When it came to the new NHL rule about goalie pants, you could say that Jared Coreau was ahead of the curve.
While the rule regarding more tapered, form-fitting, streamlined goalie pants officially went into effect Saturday, Detroit Red Wings goalie Coreau was non-plussed. He wasn’t one of the netminders forced to adjust on the fly.
“Not for me,… Coreau said. “I’ve worn them since the start of the year.…
For larger goaltenders like the 6-6, 220-pound Coreau, they haven’t discovered much of a difference from changing their pants. That’s why he was so quick to make the switch.
“Honestly, I thought mine turned out to be bigger than my old ones,… Coreau said. “So I just switched right away. I like them better actually. They’re more comfortable.…
For smaller goaltenders like the 6-2, 183-pound Petr Mrazek, Coreau’s netminding partner with the Wings, the changeover has proven a bit more problematic.
“It’s a little tighter but maybe there’s a little better movement,… said Mrazek, who didn’t make the switch until he was mandated to on Saturday.
“That was the first time I wear them.…
Donning his new pants, Mrazek may have played his best game of the season, posting a 42-save, 1-0 shutout win at Nashville over the Predators.
“It worked out well,… Mrazek said. “I feel pretty good. Nothing would bother me there, so I was really happy for that.…
Coreau understands why the smaller stature goaltenders would wait until the very last minute to change their pants.
“Yeah, guys that might be a little skinnier, they’re going to drop down in size for sure because before you could get away with it, everyone could wear extra large,… Coreau said. “So now it’s going to be more of a fitted pant. That’s what they’re going for.…
When he first tried on his new pants, Coreau’s mood immediately switched from hesitation to pleasant elation.
“I had one thing pictured in my head and it turned out to be this,… Coreau said. “It’s good. “I think a lot of guys were surprised because when we had bigger waists in the pants, we could tuck our upper body in. But now the waist got smaller.
“For me, it’s OK because I have a big butt. But for some guys, the waist got a lot smaller and they can’t tuck their upper body anymore, so it’s uncomfortable for them. So there’s a lot of guys complaining about that. But I didn’t have any issues. Nothing changed for me.…
He recognizes that not every goalie was as initially delighted about the difference as he was, and that could affect how they perform.
“We might at first just because of goalies being uncomfortable,… Coreau said of potential pitfalls. “But like I said, I thought mine turned out to be bigger, so if anything it’s helping me more than it’s hurting me.…
Mrazek didn’t find it to be too much of an issue in his first night donning his new pants, and wondered what all the fuss was about.
“I don’t think it’s a big difference or big adjustment,… Mrazek said. “You have to get used to it and do what you have to do.…
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