Is it time for the NHL to transition to larger size European rinks?

[ArGarBarGar]

then explain 4 on 4 hockey with current ice....why is it better in many ways??

Because there is more space in the dangerous areas of the ice with a standard size rink. Increasing the size of the rink only adds space OUTSIDE of the high danger areas. You aren't really adding anything but extra space on the outside.

They aren't directly comparable.

 

[Melrose Munch]

No.

You're not a fan of the game then.

 

[Butch 19]

Are we due for this silly thread again? I didn't realize it's been a year already.

The league with the bigger ice have been going smaller. NHL owners would never approve bigger ice because it means less seats.

Can we close this now?

why not just close the thread??

 

[Zenos]

If I recall the Olympic ice is the same length, but just wider than an NHL rink. Whilst the European ice is also longer and wider. So to me, the Olympic ice might be the best option

First of all, there isn't really one single Olympic ice anymore. Pyongchang, Sochi, and Turin were played on 60 m x 30m rinks (196.9 ft × 98.4 ft) whilst Vancouver was an NHL standard 200ft x 85ft and SLC was something in between.

Secondly, all rinks whether NHL or IIHF standard are (essentially) the same length.

 

[Oddbob]

No, BARF!

 

[KevFu]

It's really not economically feasible, because every rink was already built around one size and forcing teams to carve out concrete and re-do their lower bowls (disrupting ice level clubs and premium amenities) is just not going to have the votes.

Even if they grandfathered it: All new arenas being built need to be built for IIHF rink sizes, it would still take like 40 years to get everyone to the same size, and no one wants 40 years of different sized rinks.

They'd be more likely to switch NHL hockey to 4 on 4 instead of 5 on 5 than expand the rink size.

 

[Dread Clawz]

Itll slow the game down

Yup. The nhl is the best league in sports because the players are so big strong and fast playing on small ice. I dont want to watch the khl(no offense to them).

 

[Krispy]

Nooooo, don't go bigger ice, it's boring.

 

[RyCanadian]

Team owners wouldn't like making the ice bigger either because that means they will have to take out a few rows of seats and that will be less profit for them.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Yup. The nhl is the best league in sports because the players are so big strong and fast playing on small ice. I dont want to watch the khl(no offense to them).

The problem is players have gotten so big, strong and fast that on small ice there is no time for players. We've seen this with how the league constantly tries to make different rule changes to free up time and space for players. Whether it's been cracking down on interference and obstruction, to holding and hooking, to reducing the size of the neutral zone, etc.

In european sized rinks you much more frequently see teams creating extended zone pressure, because there is more time and space to hold onto the puck and tire out the defense. This was more common in NHL in the past, and while some might like the much more run-and-gun, dump-and-chase style of the NHL, I think there is a middle-ground to be found.

Thinking a bigger ice suddenly makes the NHL into the KHL is ridiculous, just think about why most people find the NHL a lot more fun to watch when the action is 4-on-4 or 3-on-3. It's because suddenly players can actually get out of position, suddenly there's space for skilled players to hold onto the puck and find openings. Suddenly there's a strategic element to the play that isn't as evident in the exhausting non-stop, full-speed, dump the puck ASAP style of the average 5-on-5 NHL game.

 

[SotasicA]

Itll slow the game down

This.

It's horrible. Puck carriers retreat too easily and avoid getting checked. Play goes even further away from scoring areas.

Elite skill separates itself better in smaller rinks.

I like the idea of increasing scoring areas though, and that comes by way of increasing net sizes. Just a tad. Like, one post width each direction. So that it doesn't affect how a goalie plays, and how he has learnt to play the game. Just that everything that currently hits the post, is suddenly a goal.

 

[Zine]

I dont buy this. The KHL is a more dynamic league than any league in the world outside of the NHL, and their leadership believed that transitioning to NHL ice would improve their product. This is an obvious appeal to authority argument, but do you genuinely believe you know better than KHL executives?

The KHL’s transition to small ice was never done to improve the product per se.
It was done in response to the IIHF’s mandate that all IIHF competitions would conform NA rink size.

 

[Hanji]

Why does it need to be standardized? Let each individual NHL franchise decide on the ice surface they play on albeit NHL, International or hybrid size.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Burke on a mission to increase ice surface size

Interesting article by Bob McKenzie from several years ago. Burke believes in increasing the surface to 90 feet rather than 85. I agree with him for a lot of reasons but mostly to allow more room for speed through the neutral zone. Way too easy for teams to stand on the blueline and simply take up space forcing a dump in.

Bigger ice is not something anyone at the NHL - from commissioner Gary Bettman to any of the hockey operations department - is necessarily championing or even making an issue of at this point. But Burke did say when 30 NHL GMs were asked in a straw poll on merits of the 90-foot-wide rink, the vote was 24-6 in favour. That was a few years ago.

24-6 in favour is interesting, if NHL GMs see it this way then there's more to it than most responses in this thread would suggest.

 

[HaNotsri]

I think they should allow teams to have different measurements for their rink. Would create som variety.

If you want to increase scoring larger nets would be the way to go.

To start calling penalties would also help to open things up.

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

Plenty of situations where I enjoy watching 4 on 4 hockey more... due to room for more skill plays on the ice

The rink size for the NHL has not changed for a long time. While players have become faster + system designed to clog the neutral zone and in front of the net

Is it time to increase the rink size to European rink size standard?? A few lost seats shouldn't be a big deal. Can make it up by charging a little more for the other seats. Should help with overall fan experience with the bigger ice.

Who gives a f*** about what YOU like? I don't and I like the smaller rinks. It appears this is a stalemate.

 

[Mikeshane]

There have been on-ice adjustments too. Thomas said he's trying to get used to playing on the larger ice surfaces in Europe.
"Because there's so much area it's almost kind of easier to defend just because you can let the guys play on the outside," he said.

Thomas making adjustments on, off ice as pro career starts in Germany

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Hasn't it been shown that bigger ice doesn't increase goals or scoring chances. If anything it might lead to more cyclling.

Yup, it has been shown. I think if anything, smaller goalie equipment makes the most sense. These guys are geared up like they're in bomb defusal.

 

[Theodore450]

No

 

[JoelWarlord]

Bigger ice makes scoring even harder. The dangerous areas of the ice are still the same size and the boards (which are safe places to make zone entries) are just further away from the dangerous areas.

 

[golfortennis]

I'm still not convinced 60 foot zones wouldn't solve a lot of issues. It's still 11 feet to the goal line, correct? And 54 feet neutral zone...ugh.

And call the damn rule book. And shrink the goalie equipment.

Personally if there was a way to keep coaches from strangling the creativity out of things, I'd be all for a larger rink. But I know coaches are like lawyers and ruin everything, so.

 

[DannyGallivan]

The NHL is far more fast-paced and exciting, largely because of the smaller confines. If you've ever asked anybody who's seen European league play and the NHL, they'll bend you ear how boring hockey on the big ice can be because of how they defend.

 

[Shocker]

Pretty sure teams at least in Finland have already been transitioning down from the airport size rinks to smaller, "hybrid" rinks.

Bit bigger than NHL, but not that much.

 

[ShonSaunders]

Most Europeans in the NHL will tell you that one of the hardest adjustments to make in the NHL, is the speed difference. Smaller ice leads to a faster game.

 

[DFC]

If a team clogs up the slot, it doesn't matter how much room you have to go for a skate.