Coaches who preach shot blocking need to be run out of the league

[SnuggaRUDE]

Let me ask you this: Say, hypothetically, we penalize shot blocking.....would you support allowing it on the penalty kill the way they allow icing?

That's an interesting idea. No icicing PK is also a newer innovation. I could easily deal with going back to icicing enforced PK.

Overall yes, I'd be fine allowing PKers to block shots, but not at even strength. PK shot blocking is more skill based, as being faked out is deadly.

 

[Burke the Legend]

Others have mentioned but just making it so you have to stay upright when blocking would be pretty reasonable (instead of a total ban). Would help a lot with player safely and also increase the amount of pucks getting to the net.

 

[mdm815]

Yeah the discussion has had an opportunity to move past the original post (which is admittedly silly) and people want to keep saying “can’t eliminate blocking!!!”

There’s an actual discussion to be had about the pros and cons of introducing a “one knee rule” and eliminating full layouts to interfere w a pass or shot attempt. It would open up the game, and it would increase the skill required to actively defend. It’s way harder to break up a two on one with skilled positioning, timing, and an active stick than it is to time laying out to block it.

I don’t care about player safety (in this particular topic), i care about opening up offensive opportunities and increasing the gap between high skill and average skill defenders.

 

[tny760]

So you'll have Drew Doughty, and I guarantee he will do this, whenever an opponent loses his edge in the center, Doughty will blast him with the puck to draw a cheap blocking penalty. That would be the most subjective penalty in the game.

christ, doughty can't even hit the net with a slap shot, what makes you think he could hit a moving player?

 

[IceNeophyte]

christ, doughty can't even hit the net with a slap shot, what makes you think he could hit a moving player?

Last season, front game of a back to back home and home with Vegas, a Vegas player was climbing over the wall for a shift change. From near the net, Doughty tagged him with the puck, forcing a Too Many Men call. And of course he taunted over it, too.

 

[tny760]

Last season, front game of a back to back home and home with Vegas, a Vegas player was climbing over the wall for a shift change. From near the net, Doughty tagged him with the puck, forcing a Too Many Men call. And of course he taunted over it, too.

 

[ManofSteel55]

I've been watching hockey for decades. Shot block is not old school hockey. It's a new concept.

I think in general it's pretty boring, and leads to dull shot from the point pinball hockey. Back in the 90s when it was rare, one or two players (typically slow defenders) would be noted as shot blockers. And when the would do it in the playoffs, since it was really rare in the regular season, those were exciting plays.

As a system its more boring than good. I don't have an opinion on banning it for safety reasons. it's pretty safe as of now. But i'd be all for removing it on entertainment/skill principles.

Simple 2 minute delay of game for dropping to a knee or leaving your skates to block a shot.

They were blocking shots a lot in the 80's and 90's. I don't know what this "shot blocking is new" b.s. is. Unless you are referring to Eddie Shore as "old school hockey". In which case, glad the arthritis has cleared up grampa.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Or just ban shooting. Safety first right.

Better ban skates too. Those blades hurt people. Let 'em just run around. Maybe a footrace would be more exciting.

 

[tucker3434]

I thought these threads would die off once the season started.

 

[blood gin]

Just out of curiosity how many injuries a year occur and how many man games are lost due to shot blocking injuries every year?

 

[Iapyi]

It should be mandatory that people that come up with rule change ideas must have played the game. It's usually quite easy to pick out the ones who haven't ever skated let alone played.

 

[Iapyi]

Last season, front game of a back to back home and home with Vegas, a Vegas player was climbing over the wall for a shift change. From near the net, Doughty tagged him with the puck, forcing a Too Many Men call. And of course he taunted over it, too.

Then the referee screwed up because by rule that can not happen. [unless the rule was changed and I missed it]

 

[NeverBeNormal]

Wouldn't mind it. It's just another tool coaches use to suck any ounce of creativity out of the game. Leave the points open, collapse in front and hope it doesn't bounce six times and go in. Repeat at other end of ice. Hockey's gotten so one dimensional because coaches are terrified of losing instead of hell bent on winning. Best example was the last NHL Olympics. Babcock had the most talented players in the world playing a stifling defense first game. It worked but SO boring.

 

[NeverBeNormal]

Then the referee screwed up because by rule that can not happen. [unless the rule was changed and I missed it]

Well if you ever played the game you'd see that it happens all the time for years now.

 

[Iapyi]

Well if you ever played the game you'd see that it happens all the time for years now.

LOL if I ever played the game? LOL

Do you remember when the rule was changed so that a player could not intentionally shoot it at a player to create to many men?

 

[NeverBeNormal]

LOL if I ever played the game? LOL

Do you remember when the rule was changed so that a player could not intentionally shoot it at a player to create to many men?

Nope, I just always remember seeing players fire it towards the bench when a team's changing. I'm surprised you haven't seen it, seems like a pretty routine play.

 

[Iapyi]

Nope, I just always remember seeing players fire it towards the bench when a team's changing. I'm surprised you haven't seen it, seems like a pretty routine play.

There was a rule change about it in the past, I just can't remember whether or not it has been changed back.

Perhaps someone else remembers?

 

[Jigger77]

There was a rule change about it in the past, I just can't remember whether or not it has been changed back.

Perhaps someone else remembers?

As far as I know the extra guy has to be engaged in the play. Either play the puck (with stick or hands) or physically engaged in the play.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

They were blocking shots a lot in the 80's and 90's. I don't know what this "shot blocking is new" b.s. is. Unless you are referring to Eddie Shore as "old school hockey". In which case, glad the arthritis has cleared up grampa.

They weren't blocking shots 'a lot' in the 80s. Even the goalies were bad at blocking shots. And in what world is Eddie Shore not old time hockey? The quote is "Old time hockey. Like Eddie Shore!"

 

[ManofSteel55]

They weren't blocking shots 'a lot' in the 80s. Even the goalies were bad at blocking shots. And in what world is Eddie Shore not old time hockey? The quote is "Old time hockey. Like Eddie Shore!"

I think you need to re-read the last part. I never said Eddie Shore wasn't old time hockey.

As far as the 80's go, it depends on your definition of "a lot". It certainly happened, and regularly. Not as much as today obviously, but that's the difference between the flimsy pads of the 80s and the armor players wear today.

 

[Riseonfire]

Blocking shots is like killing rats. It's better to do it than to not, but if you're doing it a lot it suggests there is a bigger problem.

- Stolen from IDK where.

 

[Canadian Game]

Shots are nothing with today’s padding

Padding hasn't saved Bobby Ryan's hands and fingers. Yes, his injuries were caused many other ways, but the point is that having padding doesn't make players invincible.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Shot blocking happens more as you move into the season and into the playoffs. Desperate measures for desperate times.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Shot blocking happens more as you move into the season and into the playoffs. Desperate measures for desperate times.

Shot blocking happens because it's the cheapest way to build a playoff team that earns a round or two of bonus revenue. Why pay high-profile UFAs 10+ per season with big signing bonuses when you can just get a bunch of defensively responsible grinders, a couple of solid D for 4-6 mil a pop, and a big goalie for <5 mil to try to win every game 1-0? There's more poor teams than rich teams in the league, so enough of them doing this to make money eventually makes the league meta revolve around safe defensive shot blocking hockey.

 

[Iapyi]

As far as I know the extra guy has to be engaged in the play. Either play the puck (with stick or hands) or physically engaged in the play.

That's how I believe it is. You can't just shoot the puck at a guy, hit him and get the penalty.