The Short Shift

[Minar]

How did the short shift start in the 80s. Which teams/coaches began it? Did all the teams switch over to it at once or were there some holdouts? Did teams that used short shifts have noticeable winning effects and did all the other teams follow? Did teams that played with short shifts play against teams that hadn't begun using them yet and what was the result? Were there any players that didn't want to make the change or couldn t adapt?

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[The Panther]

Mike Keenan was known for this in the mid-80s. The Flyers had a huge season in 1984-85, and Keenan got a lot of credit for this, among other things.

Like any simple concept, I'm sure there were numerous pioneers prior to its becoming commonplace.

 

[Michael Farkas]

Short shifts started prior...used to cope with difficult schedule/travel situations (3 games in 4 nights, train travel). Started to become popular with the defensive Flyers teams under Shero, then seemed to really get going under Keenan's defensive clubs of the 80s...coincides with a youth movement that took place in the league in the years to follow...became much more difficult for older players to hang on past 1985 or 86 as compared to, say, 1981 or 82...

A skill lost: shift management...to a degree, stamina. Sunk many players that grew up taking much longer shifts...

 

[Canadiens1958]

Short shifts started prior...used to cope with difficult schedule/travel situations (3 games in 4 nights, train travel). Started to become popular with the defensive Flyers teams under Shero, then seemed to really get going under Keenan's defensive clubs of the 80s...coincides with a youth movement that took place in the league in the years to follow...became much more difficult for older players to hang on past 1985 or 86 as compared to, say, 1981 or 82...

A skill lost: shift management...to a degree, stamina. Sunk many players that grew up taking much longer shifts...

Also employed during long playoff overtime games, injuries or ejections and multiple offsetting penalties.

 

[Khomutov]

I think Viktor Tikhonov was the first in the Soviet Union who introduced short shifts and rolled four lines as a coach of Dinamo Riga.

 

[frisco]

Yeah, Shero famously played three shifts/lines vs. the French Connection in the 1975 Finals. Floyd Smith didn't adapt well as his big line was out for 90-120 seconds always against fresh legs who didn't care about offense-just stopping them.

My Best-Carey