Maybe nothing?

Brian Hedger ‏@BrianHedger 17s17 seconds ago
Q thinks Teravainen will be able to play vs #NJDevils
- MNHawk

Cool - I was hoping it wasn't a pending trade because I really don't want them to trade TT.

Maybe nothing?

Brian Hedger ‏@BrianHedger 17s17 seconds ago
Q thinks Teravainen will be able to play vs #NJDevils
- MNHawk

But we know q-speak. It could mean he could play for team he is traded for vs. NJD.

IIRC McNeill was thought to be the most NHL ready of forwards drafted that year.

Ran across this at Sportsnet and agree 100% with Spector that the greatest position in all of sport is being taken over by 6ft 5in guys with barely any NHL talent: Why it’s time to call NHL goaltenders’ bluff http://www.sportsnet.ca/h...ll-nhl-goaltenders-bluff/
- Mr Ricochet

The equipment should be downsized before any notion of making the nets larger is addressed.

For example the trapping glove...Instead of being more like a 1st baseman's glove it's the diameter of an exlarge pizza.

The equipment should be downsized before any notion of making the nets larger is addressed.

For example the trapping glove...Instead of being more like a 1st baseman's glove it's the diameter of an exlarge pizza.
- Al

100% agree. How about restricting the leg pads? Now-a-days, the leg pads have that extra long piece that goes up from the knee to mid-thigh. It's the 5-Hole stopper. Do you guys remember when leg pads were just above the knee? Guys would go into the butterfly and you could see their knees (with protectors on of course). Marty B was the last guy that I can remember to wear that style. I think adjusting not only the glove size, but the leg pads would be just as important.

The equipment should be downsized before any notion of making the nets larger is addressed.

For example the trapping glove...Instead of being more like a 1st baseman's glove it's the diameter of an exlarge pizza.
- Al

Everything besides the helmet and skated need down sizing.

100% agree. How about restricting the leg pads? Now-a-days, the leg pads have that extra long piece that goes up from the knee to mid-thigh. It's the 5-Hole stopper. Do you guys remember when leg pads were just above the knee? Guys would go into the butterfly and you could see their knees (with protectors on of course). Marty B was the last guy that I can remember to wear that style. I think adjusting not only the glove size, but the leg pads would be just as important.
- Hank3Henshaw

And Marty B was one agile dude who could skate. Even back then the guys were wearing taller pads but guys like Marty kept theirs shorter because a taller pad slowed you down, made you less agile moving side to side and recovering back to your feet (back when the position was played on your feet before the equipment "changes".

I tell anyone who will listen to me the safest place in any building is standing in the blue paint. Not even all bullets could be felt through the new equipment. The forwards are as protected as the goalies were 20 years ago.

So TT got hurt at practice??

The equipment should be downsized before any notion of making the nets larger is addressed.

For example the trapping glove...Instead of being more like a 1st baseman's glove it's the diameter of an exlarge pizza.
- Al

Call the penalties.

Right after the lost season, average PPs per game were 5.83 per team; aferage GPG were 3.06 per team.

Last year, average PPs per game (after steadily decreasing year after year) were down to 3.06 per team - a little more than half of what they were; average GPG was 2.52 per team.

Call the penalties, get the PPs - and, more important, flow the game so that penalties aren't continuously thwarting scoring chances.

So TT got hurt at practice??
- SimpleJack

Don't know - it was reported he didn't finish practice.

And Marty B was one agile dude who could skate. Even back then the guys were wearing taller pads but guys like Marty kept theirs shorter because a taller pad slowed you down, made you less agile moving side to side and recovering back to your feet (back when the position was played on your feet before the equipment "changes".

I tell anyone who will listen to me the safest place in any building is standing in the blue paint. Not even all bullets could be felt through the new equipment. The forwards are as protected as the goalies were 20 years ago.
- Mr Ricochet

Yep. Absolutely. Sometimes I think the more equipment the players have on, the more dangerous things can be. Sounds ridiculous, but look at football. Those guys are running full speed and basically wearing armor. Could be why we're seeing an increase in injuries. The hard plastic and rubber of the equipment is basically a weapon out there.

I think switching to the shorter leg pads would certainly expose some of the goalies who aren't as agile/athletic and do rely more on their bulkier pads. It would be interesting to see.

Also, I remember that Marty was the least protected (in terms of padding) goalie in the league. He gave up padding so he could move and be agile. So cool.

McNeill's a FLOATER plain and simple. I said it a few years ago after seeing him play live in junior and nothing's changed. He gets buy on his high draft status in the bus league, but in The Show, you got to SKATE, HUSTLE and get dirty. His inconsistency in doing any of that is a major reason he's been bypassed time and again.

Great to see the Monster Mash called up too.

So regarding David Jones, wasn't he on Stan's radar couple years back? He would be nice depth guy that has size and decent hands. Just wonder what Stan will have to part with in order to move 29?? Also curious as to why Mashinter is up. Garbutt wearing the you ain't playing jersey at practise. Why? When he played on the big line he looked good.

Hmmmm... Hoping for some nice payback against NJ. 5-1 will do just fine.

Also Happy Veterans Day and belated happy birthday to my other brother Marines.... (USMC 94-99)

McNeill's a FLOATER plain and simple. I said it a few years ago after seeing him play live in junior and nothing's changed. He gets buy on his high draft status in the bus league, but in The Show, you got to SKATE, HUSTLE and get dirty. His inconsistency in doing any of that is a major reason he's been bypassed time and again.

Great to see the Monster Mash called up too.

- philco28

Why? We've got Garbutt...how many useless plugs do we need on the active roster?

Yep. Absolutely. Sometimes I think the more equipment the players have on, the more dangerous things can be. Sounds ridiculous, but look at football. Those guys are running full speed and basically wearing armor. Could be why we're seeing an increase in injuries. The hard plastic and rubber of the equipment is basically a weapon out there.

I think switching to the shorter leg pads would certainly expose some of the goalies who aren't as agile/athletic and do rely more on their bulkier pads. It would be interesting to see.

Also, I remember that Marty was the least protected (in terms of padding) goalie in the league. He gave up padding so he could move and be agile. So cool.
- Hank3Henshaw

I would be in favor of this if they also went back to wood sticks.

Why? We've got Garbutt...how many useless plugs do we need on the active roster?
- Ogilthorpe2

Garbutt's been fine. Mash earned the C in Rockford and now has earned a call up.
I wish him the best !

Wasn't he in the PB against the Hawks too last week?

Mashintor is up because he is playing well and can handle that stuff. The Blues got even cheaper than usual after the Hawks got that lead last week. Desi seems to no longer be interested in that aspect and Garbutt is staying away too. Better to have someone other than Toews mixing it up.
- tredbrta

In what ways were the Blues even cheaper than usual?

Call the penalties.

Right after the lost season, average PPs per game were 5.83 per team; aferage GPG were 3.06 per team.

Last year, average PPs per game (after steadily decreasing year after year) were down to 3.06 per team - a little more than half of what they were; average GPG was 2.52 per team.

Call the penalties, get the PPs - and, more important, flow the game so that penalties aren't continuously thwarting scoring chances.
- StLBravesFan

I'm more in the camp at reducing the size of equipment...As was stated almost every piece of goalie equipment is too large. I would start with the trapper but there is more that can be done.

In all sports, because every league figures all Americans have the attention span of a 4 year old the rules are being tweaked to try to have more scoring.

There needs to be a consistent standard in the ever changing NHL as far as officiating...and more powerplay don't necessarily lead to more scoring but can certainly can ruin the flow of the game. The flow/pace of the game is the most important aspect...Because speed of play is what attracts people to watch. A fast 2-1 game is fine...People seem to like playoff hockey.

Issue is defense can be coached up and is at every level and a power play can only be see so good for so long in the video coaching era. Combine that with huge goalies and excessively large equipment and scoring has to go down.

I'm more in the camp at reducing the size of equipment...As was stated almost every piece of goalie equipment is too large. I would start with the trapper but there is more that can be done.

In all sports, because every league figures all Americans have the attention span of a 4 year old the rules are being tweaked to try to have more scoring.

There needs to be a consistent standard in the ever changing NHL as far as officiating...and more powerplay don't necessarily lead to more scoring but can certainly can ruin the flow of the game. The flow/pace of the game is the most important aspect...Because speed of play is what attracts people to watch. A fast 2-1 game is fine...People seem to like playoff hockey.

Issue is defense can be coached up and is at every level and a power play can only be see so good for so long in the video coaching era. Combine that with huge goalies and excessively large equipment and scoring has to go down.
- Al

I don't think equipment for goalies is an issue right now. I think the main issue for less scoring is that the nets are still the same size and goaltenders are just much bigger. That, and they are just better overall than they used to be with regards to technique/etc.

The way that NHLers shoot the puck today with the help of the great sticks that they have to me warrant the needed protection. To me, the best solution to having more scoring would be to increase the size of the net by an inch or so in each direction.

That is, if you really want more scoring. I don't really see why it is an issue with the current rate.

I'm more in the camp at reducing the size of equipment...As was stated almost every piece of goalie equipment is too large. I would start with the trapper but there is more that can be done.

In all sports, because every league figures all Americans have the attention span of a 4 year old the rules are being tweaked to try to have more scoring.

There needs to be a consistent standard in the ever changing NHL as far as officiating...and more powerplay don't necessarily lead to more scoring but can certainly can ruin the flow of the game. The flow/pace of the game is the most important aspect...Because speed of play is what attracts people to watch. A fast 2-1 game is fine...People seem to like playoff hockey.

Issue is defense can be coached up and is at every level and a power play can only be see so good for so long in the video coaching era. Combine that with huge goalies and excessively large equipment and scoring has to go down.
- Al

I get what you're saying about flow of the game, but if the officials would really stick to a a strict interpretation of interference rules in both the regular season and playoffs, the result would be more PP's initially, eventually followed by increased scoring chances once the players adapted to the "new" rules and stopped interfering.

Now it's making sense!!
@MarkLazerus: Adding Brandon Mashinter gives the #Blackhawks a second enforcer, to go along with noted goon Jonathan Toews.


- Marlowe

or maybe he is the latest 1st line LW tryout....

2 goons on the 1st line....i like that

I don't think equipment for goalies is an issue right now. I think the main issue for less scoring is that the nets are still the same size and goaltenders are just much bigger. That, and they are just better overall than they used to be with regards to technique/etc.

The way that NHLers shoot the puck today with the help of the great sticks that they have to me warrant the needed protection. To me, the best solution to having more scoring would be to increase the size of the net by an inch or so in each direction.

That is, if you really want more scoring. I don't really see why it is an issue with the current rate.
- carcus

If you restricted the size of the goalie equipment to an absolute limit, instead of a limit that is proportional to the size of the goalie, then the average size of the goalie would shrink.

Also, why does the frontal profile of a goalie's leg pads need to extend 5 inches beyond the width of the goalie's shin? The goalie could be safely protected with much thinner leg pads.

I'm more in the camp at reducing the size of equipment...As was stated almost every piece of goalie equipment is too large. I would start with the trapper but there is more that can be done.

In all sports, because every league figures all Americans have the attention span of a 4 year old the rules are being tweaked to try to have more scoring.

There needs to be a consistent standard in the ever changing NHL as far as officiating...and more powerplay don't necessarily lead to more scoring but can certainly can ruin the flow of the game. The flow/pace of the game is the most important aspect...Because speed of play is what attracts people to watch. A fast 2-1 game is fine...People seem to like playoff hockey.

Issue is defense can be coached up and is at every level and a power play can only be see so good for so long in the video coaching era. Combine that with huge goalies and excessively large equipment and scoring has to go down.
- Al

I'm not necessarily looking for more PPs.

Call the interferences / holdings in the neutral zone that impede progress into the zone - eventually they will end, and flow will be dramatically improved.

Garbutt's been fine. Mash earned the C in Rockford and now has earned a call up.
I wish him the best !
- philco28

He's a useless plug with hands of stone. He's a poor man's Ben Eager...without the scoring touch.

The Sharp trade is shaping up to be Stan's worst yet.

The equipment should be downsized before any notion of making the nets larger is addressed.

For example the trapping glove...Instead of being more like a 1st baseman's glove it's the diameter of an exlarge pizza.
- Al

Seems like this conversation comes up every couple years. One thing is certain, ya don't need to be a hockey historian to know that goalie equipment has grown in size over the decades while the net opening has been static since the dawn of the game.

Compare the equipment of Tony Esposito circa 1970 to Corey Crawford today.

It needs to also be noted that the players today are physically much larger as well. Heck Ken Dryden was a monster back in the day at what...6'4" and 200 lbs.?

My opinion if the desire is to increase scoring, DO NOT increase the size of the net opening and focus on goalie equipment instead...without sacrificing protection and safety of course.

I don't think equipment for goalies is an issue right now. I think the main issue for less scoring is that the nets are still the same size and goaltenders are just much bigger. That, and they are just better overall than they used to be with regards to technique/etc.

The way that NHLers shoot the puck today with the help of the great sticks that they have to me warrant the needed protection. To me, the best solution to having more scoring would be to increase the size of the net by an inch or so in each direction.

That is, if you really want more scoring. I don't really see why it is an issue with the current rate.
- carcus

Instead of trying to explain how much safer goalie equipment is than 15-20 years ago to help get the point across that they are the safest people in the building I'll use your point about the sticks the shooters use these days. As you mention they propel the puck so much faster than a decade + ago.

Why is it that most every single player blocks shots nowadays even though the puck moves so much faster? That wasn't the case 20 years ago. The reason is the forwards and D have equipment that's nearly as safe as what a goalie wore 25 years ago.

So if the forwards/Dmen are safer today the goalies must be too, no?

The goalie is safe, Spector points out there were few puck injuries to goalies even 20 years ago. .......... Reduce the size of jerseys, catching glove, pad height, shoulder pads, chest protector width, pants and scoring will bump up.

What it will do is weed out those with a blob body and little skill and open spots to players with skill. And, again as you mention with the sticks, there just aren't that many in the world who can play NHL goalie. When those players get spots on a roster, in place of low skill blob bodied goalies, is when scoring will rise to a point that it will register a difference.