Change in NHL style of play c.1940s?

[The Panther]

I am wondering if anyone can speak to this. (I guess no one on the forum watched hockey prior to the 1940s, but you never know.)

I read in a thread about historical players' evaluation of then-contemporary and other historical players that many of the 1920s and maybe early-1930s'-era players seemed to think that the c.WWII-to-early-1950s' NHL was not as 'good' as their own.

Now, of course it could just have been the usual old-men-yelling-at-the-sky thing, but the point seemed to be that the 1920s/30s' NHL was more systematic and structured, whereas the 1940s-to-1950s' NHL was more wild and disorganized.

In short, is there any truth to this? Was there a large change in style just before or during WWII, freeing up players?

Click to read more...

 

[BenchBrawl]

1943 Introduction of the Center Red Line Initial Impressions

 

[SealsFan]

Also I believe it was 43-44 when centers on faceoffs had to face the opposing goal instead of facing the side boards.

 

[Michael Farkas]

Yeah, it's a complete pigeon league from like 1943 to 1949 or so...players are falling over the place, it's a sloppy mess...WWII era looked a little like the early 1980's actually...just any old thing could happen with any old player, didn't matter if they were good or not...

 

[The Panther]

I'll see if I can find those quotations from early-era players later... hockey is still on my mind and I've just landed in Hawaii...

 

[Canadiens1958]

Read the original NHL /
PCHA player comments carefully and the realisation follows that they are talking about a cohesive game.

The game started to change with the forward pass-1929-30 season and the resulting coaching, rule and skill tweeks thru 1943-44. Lasting about 10-12 seasons beyond.

No everyone adjusts at the same pace so you get a disjointed game.

Go back to 2005-06 to see the disjointed range. Teams move ahead,fall back, flounder, succeed.See LA Kings.