This is one thing I agree with Dryden on. If the NHL wants to make the game more exciting to casual fans, they should do so by increasing the number of quality scoring chances, not by handcuffing goalies. If you insist on the latter option, the improvements in goalie skates have benefited goalies far more than things like thigh rises that extend the top of the pads but I don't hear people talking about getting rid of cowling-less skates.
It was an observation pal No kidding its evolution. Duh ! Kinda went without stipulation. But not fo everyone apparently. Nobody is whining about "going back to the way it was". If we all went back to the way it was we wouldn't be chatting about hockey past and present on line. We would be doing it in a pub. Evolution buddy.
RVH is a game-changer for one-timers in tight on passes from behind the net but it's led to an increase in side goals from low angles. It's true that this is largely due to misuse but the standup post seal technique was pretty airtight too.
Great post.
Goalies are more athletic than ever and it's a myth that stand up goalies from the 80s didn't also rely on blocking. I can elaborate on this but much of it would echo Paul Campbell's 2017 article for InGoal Magazine linked below (it's a lot less wordy than the Dryden piece).
New Aesthetics of Goaltending, Vol 3: Myth of the Standup Goalie | InGoal Magazine
Spoken like someone who's never been hit in the knee with a puck. Pads used to have kneeboards for this, but the NHL outlawed those sometime around 2007 because they hate goalies.
This is one thing I agree with Dryden on. If the NHL wants to make the game more exciting to casual fans, they should do so by increasing the number of quality scoring chances, not by handcuffing goalies. If you insist on the latter option, the improvements in goalie skates have benefited goalies far more than things like thigh rises that extend the top of the pads but I don't hear people talking about getting rid of cowling-less skates.
that is due to how the goalies are adjusting the pad to sit on the foot, look into how the measure pad size, it is very strict. many pro female goalies wear bigger pads than nhl players and are signifcantly shorter
Equipment today in the nhl isn't even that wide, pads are limited to 11 inches, smaller than any Era except for when goalies used cricket pads. Yes, reduce the amount above the knee thats it. I'm a goaltender that plays nowhere near the nhl level. I wear pro level equipment, I get hurt by shots all the time, alot of what equipment is today is about impact dispersion. And for safety the sides of the goalies body and limbs are padded also, which adds to abit of width, wouldnt want your star goalie going down with broken ribs, shoulders, arms etc. So how about you go create some new space age materials so we can have stick figures in net.
Thats all based on the curvature of the pad and where its sitting, look at how high it is on the skates compared to early 2000 stuff, the overall pad size has dropped significantlyYes knee is barely covered?
NHL players get hurt and break legs, feet, ankles, hands blocking these shots dont they? So goalies should be subjected to those injuries and pain for the duration of a game with 30+ shots? Lmao ok
No one said that. The % of players that miss time from blocked shots is minimal. When’s the last time any goaltender missed time from taking a shot? You can reduce surface area without reducing safety. If you deny that you’re being ridiculous. You don’t need to protect open space with equipment. Goaltenders have in the past worn far less equipment without dropping like flies. Goaltenders miss next to ZERO time from taking pucks. You can reduce pad size without increasing risk.
Yes the height of the pads needs to be reduced along with the blocker and trapper, any further reductions to other pieces of equipment would bring on some safety issues. The width of the pads is more narrow than it's been since the 80's if it's any consolation.
We gonna abandon the whipmaster 3000's and go back to woodies?
