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

[Saskatoon]

Hopefully more 1 year contracts.

I liked what most GM's did this year but I think when the cap goes up they will be dumb again

 

[tnfrs]

the next big trend is everybody taking russians early

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Smaller faster teams that have skill. The big hulking players will not be viewed as necessary unless they can skate.

Can you help me understand this? There are literally only a handful of players that would fit the your description of hulking players who can't skate. Also, if you look at the serious contenders, why would you think that smaller teams would be the future? Agree on the faster part, but everything else seems hyperbolic.

 

[TBF1972]

jt miller trade rumors

 

[LokiDog]

I’m amazed that I made it through two pages without anyone saying that lacrosse style tricks will become more common. I’m not in favor of it, but almost every kid growing up right now is watching and emulating “influencers” who are picking up the puck and doing triple spin, fake between the leg, self aerial pass, baseball bat videos on social media and the NHL has these guys showing up at the ASG, etc. to perform them. I don’t think the horrendously silly dispy-doodles im talking about will ever be a thing in pro hockey but I feel pretty certain we see more and more players born 2002 and later start trying to pick the puck up, especially around the time that the 2010 born draft class is breaking in.

 

[SEALBound]

Teams will prioritize running at least 3 good lines - Tampa didn't win anything until they had a proper top 9.

I actually hammer on this a lot, especially with the Penguins roster and Mike Sullivan's coaching theories about what each line should do.

Old School:
Scoring Line 1
Scoring Line 2
Defensive Line
Energy / Checking Line / Randos

But I think we've seen Cup teams for the last several years look more like this:

New School:
Scoring Line 1
Scoring Line 2
Scoring Line 3
Defensive Line

Certainly the Penguins 2016 Cup team was evidence that running this is the way to go when HBK is your 3rd line. It can be hard to get a competent top 9 though but I guess that's also why it's tough to win a cup and why only one team each year does it.

 

[Peat]

I think there's two current trends that conflict

One is believing in small guys with lots of skill who can score

The other is big mobile dmen who can push small guys to the outside and take away all the prime scoring opportunities. There's not really been enough of them that it's an issue all the time, but it's pretty much defining the playoff winners, and I think as a new generation of skaters enter the league, I think you'll see more of them.

Either the small guys start finding ways to avoid letting the big guys win, or the big guys start pushing small guys out of the league again



I also think there's a logical trend of having very defensively responsible forwards who can cover down low for smaller dmen who are a wizard with the puck

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Shorter goalies.

 

[biturbo19]

I think there's two current trends that conflict

One is believing in small guys with lots of skill who can score

The other is big mobile dmen who can push small guys to the outside and take away all the prime scoring opportunities. There's not really been enough of them that it's an issue all the time, but it's pretty much defining the playoff winners, and I think as a new generation of skaters enter the league, I think you'll see more of them.

Either the small guys start finding ways to avoid letting the big guys win, or the big guys start pushing small guys out of the league again



I also think there's a logical trend of having very defensively responsible forwards who can cover down low for smaller dmen who are a wizard with the puck

I don't think the Big, Mobile Defenceman is necessarily a "new trend". That's always been coveted. But i think the pressure is just going to keep ratcheting up to find a bunch of them. I think there's also probably going to continue to be a shift to where the offensive component isn't viewed as importantly with these big mobile "new school" defensive D.

The follow-on consequence of that, combined with the lack of need for more than 1 or 2 Powerplay defencemen, is probably going to see teams course correct on all these small "puck movers" that have started to get picked more highly and get more run out at the NHL level of late. Back to devaluing that sort of skillset in favor of bigger, more defensive guys who can bully the smaller skill forwards that are also becoming so prevalent.


I still don't know if that really constitutes a "new trend". It's more just a cyclical correction in value. But nonetheless, i feel like you can already start to see it happening. At the end of the day, big defensively responsible defencemen who can really skate, are always going to come back into style.

 

[TLEH]

I think you see star players demand more money and quit taking discounts. Also shorter term deals. I think Matthews is the new norm for stars. I think it eventually becomes a 1-3 year thing for guys that are true stars.

 

[Three On Zero]

jt miller trade rumors

Been there, done that. How about no JT Miller trade rumours for a season?

 

[GrumpyKoala]

 

[Bank Shot]

I actually hammer on this a lot, especially with the Penguins roster and Mike Sullivan's coaching theories about what each line should do.

Old School:
Scoring Line 1
Scoring Line 2
Defensive Line
Energy / Checking Line / Randos

But I think we've seen Cup teams for the last several years look more like this:

New School:
Scoring Line 1
Scoring Line 2
Scoring Line 3
Defensive Line

Certainly the Penguins 2016 Cup team was evidence that running this is the way to go when HBK is your 3rd line. It can be hard to get a competent top 9 though but I guess that's also why it's tough to win a cup and why only one team each year does it.

Carolina won with the second format in 2006.

I'd argue pretty much only Anaheim and LA won in the Cap era with an offensively challenged bottom six.

 

[Offtheboard412]

Carolina won with the second format in 2006.

I'd argue pretty much only Anaheim and LA won in the Cap era with an offensively challenged bottom six.

Depth is the key. I think people get too caught up in chasing trends when what it ultimately comes down to is it's a 60 minute game. Your top forwards are only going to be on the ice for about 1/3 of the game, and your top defenseman about 1/2 of it. How well your team plays in the other 1/2 to 2/3 of the game often ends up being the difference.

 

[Breakers]

5 forward powerplays
Or

Big Buff v Luongo style PP setup
Just a massive specimen in the crease

 

[Jeremy Hronek]

Not sure if this is a trend, but more drop passes on 5 on 5 breakouts. Lets players enter the zone with speed and possession rather than a dump and chase style.

 

[mphmiles]

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.

Teams have wanted these guys for decades. There's just not very many of them in existence. In general, size and skating ability have an inverse relationship.

 

[mphmiles]

It's already kind of started with guys like Boldy/Caufield, etc. but younger, non-superstar players getting more term and money, and older players getting less of both.

There's a crazy amount of bad, aging money on the books of many NHL teams right now, and teams are realizing that you're much better off paying a 21-22 year old for what you think he's going to do than a 29-30 year old for what he's done in the past.

 

[Brent Burns]

It’s already happening but the death of the slap shot. With todays sticks, snap shots and wrist shots have speeds of 80+mph. Combine that with even less space on the ice, taking a huge wind up is a luxury most can’t afford. Not to mention telegraphing your intent to goaltenders.*

*Literally none of this applies if you’re Ovi, though

 

[orby]

A few predictions for the next several years

2024 - Team captains wearing Groucho glasses during the game
2025 - Every team in the league changing their goal song to "Blue" by Eiffel 65
2026 - Players refusing to score due to moral objections
2027 - Goalies not using sticks anymore, for the sake of a challenge
2028 - Referees using slide whistles
2029 - Goalies using two sticks because it was too hard with none
2030 - Frosted tips
2031 - Every player in the league demands to be traded

 

[Peat]

I don't think the Big, Mobile Defenceman is necessarily a "new trend". That's always been coveted. But i think the pressure is just going to keep ratcheting up to find a bunch of them. I think there's also probably going to continue to be a shift to where the offensive component isn't viewed as importantly with these big mobile "new school" defensive D.

The follow-on consequence of that, combined with the lack of need for more than 1 or 2 Powerplay defencemen, is probably going to see teams course correct on all these small "puck movers" that have started to get picked more highly and get more run out at the NHL level of late. Back to devaluing that sort of skillset in favor of bigger, more defensive guys who can bully the smaller skill forwards that are also becoming so prevalent.


I still don't know if that really constitutes a "new trend". It's more just a cyclical correction in value. But nonetheless, i feel like you can already start to see it happening. At the end of the day, big defensively responsible defencemen who can really skate, are always going to come back into style.

Big and mobile always has been and always will be in style, yeah.

The question is what happens when there's not enough. I think there was a long spell in the NHL where teams were happy to drop the mobility part for their dmen if needed. Then Chicago and Pittsburgh roasted a few teams for that and teams rethought it.

Which, as you say, has led to teams ratcheting up the pressure to find them. And doing so.

I don't think smaller puck movers are going to completely go out of fashion. The advantage a team gets for having a guy who's pretty much a guaranteed breakout is huge. But I think they're going to be a lot more selective with them if there starts being enough big, mobile guys who can play with the puck to go around.

 

[TheNumber4]

The biggest and hottest trend to hit the NHL in decades is already here according to Bettman: Digital Ads. The fans want them, the fans say they make the game better (somehow). You said this right? Bettman didn’t just make that up right?

 

[Killer Orcas]

Can you help me understand this? There are literally only a handful of players that would fit the your description of hulking players who can't skate. Also, if you look at the serious contenders, why would you think that smaller teams would be the future? Agree on the faster part, but everything else seems hyperbolic.

Maybe I over sold "hulking players" but GM's still pass over skill for size as Benson being taken behind Daniil But this year shows. There is still guys in league that are only in it for size with Gudbranson getting another big deal with Columbus last season. As per the smaller players comment was more meant to state players won't be viewed negatively because of size anymore moving forward but judged more on talent and skill. If every team moves this direction won't be a need for size regardless. Fast smaller players with skill will have more room out there as well making game more entertaining. Just my opinion as how I see the game moving forward.

 

[BlueDream]

This has been the trend for the last 5 years and will only continue so.

No it hasn’t. 4 of the last 5 Cup winners have all been big teams (Washington, STL, Tampa, Vegas). Teams are not trending toward getting smaller and never have been.

 

[Belial]

Not sure if this is a trend, but more drop passes on 5 on 5 breakouts. Lets players enter the zone with speed and possession rather than a dump and chase style.

You would be surprised how my fans all over the league are sick and tired of that drop pass!!! Maybe not on 5on5 play but on the PP for sure!