GPG - 398 PP/17.58%
2007-08 - 29,660 (989), 24.11 - 5.57 GPG - 351 PP/17.75%
2008-09 - 32,324 (1,077), 26.28 - 5,83 GPG - 341 PP/18,95%
2009-10 - 33,452 (1,115), 27.20 - 5.68 GPG - 304 PP/18,23%
2010-11 - 34,904 (1,163), 28.38 - 5.59 GPG - 291 PP/18,02%
2011-12 - 29,208 (through 1,032 games; 974 per team, 28,30 per game) - 5.45 GPG - 228 PP/17.45%

This year, 27/31 teams have over 1,000 blocked shots and the other 4 are all over 900. In a single game, we're likely to see over 30 blocked shots between the two teams. The average for the year will likely end up over 1,200 per team, and the number of blocked shots is roughly 20% higher than the number of missed shots.

Watch a game from 20 years ago, or 25, or 30, or earlier, and then tell me that "it's always been part of the game". It hasn't been.

oilers made the cup final on blocking shots plus pronger

 

[pulfordfan]

Quote from the great one

"When I was 10 years old, they’d throw a puck on the ice and say, ‘Go score,’" Gretzky told the New York Times. "Now, at 10 years old, the kids are taught to play in their lanes. Defencemen stay back. Everybody blocks shots. I mean, my goodness, I don’t think I ever blocked a shot, and I killed penalties every single game. I thought goaltenders were paid to block shots, not forwards. It’s changed completely.

 

[haveandare]

Quote from the great one

"When I was 10 years old, they’d throw a puck on the ice and say, ‘Go score,’" Gretzky told the New York Times. "Now, at 10 years old, the kids are taught to play in their lanes. Defencemen stay back. Everybody blocks shots. I mean, my goodness, I don’t think I ever blocked a shot, and I killed penalties every single game. I thought goaltenders were paid to block shots, not forwards. It’s changed completely.

I hate these kind of anecdotes about what "kids today" do. People have very narrow personal experiences and assume that they're representative of everyone else. Gretzky was probably the best player ever but that doesn't mean he know or can speak to the hockey experiences of all kids today.

 

[pulfordfan]

He's not talking about what kids do but what they are taught to do. Whoa like swearing in church talking about Wayne that way

 

[GOilers88]

It really has nothing to do with injuries, since injuries from blocking shots is so rare at this point anyway.

It's about the fact that there is a minimal physical risk associated with an action that, while common, adds nothing to the game except suffocating offense. It's not an act of sacrifice.

Of course it adds to the game. It's called defense. Whats wrong with suffocating offense. Isn't that the point of defense? Using your body as a shield, sacrificing yourself in the defense of your own goal. I really couldn't care less about what fans want. When you start letting the average schlub dictate how the game is played you may as well pack it all in and shut the league down.

You want to talk about suffocating offense then let's talk about the supremely idiotic coaches challenge that has done nothing but take away goals during a time when the league says all they want is more goals. If you only enjoy watching games where 10 goals are scored, you obviously don't appreciate the game and maybe need to find something else to watch.

 

[The Senators Guy]

I don't even need to explain how dumb this is. The worst idea I've seen in.. well ever. Congratulations.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Many injuries from blocking shots actually happen when the player isn't laying on the ice to block the shot, but just stand in way of the shot. There's no way to prevent that from happening, and penalizing blocked shots would just be a mess. How would you even make a rule what's intentionally blocked and what's not, would create so many headaches...

Terrible idea.

 

[haveandare]

He's not talking about what kids do but what they are taught to do. Whoa like swearing in church talking about Wayne that way

He doesn't know that either though imo, nobody can really speak to that with any authority. He might know what his kids are taught to do and some other people's kids he talks to.

 

[Fig]

I don't think I need to repeat what others have said. And if someone is pointing at puck blocking trends about how it's not part of the game, why not also look into slap shot trends and ask if the modern iteration of the sticks have anything to do with the decrease of the clapper? Innovation and changes in play style happen over time. Hybrid icing for instance is a good change in recent memory that helps reduce risk of injury of players.

Personally, I think you're better off trying to figure out how to modify the puck so that it injures players less on impact, has a chip which can be better used for goal reviews, perhaps a compound that doesn't allow the puck to freeze as easily (higher risk of injury and inconsistent handling) as the current rubber compound does and incorporates these features without messing too much with the way the puck's size/shape and the way it "handles".

These modification should in theory also help to reduce the severity of other injuries from being hit by the puck and should also help reduce bad calls/speed up on goal reviews as the chip could help track puck location and trajectory for high stick and cross the line calls. But I think another poster had the right idea when mentioning the idea that more players are more fearless due to the equipment. If the shot blocking doesn't really hurt, why wouldn't you block shots every chance you get? Such a mod would increase blocking rather than increase it.

Crazy ideas wise, I still think they should use drones to fly advertisements during intermission. What I'd aim for would be the wind from the drone fans creating a wind chill to help the water on the ice on some of the rinks freeze faster. Some of those rinks after intermission has puddles until a few minutes into the period.

 

[OccasionalPoster]

Missing the net should be illegal.

 

[Ivan13]

Leaving your feet to block the shot should be penalized, there is nothing hockey related in flopping around the ice like a halfwit. One skate should always be on ice.

 

[Beezeral]

How about penalize goalies for playing butterfly?

Only allow stand-up playstyle.

Don’t joke. That thread pops up almost every August.

 

[Seanaconda]

Don’t joke. That thread pops up almost every August.

This is why I don't know if this is the dumbest topic

 

[GOilers88]

Leaving your feet to block the shot should be penalized, there is nothing hockey related in flopping around the ice like a halfwit. One skate should always be on ice.

That might be true if players actually flopped around. Laying your body out presents more mass for the puck to hit, obviously. There's nothing wrong with it at all. The only players that flop around with both skates off the ice are goaltenders. Does that mean it should be illegal for them to roll around and stack the pads since flopping around is bad?

 

[6ix]

I get it that Euro's love the skill and soft game, but buddy blocking shots are key and what win games in playoffs. Logo before the name, sacrifice for the team.

 

[The Big Giant Head]

It really has nothing to do with injuries, since injuries from blocking shots is so rare at this point anyway.

It's about the fact that there is a minimal physical risk associated with an action that, while common, adds nothing to the game except suffocating offense. It's not an act of sacrifice.

OP cited players getting hurt as a reason as a reason to ban shot blocking. I dont think blocking shots causes a significant amount of injuries at all. There's nothing wrong with blocking shots. It wont be banned because it shouldnt be banned. Thats the way the game is played.

 

[BrockLobster]

Islanders would be the most legal team in the NHL bc I'm pretty sure they haven't blocked one yet this year

 

[WinJiggysLoft]

It’s not blocking shots that’s the problem, it’s those friggin slap shots. Just downright dangerous

 

[TheAngryHank]

Never understood blocking shots in the regular season,playoffs i get.
But there is a guy behind you with a bunch of expensive gear to block shots.
I never got paid to play and never blocked a single shot i wanted to. F that pucks hurt.

 

[Mayor Bee]

oilers made the cup final on blocking shots plus pronger

Florida made a Cup Final by basically holding and tackling their way past vastly superior teams. Was it good to watch?

It's not a question of whether it's effective, it's a question of whether it's entertaining and truly part of the game. Shot blocking to this extent has only crept in over the last two decades as a result of superior equipment taking away any real sacrifice that was previously involved.

 

[stampedingviking]

Not only would it create more goals, but the fewer injuries are the real reason.

Hate to see skilled guys go down, just because they have to "take one for the team"

so incredibly stupid. Let the goalies stop the pucks !

What???????????????

 

[Mayor Bee]

Of course it adds to the game. It's called defense. Whats wrong with suffocating offense. Isn't that the point of defense? Using your body as a shield, sacrificing yourself in the defense of your own goal. I really couldn't care less about what fans want. When you start letting the average schlub dictate how the game is played you may as well pack it all in and shut the league down.

It's as much a part of defense as flagrant holding is to football. And with the equipment, there is no sacrifice that's involved. It used to be that only the tremendously skilled or the completely crazy would throw themselves in front of a shot because there was a high risk of injury and there was sacrifice. That is no longer the case.

And to the bolded part, sports is entertainment first and foremost. When it ceases to be entertaining, the people who buy the tickets and watch on TV will no longer go to games.

You want to talk about suffocating offense then let's talk about the supremely idiotic coaches challenge that has done nothing but take away goals during a time when the league says all they want is more goals. If you only enjoy watching games where 10 goals are scored, you obviously don't appreciate the game and maybe need to find something else to watch.

That's one for the list.

Also, the coaches' challenge is a travesty, just as the toe-in-the-crease rule was a travesty.