Easy.
1995-2004. Huge goaltending equipment, clutching and grabbing and the trap all suck.
Things are a little better now but the goaltending equipment is still too freaking big.
Seconded.
In all the years I have watched hockey, I have never been so depressed with the sport as I was between 1997 and 2004.
First the Devils win a cup using the trap. Then half the teams in the NHL started using that trap in 1996, Then the panthers, a crappy expansion team with no star power, went to the finals using a bloody trap, and the next year 1997, everyone was using it.
Combined with Clutching and grabbing, it was terrible for skill players.
Scoring dried up like mad. Especially for top scorers.
The effect of the trap and goaltending equipment on top scorers.
In 1982-83:11 players had over 100 points(Gretzky had 196). 31 players had over 80 points.
In 1983-84:11 players had over 100 points(Gretzky had over 200). 41 players had over 80 points.
In 1984-85:16 players had over 100 points(Gretzky had over 200). 35 players had over 80 points.
In 1985-86:13 players had over 100 points(1 player had over 200). 30 players had over 80 points.
In 1986-87:7 players had over 100 points(Gretzky had 183), 21 players had over 80 points.
In 1987-88: 8 players had over 100 points. 30 players had over 80 points.
In 1988-89:9 players had over 100 points. 34 players had over 80 points.
In 1989-90:12 players had over 100 points. 36 players had over 80 points
In 1990-91:10 players had over 100 points. 29 players had over 80 points.
In 1991-92:9 players had over 100 points. 28 players had over 80 points.
1992-93:20 players had over 100 points. 47 players had over 80 points.
1993-94:8 players had over 100 points. 35 players had over 80 points.
1994-95:Lockout half season.
1995-96:11 players had over 100 points. 33 players had over 80 points.
In 1996-97: 2 players had over 100 points. 19 players had over 80 points.
In 1997-98: 1 player had over 100 points. 9 players had above 80 points.
In 1998-99: 3 players had over 100 points. 12 players had over 80 points
In 1999-2000: 0 players had over 100 points. 9 players had over 80 points
In 2000-01: 2 players had over 100 points. 20 players had over 80 points.
In 2001-02: 0 players had over 100 points. 4 players had over 80 points.
In 2002-03: 3 players had over 100 points. 14 players had over 80 points.
In 2003-04: 0 players had over 100 points. 8 players had over 80 points.
In 2004-05:Lockout Year
In 2005-06: 7 players had over 100 points. 26 players had over 80 points.
In 2006-07: 7 players had over 100 points. 28 players had over 80 points.
Goals per game average league wide.
72-73 4088/624 6.55
73-74 3989/624 6.39
74-75 4932/720 6.85
75-76 4913/720 6.82
76-77 4783/720 6.64
77-78 4747/720 6.59
78-79 4757/680 6.99
79-80 5902/840 7.02
80-81 6457/840 7.68
81-82 6740/840 8.02
82-83 6493/840 7.72
83-84 6627/840 7.88
84-85 6530/840 7.77
85-86 6667/840 7.93
86-87 6165/840 7.33
87-88 6237/840 7.43
88-89 6286/840 7.48
89-90 6189/840 7.36
90-91 5805/840 6.91
91-92 6123/880 6.96
92-93 7311/1008 7.25
93-94 7081/1092 6.48
94-95 3727/624 5.97
95-96 6701/1066 6.29
96-97 6216/1066 5.83
97-98 5624/1066 5.27
98-99 5830/1107 5.26
99-00 6306/1148 5.49
00-01 6780/1230 5.51
01-02 6442/1230 5.23
02-03 6527/1230 5.31
03-04 6318/1230 5.14
05-06 7588/1230 6.17