The point total of the top players is a joke

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

That's where you're wrong.

If goalie equipment were smaller, more shots would be considered "scoring chances"

Back in the 70s, you'd see Lafleur skate all the way to the offensive zone and score with a blast from the faceoff circle.

Nowadays, how many goals are actually scored that way? Almost none.

So we're all gonna forget what is a bad goal and what is a scoring chance? Sounds reasonable.

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

Goalie equipment has LOT to do with the entertainment value. What people call scoring chances really aren't because there is no realistic way to get the puck past the wall of equipment.

There was no need to increase save % from .880 averages but, with the equipment explosion of today, we have seen save % average about .910. What is the benefit of that? Boredom.

ugh, i thought you couldn't be more wrong earlier but I guess I was wrong. You are so off base it isn't even worth trying to explain it to you, again.

 

[Pablo Aimar]

So we're all gonna forget what is a bad goal and what is a scoring chance? Sounds reasonable.

It is only a "bad goal" because the Michelin man in net is able to stop it by just standing there. Modern goalie equipment is a joke.

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

It is only a "bad goal" because the Michelin man in net is able to stop it by just standing there. Modern goalie equipment is a joke.

Wrong.

Modern goalie equipment is smaller than it was in the 90's.

And like has been said a hundred times, how many goals are stopped by that extra 1/2 inch on the left or right side of a pad/blocker.

They've reduced goalie equipment twice in the past decade and S% keeps going up. Please explain that.

 

[Trottier]

They're free to have whatever opinions they want. I wonder how many of them just want more exciting play and are thinking of their desires in the simplest terms, aka, "more goals." I personally don't want more goals if the goals are easier to come by. If they come from more exciting play, that's another thing entirely.

Don't disagree with a word.

 

[boredmale]

Don't disagree with a word.

I'll play devils advocate.

As somebody who remembers watching hockey in the 80s as a kid I do think there was something entertaining having teams half full of guys who look like they were skating in mud, it allowed the stars to shine

 

[Vikke]

Wrong.

Modern goalie equipment is smaller than it was in the 90's.

And like has been said a hundred times, how many goals are stopped by that extra 1/2 inch on the left or right side of a pad/blocker.

They've reduced goalie equipment twice in the past decade and S% keeps going up. Please explain that.

They've reduced the gloves and pads, right? Not pants and the upper body armor, which is huuuuuuuge.

 

[SladeWilson23]

So we're all gonna forget what is a bad goal and what is a scoring chance? Sounds reasonable.

I don't think any time a shooter comes down the wing and fires one past the goalie un-obscured should be considered a bad goal.

 

[Regal]

While I agree in general with those saying that more goals don't necessarily make the game better, and scoring chances is more important, I think there's a limit you get to where the game is so defensive with such good goalies that it's nearly impossible to create many good scoring chances. Also, while goals are necessarily more exciting in themselves, the momentum swings from goals are.

 

[middletoe]

Sure, I would have loved to be there. But, should a Gretzky feat by achievable by any great scorer in the game at any given time just for the sake of excitement? Also, Gabby scored 5 on NYR years back and there've been a few 4 goal games by individual players the last few years, no?

Good response, you win there.

Anyway, here's what I'd like to see changed.
- reduce the size of goalie equipment to the minimum it can be and still be adequately protective.
- start calling penalties according to the rule book while simultaneously tackling embellishment with stiffer supplemental penalties.
- change elbow and shoulder padding to be softer and yet still adequately protective.
- make games equal in value (I personally prefer the 3 point system).
- make on-ice officials more accountable for their performances.
- better define what a late hit, and an extremely late hit are. Heavily punish those that are extremely late.
- give a 1 minute penalty instead of 2 for the puck over the glass infraction.
- stiffer penalties for guys that continually cross the line with dangerous play like Rinaldo did recently on Letang.
- look into the viability of using real time off-ice video officials.

These changes would probably ruin the game for some hockey fans, but then were they really true hockey fans? Kidding of course.

 

[Trottier]

I'll play devils advocate.

As somebody who remembers watching hockey in the 80s as a kid I do think there was something entertaining having teams half full of guys who look like they were skating in mud, it allowed the stars to shine

Playing Devils Advocate with the wrong guy.

I LOVED high-powered NHL hockey of the 80s.

LOVED it in the 90s, both the high powered (early part of the decade) and the defensive minded (latter part) versions.

LOVED it in the 00s.

LOVE it now.

Times, styles of play, change...and then change again.

 

[Whambino]

Times change, and people and things evolve. Sure, all those points are cool and all, but players today are far superior. It's very exciting for me to see a defenseman break up a 2-on-1 or a 3-on-1, which didn't happen nearly as much decades ago. I know the old-timers loved all the goals, but the game is different, and goals will never get back to the totals they used to be. Instead of reminiscing of the"good ol' days", learn to love the way the game is. Plus, i think it's cool how you have the "immortals" of the game. No one is ever going to have the point totals that Gretzky did, even if the are a more skilled player. I like how the guys that shaped the game today will forever be untouched in the record books. It adds some kind of legend to hockey that few other sports will ever know. Also, I think it says something about the fans too. I think the hardcore fans of today are more dedicated to hockey than the "hardcore" fans of the past that only care about the points. We look at structure and the teams, not just the few great players. I don't know, it just seems lame to me to say you're a hardcore hockey fan when you think the game today is garbage. If 20 years from now, games almost always ended 1-0 or 2-1, I'd still love hockey. Fact is players, and systems, are far superior. That makes for some darn good hockey.

 

[nexttothemoon]

4 on 4 hockey all game long. I'd love to see it although I'm sure purists wouldn't.

Would really open up the game and allow speed and talent to take over.

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

4 on 4 hockey all game long. I'd love to see it although I'm sure purists wouldn't.

Would really open up the game and allow speed and talent to take over.

Didn't know the NHL was summer roller league.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Didn't know the NHL was summer roller league.

Not yet unfortunately.

 

[Radek27]

It's what to expect from the least talented yet overpaid generation of NHL hockey players there has ever existed.

 

[Chukcha]

get rid of 4th shutdown line or limit their ice time. In 80s the 4th line was entirely enforcers line, which usually played 2-4 min per game. So there was just one shutdown line - it's the 3rd one. They couldn't prevent goals from two scoring lines, so top two lines had to play against each other and competed for scoring, not for shutdowning.

 

[daver]

Didn't know the NHL was summer roller league.

You know it used to be 6 on 6 way back when. Sports need to evolve. There's no room out there, and a bigger ice surface is not the answer.

 

[bojaffa]

Have the goalies take the face masks off like in the good old days.. Scoring should increase then. Players are bigger and faster than ever so there is less time and space. Two important factors when trying to score. Make the ice bigger. They play on the same size rink as 8 year olds.

 

[the paisanos guy]

It's what to expect from the least talented yet overpaid generation of NHL hockey players there has ever existed.

Is this serious? The level of talent in the NHL today is unquestionably higher than the past just from the sheer number of people playing as well as the huge increase in training. It's ridiculous to say otherwise.

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

Just make the goalie equipment smaller.

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

It's what to expect from the least talented yet overpaid generation of NHL hockey players there has ever existed.

Not least talented, just the talent is more spread out.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

low scoring games are entertaining, I'm not saying every game 1-0 or 2-1, but when every game is 8-7 and every team has 3-5 100 point guys, it's a little ridiculous.

It's like in football, I love football, love it. But I kinda miss when games were 13-10.

 

[Hot Water Bottle]

I think the underlying issue is that NHL players and coaches carry a lot of pride to the point of excess (hell, people practically get run out of the league for doing spin moves.) Sure, the fans might have loved seeing Gretzky and Lemieux torch the opposing team, but nobody wants to be that embarrassed team on the receiving end. Teams WILL change their system to make sure it doesn't happen again ... so that's how you end up with what you've got today.

Maybe hockey just isn't cut out for having a real star system like the NBA - and there's nothing wrong with that, it's actually better in a lot of ways!

 

[Radek27]

Is this serious? The level of talent in the NHL today is unquestionably higher than the past just from the sheer number of people playing as well as the huge increase in training. It's ridiculous to say otherwise.

Since when does quantity describe quality? How many 50 goal scorers in the NHL? How many guys break 100 pts? We used to have guys who could score 50 in 50, now they can barely get 40 in 82.