Supplied – Kaz AndrewEarly reports from the NHL General Manager meetings in Toronto suggest the league is looking at changing goaltender equipment in an attempt to increase league scoring. The league save percentage is tied for the best in the league’s history at .915, and it’s starting to look like the return of the Dead Puck Era.
Reducing the size of goalie equipment makes sense. It’s hard to believe the quadraple-XL jerseys and massive square pads are there solely for safety, not to mention the glove that looks like it was made for Andre the Giant if he played second base.
Goalies have clearly improved from the almost laughable standards of the 1980s, but they can’t be a game’s best player most nights. Three-on-three overtime should help add a couple goals and it’s indefensible nature shows why offence is so exciting, with two-on-ones and breakaways on almost every shift. You’ll be hard pressed to find fans raving about how they saw a goalie post a .930 save percentage instead of a sweet deke or a goal. A more form fitting jersey and rounded equipment should help a few more goals fly past the goalies, but that can’t be the NHL’s only action.
Last year’s leading scorer Jamie Ben only had 87 points, the lowest total since the 1967-68 season, and only five players broke 80 points. The NHL hasn’t had more than one 100-point scorer at a time in the last five seasons and part of that is due to Sidney Crosby no longer putting up perennial 100-point seasons. The other part is so much of the game is played at even-strength because of the league’s refusal to call penalties.
The NHL calls about half of the penalties it did in the 2005-2006 season, and virtually every time a puck is dumped in the defensemen interferes with incoming forechecker. Why reward players that are too slow or not skilled enough to play without constantly interfering or hooking the opposition? Not only should the added power plays boost scoring, but it should allow the more faster, skilled players opportunities at even strength and eventually limit then play of those that can’t adjust.
The NHL has never had a better opportunity to implement changes to increase scoring then now with the arrival of superstar rookies Jack Eichel and Connor McDavid. Having these two put up gaudy point totals in their first few seasons is a perfect set up to show off how exciting the league’s offense can be. McDavid might have still put up huge numbers if he didn’t get injured, and Eichel will still probably get 50-60 points, but the NHL needs to start catering to it’s offensive stars instead of the defensive ones.
Sure, 2-1 games can be exciting, but more often than not a game with multiple goals is much more enjoyable to watch. A great defensive play or an acrobatic save just doesn’t compare to a goal from the league’s best. It might be difficult to make a difficult tackle or sack, and it’s still impressive, but it doesn’t come close to a ridiculous Odell Beckham Jr. catch. The NHL needs more plays like the latter, and less like the former.
