Babcock wants bigger nets

[Digityman]

He has a point, especially after looking at the pictures in the article.

Remember when goalies were really small? No? Well, you must be young then. Because they used to be a lot smaller.

Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock remembers those days. In fact, his boss, Detroit general manager Ken Holland, was one of those small goalies.

“My general manager used to be a goalie, have you seen the size of him?” Babcock told ESPN’s Craig Custance recently. “No really. Have you seen the size of the goalies?”

Babcock’s point: something has to be done to get goal-scoring back to the levels the NHL experienced in the days of the small goalie. Whether it’s shrinking the size of equipment or — gasp — increasing the size of the net.

“If the goalies [are] getting bigger then the net is getting smaller,” Babcock said. “By refusing to change you are changing. Purists would say you can’t do it because you’re changing the game but by not changing you are changing the game.”

NHL general managers, including Holland, are meeting in Toronto today to discuss, among many other things, the size of goalie equipment and how it may be reduced safely.

By the way, here’s a picture of Holland (5-foot-8, 160 pounds) when he was playing goal for the Wings in the early 1980s (via The Goalies Archive):

And here’s current Wings goalie Jimmy Howard (6-foot-0, 210 pounds):

Source

[jammer2]

There is not many things that can make me stop watching hockey, but messing with the size of the nets is one of them. It's something that should never, ever be messed with. It's like moving the pitchers mound from 100 feet to 90....it would create a unfair advantage to the offensive players and make the entire league a joke. I'm out if this happens...it's just to much to even process.

[flyercanuck]

How about taking a FOOT off the top of the goalies pads? Or making the catchers mitt HALF the size?

[hf101]

There is not many things that can make me stop watching hockey, but messing with the size of the nets is one of them. It's something that should never, ever be messed with.

 

Well jammer, the nets WILL be shallower this year.

 

 

It wasn’t one of the major changes made by the competition committee, but shallow nets will be making their debut in training camp.

 

The net depth will be reduced by four inches helping make the room behind the net slightly more spacious.

 

It also has to benefit the quick players getting a few extra wrap arounds.

[jammer2]

@hf101  At first I shrugged it off, thinking it won't make that much difference, but after reading the article, I realized those wrap arounds will be easier to score.....this will be open season for quick guys like Patrick Kane. Thank the good Lord Bryz is gone, his crease to crease coverage was already brutal.

[hf101]

this will be open season for quick guys like Patrick Kane. Thank the good Lord Bryz is gone, his crease to crease coverage was already brutal.

 

Absolutely,  guess Briere will get a few of these also.   :wacko:

[flyercanuck]

Absolutely,  guess Briere will get a few of these also.   :wacko:

 

 

 Only if he tries.