We know the average shift in today's game is around 45 seconds and that is considerably shorter than it was in, say, the 1960's, but how much shorter? What was an average shift length back then - does anyone have any quotes on that?
Length of Shifts In the Old Days
- Thread starter BobbyAwe
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I know Don Cherry said one of the reasons Phil Esposito was traded was because he took 2.5 to 3 min shifts and was hurting team
I remember him saying Phil would stay out there through 3 line changes at times but i don't remember him saying he was hurting the team or that that was a reason he was traded? (not disputing what you say, just the clip i saw only mentioned that he "would not come off the ice".)
Well, anyway - if 2.5 - 3 minutes was an extraordinary length of time for someone to be on the ice then the average length of a shift must have been what...1.5 - 2 minutes at the most?
Killion
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- Feb 19, 2010
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Late 60's immediate post Expansion through the 70's ya, Id hazard to guess it averaged 1:30-2mins or so. However, in some situations, like Hull during the 71 Playoffs' against Montreal, he'd be double or even triple shifting but thats an extraordinary player. Legendary stamina & strength. When Fred Shero first started deploying a short shift game with the Flyers, it was mentioned that in one series against Buffalo, he had deployed 3 line changes including defensive pairing against the French Connection in a 97 second time span. So Robert, Perrault & Martin were around a minute and a half plus, while Shero's Shock Troops were pouring in & out of the hive every 32 seconds like angry Hornets... If we go back a bit further, the last 7-8yrs of the 06 era, Id put it at 2:00 as being the average shift length, and the farther we go back, the longer the shifts.
SealsFan
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- May 3, 2009
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Any of the pickup ice- and roller-hockey games I played as a kid featured 2-3 hour shifts! 
Any of the pickup ice- and roller-hockey games I played as a kid featured 2-3 hour shifts!
Hell, my shifts were 60 minutes in a regular game, not counting overtime.
Killion
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Hell, my shifts were 60 minutes in a regular game, not counting overtime.
Yep. Mine too. One of the reasons I became a Goalie. Never wanted to get off the ice.
Them LONG shifts
If you want to see an example of Phil Esposito's long shifts, watch him in the 1972 Summit Series. His LONG shifts must have been playing havoc with the changing of the lines. Had I been involved with the team, and he was doing that, I would have had someone - perhaps John Ferguson - emphasizing the necessity of Esposito not staying on the ice any longer than his linemates.
Had the pleasure of playing on a line with someone like Esposito, although a few rungs lower on hockey's food chain. You darn near had to pull this guy off the ice, and his justification for not wanting to come off was his insistence that he was our team's best scorer, and our best chance of scoring was with him on the ice. He was, in fact, our best goal scorer. He did have a terrific shot, and, unfortunately, his focus was solely on trying to score. He did not want to backcheck, or check at all. All he wanted was to be set up to take his big shot.
Know what a suicide pass is? Must admit I gave my linemate a few.
If you want to see an example of Phil Esposito's long shifts, watch him in the 1972 Summit Series. His LONG shifts must have been playing havoc with the changing of the lines. Had I been involved with the team, and he was doing that, I would have had someone - perhaps John Ferguson - emphasizing the necessity of Esposito not staying on the ice any longer than his linemates.
Had the pleasure of playing on a line with someone like Esposito, although a few rungs lower on hockey's food chain. You darn near had to pull this guy off the ice, and his justification for not wanting to come off was his insistence that he was our team's best scorer, and our best chance of scoring was with him on the ice. He was, in fact, our best goal scorer. He did have a terrific shot, and, unfortunately, his focus was solely on trying to score. He did not want to backcheck, or check at all. All he wanted was to be set up to take his big shot.
Know what a suicide pass is? Must admit I gave my linemate a few.
Canadiens1958
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1926 Chart of Plays
A glimpse at shifts during the 1926 playoffs. Scroll left to the Chart of Plays, bottom:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=M7wtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7IsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6515,4051059
Two substitutions in the first period, one per team, then more as the game progressed thru the 2nd and 3rd period.
A glimpse at shifts during the 1926 playoffs. Scroll left to the Chart of Plays, bottom:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=M7wtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7IsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6515,4051059
Two substitutions in the first period, one per team, then more as the game progressed thru the 2nd and 3rd period.
C1958.. i know you must have a pretty good idea of the shift-lengths in the 1950's/1960's? What's your estimate?
Now i'm wondering if Esposito's rep for being a fairly slow skater came from the fact that he was on the ice for 3 or more minutes at a time? Obviously had to be pacing himself?
Canadiens1958
Registered User
Variable Lengths
Typical would range 1 1/2 upwards of 2 minutes interrupted by penalties and game situations.
Overlooked is the impact of the schedule on shift length.
Below is a look at the Canadiens 1959-60 schedule and results:
http://www.flyershistory.com/cgi-bin/hspgames.cgi
Fair number of strings where the Canadiens played 3 games in 4 nights and a string of 4 games in 5 nights. Toe Blake would go to four line rotations with shifts tending around one minute, deeper into the string. Blake would also adjust against tired opponents by playing shorter shifts to tire them further.
Interesting game December 26, beating Chicago 9-2. Canadiens had not played since December 20, Chicago was on the road 3rd game in 4 nights. Chicago wore down by the 3rd period with the result they gave up six goals. Following night at home against Boston, Chicago won 6-1, playing their 4th game in 5 nights. Boston did not have the depth or balance to roll four lines.
Typical would range 1 1/2 upwards of 2 minutes interrupted by penalties and game situations.
Overlooked is the impact of the schedule on shift length.
Below is a look at the Canadiens 1959-60 schedule and results:
http://www.flyershistory.com/cgi-bin/hspgames.cgi
Fair number of strings where the Canadiens played 3 games in 4 nights and a string of 4 games in 5 nights. Toe Blake would go to four line rotations with shifts tending around one minute, deeper into the string. Blake would also adjust against tired opponents by playing shorter shifts to tire them further.
Interesting game December 26, beating Chicago 9-2. Canadiens had not played since December 20, Chicago was on the road 3rd game in 4 nights. Chicago wore down by the 3rd period with the result they gave up six goals. Following night at home against Boston, Chicago won 6-1, playing their 4th game in 5 nights. Boston did not have the depth or balance to roll four lines.
LeBlondeDemon10
Registered User
I had one that was a doozie. Must have been that 16 ounce steak. Should have taken a picture of it for y'all. Oh, shifts.
I had one that was a doozie. Must have been that 16 ounce steak. Should have taken a picture of it for y'all. Oh, shifts.
Have I got an anecdote for you.
In Brad Kurtzberg's book, Shorthanded (page 234), Rick Kessel tells the story of Joey Johnston leaving such a "doozie" in his skate, one day when he, Kessel, was running late for a practice. Cost Kessel $50. Love to know how Kessel knew that "doozie" belonged to JJ.
And people think Steve Downie was not very nice to his teammates.
Canadiens1958
Registered User
3:19 Shift
Second period of the Canadiens at Sabres game tonight, P.K.Subban had a 3:19 shift according to the RDS TV commentators. Combination of the second period long change and icings.
Second period of the Canadiens at Sabres game tonight, P.K.Subban had a 3:19 shift according to the RDS TV commentators. Combination of the second period long change and icings.
Crosbyfan
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- Nov 27, 2003
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It would be interesting to know the duration of that shift in real time, from first drop of puck, or hitting the ice, to final whistle or when he got off. Some of those icings where the players are trapped can be stalled between the whistle and puck drop, and some can be fairly quick.
3:19 can seem like an eternity if the first part is at a fast pace...
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