NHL "eras"

[seventieslord]

Thanks for the feedback seventieslord. I stated earlier that era is dependent on however you want to describe it, but it could be a good mini project to get something on this board we can all sort of agree on.

As I noted in 1926 the WHL disbanded but had the game changed that much? 1926 would be critical for the professional game development but I don’t think you can describe hockey as “modern†until the rules are the basic frame work it is today. Before the forward pass hockey was a little more like Rugby, so I think the style of play overshadows the NHL professional aspect and gives a good transition to what I labeled as Early Modern Hockey to what I label as the First Modern Era.

Whenever-1904 Pre Modern Hockey
1904-1930 Early Modern Hockey
1930-1945 First Modern Era
Would this make more sense?

Perhaps a little. I agree that your list was more of a hybrid between rule changes and league changes. But the fact that you included 1967 and 1980 as critical points shows that you consider league dynamics to still be an important factor in defining eras (which I would agree with) - so I still see 1926 as a season that should be the end of one era, personally.

 

[LeBlondeDemon10]

Try doing some research before posting such dribble, especially on the History board.

First off...the Entry Draft as we know it today wasn't even instituted until 1969.
Before that, players were sponsored and signed as early as 14 in the case of Orr. Players were not drafted, they were found, claimed and signed.
Before 1969, the Amateur Draft was just a collection of players that by the age of 17, had not been claimed yet, in other words, it was the left over garbage and even this draft wasn't instituted untill 1963.
1969 was also the last year that the Habs had this rule in place and got them Houle and Tardif. Again, this was the first year of the modern entry draft, the age was changed to 20 this year as well and most players were still already signed under the previous system.

I didn`t realize it was a myth. But you can take your snooty comments and shove them. A simple `did you know this was a myth`would have been suffice.

 

[jkrx]

I didn`t realize it was a myth. But you can take your snooty comments and shove them. A simple `did you know this was a myth`would have been suffice.

The history board are a bit different than the others. Usually the people here do extensive research before posting or get bantered for not doing it. If you had posted the whole thing as a question my guess would be that Rhiessan wouldnt have been so "snooty".

 

[Rhiessan71]

I didn`t realize it was a myth. But you can take your snooty comments and shove them. A simple `did you know this was a myth`would have been suffice.

Hey, I'm sorry, I just had just got up and maybe I was a lil too hard on ya.
Tough hearing about this myth over and over and as Jkrx mentioned, it's even harder hearing it on the History boards.

Again, sorry dude but hey, at least you learned something today
I usually learn something every day on the History boards myself.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Interpretation

Perhaps a little. I agree that your list was more of a hybrid between rule changes and league changes. But the fact that you included 1967 and 1980 as critical points shows that you consider league dynamics to still be an important factor in defining eras (which I would agree with) - so I still see 1926 as a season that should be the end of one era, personally.

Valid point about 1926. The proximity to 1929-30 and the rule changes that introduced most of the forward passing as we know it and opened up the game, introduction of anti-defense rules, has to be considered.

Basically comes down to interpretation and how history is viewed. !926 you have the one league NHL competing for the Stanley Cup with the best players from the two western leagues blended into the NHL. Perhaps the three seasons may be viewed as a transition period, blending of the rules and styles, culling out the bad, keeping the good, then going forward.

Historically this has some justification. the 1967 expansion took app a three year transition period, as did the absorption of the WHA and the Euro era took app three years to fully blend in.

 

[LeBlondeDemon10]

Hey, I'm sorry, I just had just got up and maybe I was a lil too hard on ya.
Tough hearing about this myth over and over and as Jkrx mentioned, it's even harder hearing it on the History boards.

Again, sorry dude but hey, at least you learned something today
I usually learn something every day on the History boards myself.

Well put. Peace.

 

[Hardyvan123]

Yes I think I pretty much agree with this... especially the goaltenders part. I don't think they are necessarily "better" but I do think that improved technique allows even the average goalie to stop more pucks (the butterfly with bigger equipment taking away the whole bottom of the net for example).

This would seem to make sense with the improving save percentages from the 80s through the 90s as more and more goalies copied Roy and even innovated on top of that.

A thought occurred to me tonight reading through some threads in that the changes in goalie equipment don't get mentioned as often as their impact and affect of the changes during the last 20 years that came with the new "style"on these threads IMO. I wonder how a huge goalie like Dryden in his tiny pads would compare in today's NHL, not very well IMO.

The aviator in Rhiessan71 profile prompted me to think about this, although I think it has greatly changed the game for quite some time already.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Goalie Equipment

A thought occurred to me tonight reading through some threads in that the changes in goalie equipment don't get mentioned as often as their impact and affect of the changes during the last 20 years that came with the new "style"on these threads IMO. I wonder how a huge goalie like Dryden in his tiny pads would compare in today's NHL, not very well IMO.

The aviator in Rhiessan71 profile prompted me to think about this, although I think it has greatly changed the game for quite some time already.

Jacques Plante and the goalie mask in 1959 was the biggest equipment change as the mask changed the way goalies played the game.

The goalie equipment changes have been ongoing since the end of WWII - gloves, skates, etc. More of a cumulative effect than a one time effect.Also a question of the related rule changes.

 

[Axxellien]

Re: Plante & Mask:

Please refer to the 1960, ``Topper`` thread...2 dressed Goalie rule...Major anomaly in an otherwise High point Era in NHL History....

 

[BraveCanadian]

I wonder how a huge goalie like Dryden in his tiny pads would compare in today's NHL, not very well IMO.

I think you're correct. He'd get killed. And not because he was a bad goalie in his time but because his whole style of play has been made obsolete.

Even though he's a pretty big guy he is still going to have to move more often and more correctly to stop pucks than a JS Giguere wearing a house worth of equipment and covering up half the net all the time just due to technique and size.

I don't think the change in goaltending styles from the old stand up and arcobatic style to the efficient and high percentage butterfly/hybrid style (combined with the equipment to allow that style to be even more effective) can be overstated.

The effect is absolutely huge.

 

[Axxellien]

I think you're correct. He'd get killed. And not because he was a bad goalie in his time but because his whole style of play has been made obsolete.

Even though he's a pretty big guy he is still going to have to move more often and more correctly to stop pucks than a JS Giguere wearing a house worth of equipment and covering up half the net all the time just due to technique and size.

I don't think the change in goaltending styles from the old stand up and arcobatic style to the efficient and high percentage butterfly/hybrid style (combined with the equipment to allow that style to be even more effective) can be overstated.

The effect is absolutely huge.

Ditto, The Slap Shot..Goalies were terrified of being decapitated!

 

[Hardyvan123]

Ditto, The Slap Shot..Goalies were terrified of being decapitated!

Aren't goalies kinda fearless for standing in front of a puck anyways?

Most that i have met aren't afraid of anything.

 

[Rhiessan71]

Aren't goalies kinda fearless for standing in front of a puck anyways?

Most that i have met aren't afraid of anything.

We are now but back in the no mask days there was definitely a diff between stopping a slapshot in a close game/playoff game than stopping a slapshot in a blow out.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Mask/Slapshot

We are now but back in the no mask days there was definitely a diff between stopping a slapshot in a close game/playoff game than stopping a slapshot in a blow out.

The mask and the slapshot, in terms of significant usage, became popular almost at the same time.

Pre mask the biggest problem goalies had was with the deflected shot and the screened shot. In fact into the 1930's, players were not allowed to screen the opposing goalie.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

The mask and the slapshot, in terms of significant usage, became popular almost at the same time.

Pre mask the biggest problem goalies had was with the deflected shot and the screened shot. In fact into the 1930's, players were not allowed to screen the opposing goalie.

NHL network had a game from the 1955 playoff finals on the other night. Someone from Detroit took a slapshot. I was surprised because I didn't think anyone was using it that early. Granted, it was the only one I saw. But do you know when players first started using the slapshot? Did Geoffrion use it that early in his career?

 

[Canadiens1958]

Slapshot

NHL network had a game from the 1955 playoff finals on the other night. Someone from Detroit took a slapshot. I was surprised because I didn't think anyone was using it that early. Granted, it was the only one I saw. But do you know when players first started using the slapshot? Did Geoffrion use it that early in his career?

First use of the slapshot is open to debate but it seems to date back into the twenties - Babe Dye? and perhaps earlier.

Bernie Geoffrion was using it in the early fifties, including junior but it was not a major part of his game.

 

[Rhiessan71]

The mask and the slapshot, in terms of significant usage, became popular almost at the same time.

Pre mask the biggest problem goalies had was with the deflected shot and the screened shot. In fact into the 1930's, players were not allowed to screen the opposing goalie.

The slapshot was well in use by the time Plante put on his mask in '59 and most goalies didn't even wear one for many years after that either.
In fact, masks weren't even common place till the very early 70's.
Hell, Plante put his on because of Bathgate's slapshot to begin with.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

First use of the slapshot is open to debate but it seems to date back into the twenties - Babe Dye? and perhaps earlier.

Bernie Geoffrion was using it in the early fifties, including junior but it was not a major part of his game.

Thank you, sir.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

I just skimmed a bio for Bun Cook and it said he "may have invented the slapshot," but I think Dye came a little before Bun.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Relative

The slapshot was well in use by the time Plante put on his mask in '59 and most goalies didn't even wear one for many years after that either.
In fact, masks weren't even common place till the very early 70's.
Hell, Plante put his on because of Bathgate's slapshot to begin with.

Somewhat relative. By 1959 maybe a dozen players used the slapshot on a semi-regular basis. By 1963 a number of the NHL goalies wore a mask - Plante, Hodge, Sawchuk, plus Simmons the Leafs back-up.

By the late sixties maybe 1/2 the skaters had a viable slapshot but a solid majority of the goalies wore a mask.

 

[Rhiessan71]

Somewhat relative. By 1959 maybe a dozen players used the slapshot on a semi-regular basis. By 1963 a number of the NHL goalies wore a mask - Plante, Hodge, Sawchuk, plus Simmons the Leafs back-up.

By the late sixties maybe 1/2 the skaters had a viable slapshot but a solid majority of the goalies wore a mask.

If I remember right, the % of goalies wearing masks didn't even reach 50% until 1970.
I'll have to dig through my book shelves to find the exact info though.
I do know that the last year a goalie played without a mask was '74 and there were two of them.