Speculation: How will the goalie pad changes impact Crow?

[Ike582]

I've recently read that the goalie pad changes that will be implemented for next season will require a smaller leg pad, which must be within a now reduced proportion relative to the size of the goalie's leg. I read one article that mentioned that Corey Crawford and Pekke Rinne may be impacted more than most as they use pads which are large relative to their own height. Article linked here:

http://blackhawkup.com/2013/08/27/size-does-matter-nhl-reduces-size-of-goalie-shin-pads/?utm_source=FanSided&utm_medium=Network&utm_campaign=Hot%2BTopics

How do you folks feel about this? Is this a meaningful impact to Crow's game?

Ike

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[HockeySauce]

I'm sure it will impact a lot of goalies' games. We'll see how it goes. Crawford's a professional, and it's effecting everyone, I'm sure he'll be fine.

 

[madgoat33]

I honestly think this is going to hurt goalies that aren't good positionally more than it will goalies who aren't super athletic.

 

[Bubba88]

I think Crawfords play will be effected by this and more than others but he'll be fine. He just needs some tweeks and little changes. His positioning is good and that's why he will still be good.

 

[madgoat33]

I think Crawfords play will be effected by this and more than others but he'll be fine. He just needs some tweeks and little changes. His positioning is good and that's why he will still be good.

yea, I see where you're coming from with that. But really, I think goalies who are meh positionally and rely on flailing their pads out last minute will be most effected by this.

 

[HockeySauce]

I think Mike Smith will be most effected by this. Sieve.

 

[Bubba88]

Smith is a good example. His numbers will suffer for sure. I think Schneiders too.

 

[Sir Psycho T]

yea, I see where you're coming from with that. But really, I think goalies who are meh positionally and rely on flailing their pads out last minute will be most effected by this.

Wrong, the change to the pad is in the height of the pad at the top. This is where butterfly goalies rely on making the pads connect to protect their 5 hole.

If you look at photos of guys from the Reebok/CCM press event you can see many of them aren't able to actually seal the 5-hole in their butterfly.

So this will have more of an effect on true butterfly goalies. Traditionally guys who aren't butterfly goalies wear smaller gear anyway to be faster, look at guys like Hasek, Thomas, Brodeur who have always had smaller gear.

That being said, this isn't the first time most of these guys have gone through gear changes so it's not going to be a total shock to them. You will see a few strange and easy goals given up in the first week or so but the guys will adapt and makes the necessary changes to their games. Scoring will be up slightly from last year but not much.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Between Craw's glove hand and now his five hole he'll have a GAA of 3.50 this season

 

[FytinSioux]

He will have more shootout wins because Toews will be unstoppable.

 

[Sir Psycho T]

A good example if MAF.

Here he is 2 years ago easily being able to seal up his 5-hole.

Here he is from the Reebok press event where the guys where testing their new gear.

They can seal it flat but it requires much more work and leaves more room on the sides.

 

[BronYrAur]

Seems like Corey has never allowed many goals through the 5-hole. I'm sure we'll see a few more slip by everyone but I really doubt it will affect Crawford any more than anyone else.

If the pad reduction is likely to cause more 5-hole goals, then Jonathan Toews might lead the league in goal-scoring....

 

[AmericanDream]

Kaner is a 5 hole wizard as well..we might lead the league in scoring again!!

 

[IU Hawks fan]

A good example if MAF.

Here he is 2 years ago easily being able to seal up his 5-hole.

Here he is from the Reebok press event where the guys where testing their new gear.

They can seal it flat but it requires much more work and leaves more room on the sides.

Yeah, that's always been my problem with the pads, not the width which really hasn't changed much from the past, but the height. They're so ridiculously tall that it makes a wall when you put them together when the goalie goes down.

So this should help that.

 

[HockeySauce]

A good example if MAF.

Here he is 2 years ago easily being able to seal up his 5-hole.

Here he is from the Reebok press event where the guys where testing their new gear.

They can seal it flat but it requires much more work and leaves more room on the sides.

I really don't see a big difference. Yeah, the pads aren't touching, but his thighs are still connected and there's no chance a puck's squeezing through there. Where it will really make a difference is when a goaltender is sliding from side-to-side, the 5-hole will have more exposure. Going into the butterfly position however, I don't see much difference.

 

[AmericanDream]

I really don't see a big difference. Yeah, the pads aren't touching, but his thighs are still connected and there's no chance a puck's squeezing through there. Where it will really make a difference is when a goaltender is sliding from side-to-side, the 5-hole will have more exposure. Going into the butterfly position however, I don't see much difference.

but I also see more rebounds coming from this then in the past. To me it looks like the puck would just get lost in those old pads, but now it has a shot to either be a rebound or be more of a loose puck in front of the goalie which could lead to some ugly crease goals.

 

[AmericanDream]

I really don't see a big difference. Yeah, the pads aren't touching, but his thighs are still connected and there's no chance a puck's squeezing through there. Where it will really make a difference is when a goaltender is sliding from side-to-side, the 5-hole will have more exposure. Going into the butterfly position however, I don't see much difference.

but I also see more rebounds coming from this then in the past. To me it looks like the puck would just get lost in those old pads, but now it has a shot to either be a rebound or be more of a loose puck in front of the goalie which could lead to some ugly crease goals.

 

[Sir Psycho T]

I really don't see a big difference. Yeah, the pads aren't touching, but his thighs are still connected and there's no chance a puck's squeezing through there. Where it will really make a difference is when a goaltender is sliding from side-to-side, the 5-hole will have more exposure. Going into the butterfly position however, I don't see much difference.

Their thighs might come together but there will be room right along and just off the ice in the gap beneath their knees as their knees can't seal to the ice while wearing the pads.

 

[chicagoskycam]

but I also see more rebounds coming from this then in the past. To me it looks like the puck would just get lost in those old pads, but now it has a shot to either be a rebound or be more of a loose puck in front of the goalie which could lead to some ugly crease goals.

Sure there is a difference. The gap closes up quicker and easier with the taller pads. GAA is going up this year.

 

[Sir Psycho T]

but I also see more rebounds coming from this then in the past. To me it looks like the puck would just get lost in those old pads, but now it has a shot to either be a rebound or be more of a loose puck in front of the goalie which could lead to some ugly crease goals.

Rebounds won't be affected that much. If a shot is low enough and hard enough a rebound will be generated, the pads aren't being changed in terms of internal make and material, they are just slightly shorter.

 

[Bubba88]

Can't wait till Fleury will be even worse than he is now

 

[chicagoskycam]

I think Mike Smith will be most effected by this. Sieve.

He is a pretty big guy though so I'm not sure how over sized his pads were already. It's based on their height, right? Lou's pads were huge!

 

[madgoat33]

watch it be somebody like rinne or lundquist who are most effected. would be so funny

 

[Sir Psycho T]

He is a pretty big guy though so I'm not sure how over sized his pads were already. It's based on their height, right? Lou's pads were huge!

Leg length not height. The whole breakdown can be tough to understand if you have never played goalie but to simplify it. You used to be able to add 55% of the measurement of your knee to your thigh to the top of the pad. The NHL has reduced that to 45%. So for taller goalies the reduction will be greater then for shorter goalies. But in the end each goalie will have the same coverage based on his measurements.

The rule used to be a goalie could have 8" of thigh rise period, but that was a huge advantage to smaller goalies where 8" would come up to their chest almost and someone like Ben Bishop it would barely cover his thighs.

They changed the rules in 2011 to where thigh rise was determined by measurements and not just a number. So some goalies like Bishop actually got more thigh rise then before. They continue to use that rule they just shrunk the allowable thigh rise by 10% of the measurements.

It all goes back to the idea that goalies pads should not be a tool that the goalies uses to stop the puck but simply a piece of equipment like should pads that are used to protect the goalies legs. Which is what the use of goalies pads are truly there for.

 

[BobbyJet]

I honestly think this is going to hurt goalies that aren't good positionally more than it will goalies who aren't super athletic.

Athletic goalies will still get to the pucks that many positional goalies can't get to. I think the article is right on. I reckon that tall positional goalies will be impacted the most, hence will have to make the biggest adjustments in their game. That includes Crawford to some degree, however, it is the real lanky goalies that may need some time to adapt. It will be interesting to see the impact on individual netminders to begin the season but I think most if not all of them will adapt pretty quickly.