Goalie equipment/goal size

[Mortimer Snerd]

Everybody has heard by now the talk about shrinking goalie equipment and/or increasing goal size.

I can understand hesitation or opposition to increasing goal size (not necessarily agree but understand). I cannot understand any opposition to shrinking goalie equipment as long as safety is preserved. Even the goalies themselves should have no objection as long as it is the same for everyone. The best goalies will still be the best goalies.

Two things have happened over the past 30 years. 1)Goalies have grown from 5'10-11" to 6'3"+, 160-175 lbs to 210lbs+. This has simply made them cover more of the net even if they stand still. 2)Equipment has changed in multiple ways. It has become much lighter. It is now made of foam and nylon instead of natural fibre padding covered in leather. Goalies can now carry more padding and still move more quickly. The new materials contributed to the equipment getting bigger. Goalies used to have to balance the benefit of bigger pads against added weight. Now they will have them as big as they will be allowed to wear. So the equipment is now a lot bigger than it used to be further reducing the net area available to a shooter at any given time.

Should goalie equipment be made smaller? Should goal size be increased? Both? Neither? Thoughts?

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[KCjetsfan]

Everybody has heard by now the talk about shrinking goalie equipment and/or increasing goal size.

I can understand hesitation or opposition to increasing goal size (not necessarily agree but understand). I cannot understand any opposition to shrinking goalie equipment as long as safety is preserved. Even the goalies themselves should have no objection as long as it is the same for everyone. The best goalies will still be the best goalies.

Two things have happened over the past 30 years. 1)Goalies have grown from 5'10-11" to 6'3"+, 160-175 lbs to 210lbs+. This has simply made them cover more of the net even if they stand still. 2)Equipment has changed in multiple ways. It has become much lighter. It is now made of foam and nylon instead of natural fibre padding covered in leather. Goalies can now carry more padding and still move more quickly. The new materials contributed to the equipment getting bigger. Goalies used to have to balance the benefit of bigger pads against added weight. Now they will have them as big as they will be allowed to wear. So the equipment is now a lot bigger than it used to be further reducing the net area available to a shooter at any given time.

Should goalie equipment be made smaller? Should goal size be increased? Both? Neither? Thoughts?

I'm not sure I care about the goalie equipment/net size. I think they could do a lot to increase scoring if they called the game properly (i.e holding/obstruction etc) and consistently.

 

[Derfel*]

I don't see there's a "scoring" problem in the NHL to begin with?

There is more excitement in some 1-0 games than there is in 7-6 games...

 

[Mathil8]

I also don't really see a scoring "problem" either. But if I had to pick between the two options I'd easily vote for changing equipment size. Changing net size would be f'd up.

 

[bustamente]

They need to make the goalie's where regular size jersey's instead of the dresses they are wearing now.

 

[SCP Guy]

Pretty soon this will be normal for NHL goalies.....except the pads will be bigger

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I'm not sure I care about the goalie equipment/net size. I think they could do a lot to increase scoring if they called the game properly (i.e holding/obstruction etc) and consistently.

I don't see there's a "scoring" problem in the NHL to begin with?

There is more excitement in some 1-0 games than there is in 7-6 games...

I also don't really see a scoring "problem" either. But if I had to pick between the two options I'd easily vote for changing equipment size. Changing net size would be f'd up.

I don't see it as simply a scoring problem although that is what it comes down to in the end. I see it more as restoring balance between skaters and goalies. The scoring is down quite substantially over ~10 years and quite a bit more so over ~25 years. I would like to see more of the really good shots/good plays resulting in goals. Seeing a player like Jakub Voracek with 56 shots and zero goals is no fun.

 

[John Agar]

I voted for shrinking the goalie equipment.

Fooling with the net size would probably lead to even more frenzied shot blocking and clustering around the net in most circumstances. It might also add to even more dead space so offensive plays are even more difficult coming off the end boards - less space to corners and side boards. I am not sure scoring would go up - it might even go down. Soccer has huge nets as an example.... scoring is not easy.

As for shrinking the equipment.... goalies are physically bigger, techniques are very refined, defensive team play in the D' end is also highly refined; these things won't change. It's my belief that the best goalies who are athletes will rise to the top and continue to have the best Sv %'s. The goalies that are average... many of them are just big in their even bigger equipment and aren't necessarily goalies, but big puck blockers playing the angles and percentages.

I would love to see athletic goalies that make saves, not blockers.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

They need to make the goalie's where regular size jersey's instead of the dresses they are wearing now.

Pretty soon this will be normal for NHL goalies.....except the pads will be bigger

Is there a man in there somewhere?

 

[bustamente]

Is there a man in there somewhere?

What's the size of the lacrosse net

 

[lomiller1]

If this were the first go round sure, decrease the size of goaltender equipment. We’ve done that twice and accomplished nothing, I don’t see that a third round will get much done. Go ahead and try since people insist, but increase the size of the net as well.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I voted for shrinking the goalie equipment.

Fooling with the net size would probably lead to even more frenzied shot blocking and clustering around the net in most circumstances. It might also add to even more dead space so offensive plays are even more difficult coming off the end boards - less space to corners and side boards. I am not sure scoring would go up - it might even go down. Soccer has huge nets as an example.... scoring is not easy.

As for shrinking the equipment.... goalies are physically bigger, techniques are very refined, defensive team play in the D' end is also highly refined; these things won't change. It's my belief that the best goalies who are athletes will rise to the top and continue to have the best Sv %'s. The goalies that are average... many of them are just big in their even bigger equipment and aren't necessarily goalies, but big puck blockers playing the angles and percentages.

I would love to see athletic goalies that make saves, not blockers.

I don't think the comparison to soccer is valid. They get very few shots to the net. A high % of those that do get to the goal are from far enough away that the goalie has plenty of time to react.

The net size proposals are for only 1/2" more per side. That isn't going to affect the play in the corners. Just fewer shots going post and out.

 

[Derfel*]

Easier fix - allow "kicking motions" for goals. Increase of 2% right there.

 

[Jetfaninflorida]

This is an interesting topic for me because a long long time ago, I think early last year, I made the comment that I thought the Pav looked more puffy. My idea was summarily dismissed. Wanting to prove my point, I looked at different still pics to try to find two with the same angle, same distance from previous years to last year but I couldn't find two precise enough to back up my hunch.

But it looks like keepers have been puffing up for several years now in the areas where there are not strict equipment size measurement requirements. Like chest, shoulder areas for example. I still have this hunch that Pav was one of the keepers that puffed up a bit. Might help explain his performance last year.

OK. I am bracing myself for incoming. Shields up.

 

[Daximus]

As a goaltender I can tell you from experience that shoulder pads, pants and gloves can all be shrunk from the sizes they are now and still offer enough protection.
With the rise of nanotechnology in sports equipment it won't be long before we have hybrid goaltender equipment that is both small, lightweight, flexible and highly shock absorbent to the point where goaltenders might not even feel a puck hit them. It may get to the point where goaltenders are wearing very little while being even more protected. But that is probably a couple decades away.

 

[HellebuyckOurSaviour]

I voted for changing nothing. I am a goalie myself and love hockey. I don't understand why everyone always wants to increase scoring and shrink goalie equipment? The odd time u get a high scoring game ( Ottawa and Nashville 7-5) and then alot of the times u get decent games 4-3 3-2 4-1 etc. But to me a 1-0 2-0 1-1 tie is more exciting than a high scoring game. It's more of which goalie will let in the puck as to which goalie will actually make a save. Reducing goalie equipment will eventually get goalies more hurt. Because most goalies have flat thigh boards on their pants people are getting mad and thinking that's reducing goals. Or bigger chest protectors are taking up more space? I see players getting faster more agile, faster shots, bigger and stronger. There sticks are getting made out of whatever now to make there shots faster. Not sure how people feel but to see how much protection compared to (taking up space) they should have Weber, Doughty, Chara, Byfuglien all lineup just before the hash marks with pucks, take slapshots at some people who think (just taking up space) at their chests with nhl chest protectors on and tell me u don't feel any of those shots and not take huge welts or get any bruises? Two people I can think of are Bettman and Daley. The game is fine as it is right now. Don't worry about the scoring, worry about teams who shouldn't have a team and relocate to get fans in the stands in some of those empty arenas lol

 

[Puckatron 3000]

Is there a man in there somewhere?

I'm thinking one good hit and 3 midgets and a busted mechanical exoskeleton fall out.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

As a goaltender I can tell you from experience that shoulder pads, pants and gloves can all be shrunk from the sizes they are now and still offer enough protection.
With the rise of nanotechnology in sports equipment it won't be long before we have hybrid goaltender equipment that is both small, lightweight, flexible and highly shock absorbent to the point where goaltenders might not even feel a puck hit them. It may get to the point where goaltenders are wearing very little while being even more protected. But that is probably a couple decades away.

Not sure, I think it was in the video accompanying 30 thoughts but there were some pictures of goalies wearing the old, leather pads. They were a lot smaller than today's pads. Looked strange now that I am accustomed to the Michelin Man pillows.

 

[YWGinYYZ]

Not sure, I think it was in the video accompanying 30 thoughts but there were some pictures of goalies wearing the old, leather pads. They were a lot smaller than today's pads. Looked strange now that I am accustomed to the Michelin Man pillows.

They're definitely bigger than back then, but they're very similar to early to mid-90's gear. The last time they decreased the size, it returned to around the size of that era.

 

[Daximus]

They're definitely bigger than back then, but they're very similar to early to mid-90's gear. The last time they decreased the size, it returned to around the size of that era.

Smaller pads will definitely increase scoring IMO albeit incrementally. I'm not a fan of making nets bigger. The single greatest thing would be penalty's. In the high scoring eras there were more penalties. Those two things will make the game closer to the way it was in the 80's if that is what they want. We could at least get scoring up to around 6.5 GPG. That would make people happier I think.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I voted for changing nothing. I am a goalie myself and love hockey. I don't understand why everyone always wants to increase scoring and shrink goalie equipment? The odd time u get a high scoring game ( Ottawa and Nashville 7-5) and then alot of the times u get decent games 4-3 3-2 4-1 etc. But to me a 1-0 2-0 1-1 tie is more exciting than a high scoring game. It's more of which goalie will let in the puck as to which goalie will actually make a save. Reducing goalie equipment will eventually get goalies more hurt. Because most goalies have flat thigh boards on their pants people are getting mad and thinking that's reducing goals. Or bigger chest protectors are taking up more space? I see players getting faster more agile, faster shots, bigger and stronger. There sticks are getting made out of whatever now to make there shots faster. Not sure how people feel but to see how much protection compared to (taking up space) they should have Weber, Doughty, Chara, Byfuglien all lineup just before the hash marks with pucks, take slapshots at some people who think (just taking up space) at their chests with nhl chest protectors on and tell me u don't feel any of those shots and not take huge welts or get any bruises? Two people I can think of are Bettman and Daley. The game is fine as it is right now. Don't worry about the scoring, worry about teams who shouldn't have a team and relocate to get fans in the stands in some of those empty arenas lol

Specified in the OP that safety not be reduced. If pads get shorter there has to be adequate provision for the area above the pad that could be exposed, etc. The goalie battle is still even. All else being equal the best goalie in the game will win.

I'm thinking one good hit and 3 midgets and a busted mechanical exoskeleton fall out.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

They're definitely bigger than back then, but they're very similar to early to mid-90's gear. The last time they decreased the size, it returned to around the size of that era.

I have wondered what would happen if they just specified the pads had to be made out of the same materials as 50 years ago. Would the goalies start to reduce the size to improve their mobility? IDK but I would like to.

 

[BigZ65]

Neither.

Two things I would do is get back to 05-06 standards on obstruction and look at the design of the goalposts, contour them to allow more pucks to drop into the net when they are hit.

There's already been a fairly significant reduction in the size of goalie pads, twice actually.

 

[BigZ65]

I have wondered what would happen if they just specified the pads had to be made out of the same materials as 50 years ago. Would the goalies start to reduce the size to improve their mobility? IDK but I would like to.

Why not rule that skaters can't use any composite sticks then?

 

[cbcwpg]

Just a thought... Which will never happen.... But how about reducing the number of teams to say 20 resulting in better over talent on all teams and better players playing together which should result in more scoring.

Just a thought, but when you go from 20 teams to 30 teams that means an additional 210 skaters added to the league but only 20 goalies. No numbers to back this up, but isn't it more likely to find it harder to find 210 NHL level skaters equal to the ability of those already in the NHL, than it would be to find an additional 20 NHL goalies?

Like I said ... Never going to see a reduction in teams.