What do you think will be the next big 'trend' in the NHL?

[RRhoads]

I think we'll see less 7-8 year deals.

 

[ACLEVERNAME]

They'll surely take off this year.

 

[wintersej]

Boston and Vegas style box + 1 zone defense.

 

[ijuka]

Vegas, Seattle, Carolina, Dallas type strategy compared to say Edmonton/Toronto/Colorado.

Was it Vegas, Seattle Carolina, or Dallas's strategy to not draft a star player? You will not convince me of this unless they actually had a Matthews-level player who they traded away, wanting depth in return.

 

[SensontheRush]

Still waiting on the next era of goalies that are constantly springing long bomb passes to their teammates.

 

[DapperCam]

Giant skilled centers. Every GM trying to recreate Tage Thompson magic and getting burned.

 

[savebyrichter94]

Emily Kaplan

@will1066 is way ahead on this trend

They'll surely take off this year.

Someone please return Mr Jokinen’s chain

 

[blundluntman]

In a post apocalyptic timeline, I’d imagine the Flyers bring back the slacks

 

[Strangle]

It feels like the 'giant goaltender' trend is cooling off a bit. What's next?

Hopefully skilled tough guys.

A generation of Wendel’s and Lindros’

 

[Mr Positive]

Boston and Vegas style box + 1 zone defense.

There is talk that the Oilers will be trying this after Vegas sliced through the Oilers far too often

 

[DJJones]

Was it Vegas, Seattle Carolina, or Dallas's strategy to not draft a star player? You will not convince me of this unless they actually had a Matthews-level player who they traded away, wanting depth in return.

You wouldn't trade away Matthews. You'd trade Tavares/Marner/Nylander and improve your depth.

Star players should be able to score without a 10 million dollar side kick or a 50 million top 6. Not unless they are the Oilers and are breaking records on the powerplay anyway haha.

 

[doublechili]

Big, fast defensemen.

The trend has already started the past 5 years or so but it will become more apparent when the most recent crop of defensemen are all in their prime playing years.

I think this is exactly right.

And I think there’s a good chance it could extend to forwards as well. More really, really good skaters with some size with some skill but not elite more generally could turn out to be really useful and be the new big hulking players or energy players.

In parallel I think there will be some coach who finds a way to clog things up in a more modern way to effectively counter speed and skill based offense. That would then be a good fit for elite skaters with reach and strength.

Currently there is certainly a tendency towards smaller and faster teams that have skill. Skill and speed are here to stay, but I’m not convinced that extrapolating the last 5 years is the best predictor of the next 5 and beyond, and not convinced future Stanley Cup winners will have smaller average / median players. Has that even happened at all yet? I honestly don’t know, but the last five years of SC winners don’t feel exactly small, (but maybe some stat would prove me wrong).

I'll add that the "defensive defenseman" will become a highly mobile, agile skater who can move the puck but is more defensive than dynamic, perhaps with some hitting ability mixed in. The big, slower, bang-it-off-the-glass guys will be extinct.

 

[NYR94]

I was going to say this. Once upon a time it was the blueprint to try to have a Roy/Brodeur/Hasek/Belfour etc type of goaltender to win the cup but in recent years the only champ to boast that type of Vezina-tier franchise altering goaltender is Tampa who not so coincidentally went back-to-back. I think Vegas did the right think with Hill in that if after another 2 years he's still playing at this level they can get him for more, but signing a long term deal is a huge risk for a goaltender. No position will rival what is happening with RBs in the NFL but the closest thing will be goalies

I thought of running backs too, rough position in football

 

[McDonald19]

We will start seeing a decline in big/physical players as the NHL slowly moves towards no fighting.

That already happened several years ago. I’d like to see a pivot back towards more physicality actually.

 

[Joe Hallenback]

Curious that people think size won't matter when it clearly mattered to Vegas

 

[Mobiandi]

I pray the NHL gets an influx of goaltenders with a definitive style. It’s a little saddening to see all these stanley cups won by interchangeable, plug-and-play guys who got hot at the right time

 

[IpsoPostFacto]

see through trappers and goalie pads

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Goalies stacking the pads more often on one-timers. It is the quickest way to take away the most probable part of the net they're going to shoot at. However, coaches still fear a goalie being dead in the water if they don't shoot but in my opinion it outweighs the risk.

I saw some nice pad stacks last year, might be making a comeback

 

[AvroArrow]

More athletic/skilled big men, like Tage Thompson. The NBA had this trend first, guys like McGrady/Durant started coming into the league. Before that traditional big men weren't really mobile. They used their size/strength, weren't really super athletic and poor ball handling skills.

In the NHL we had Hedman come in, 6ft6 D man that skates smoothly and provides good offense. Now a guy like Thompson. The Tkachuk brothers as well, they don't just play a big mean game, lots of skill. Jason Robertson is another example.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Taking votes away from 90% of the media, and having a panel, for trophies.

 

[Bank Shot]

You wouldn't trade away Matthews. You'd trade Tavares/Marner/Nylander and improve your depth.

Star players should be able to score without a 10 million dollar side kick or a 50 million top 6. Not unless they are the Oilers and are breaking records on the powerplay anyway haha.

None of those teams traded star players for depth. Vegas did the opposite. Your theory is dead in the water, just like the Calgary Flames.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Kravtsov theory

 

[kingsholygrail]

Robot league.

 

[Mike C]

More plays "under review"....


.....and for longer!

 

[DJJones]

None of those teams traded star players for depth. Vegas did the opposite. Your theory is dead in the water, just like the Calgary Flames.

Well ya, they didn't spend 11 million on a 2c to begin with. They already had depth

And the theory has been right for years. GM's are just slow