ScottM Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 This was inspired by the Eric Lindros thread. @pilldoc brought up the "greatness" criteria that @JR Ewing uses to judge players and their impacts on the game/Hall of Fame worthiness. Rule number 18 of that criteria reads as follows: "18. Was the player innovative, inspire a new style of play, or cause the league to change any of its rules as a result of the way he played?" @JagerMeister said that rule 18 would be the hardest one to score a point in, to which @ruxpin replied that the Hall of Fame has a Rule #18 room for that reason. Anyway, that got me to thinking about players who would qualify for a point there. I haven't had a chance to sit down and think it through completely, but I thought I'd give a few that came to mind off the top of my head. Wayne Gretzy For a time, offsetting penalties didn't lead to a reduction of players on the ice, meaning no 4-on-4 or 3-on-3 play because of them. The reason was the dominance of the Oilers with the additional open ice. Of course, that was changed later allowing the Penguins with Lemieux and Jagr to dominate. Bobby Orr Orr is the reason that the days of the stay-at-home defenseman eventually ran out and the rushing defenseman became popular. Any blueliner that could lead the league in scoring was bound to have that effect. Martin Brodeur No matter what anyone says, the trapezoid was introduced because of Brodeur. Unlike most goalies, he was a spectacular puck handler, and was better able to create breakouts and less likely to turn the puck over. Bobby Hull/Stan Mikita These guys are the reasons that there is a limit to the curvature of a stick blade. Mikita started it (making the discovery by accident), but when Hull, the greatest gaol scorer of the time took it up, the "banana blade" took off in popularity. Clint Benedict Did you know that it was once illegal for a goalie to leave his feet to make a save? Well, that changed because Benedict "fell down" so much. To prevent his "clumsiness" from granting an advantage, the rule was changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagerMeister Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 A palpable omission in Doug Harvey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 @ScottM Boom Boom Geoffrion invented the slapshot. Glenn Hall the butterfly. Jacques Plante the mask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podein25 Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 Bobby Clarke First guy to come to camp in shape. Also, best ever faceoff guy. Also dirtiest player. Also hardest working ever. Also an a-hole. In all, an innovative guy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 @Podein25 Not to mention the "behind the net office". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted November 24, 2015 Author Share Posted November 24, 2015 A palpable omission in Doug Harvey. Yeah, the idea of a minor penalty ending after a goal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Ewing Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 The ultimate rule change to thwart a guy: the owners of the Habs, Wanderers, Bulldogs, and Arenas forming the NHL in the 1917 offseason so they would be rid of Blue Shirts owner Eddie Livingstone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted November 24, 2015 Author Share Posted November 24, 2015 The ultimate rule change to thwart a guy: the owners of the Habs, Wanderers, Bulldogs, and Arenas forming the NHL in the 1917 offseason so they would be rid of Blue Shirts owner Eddie Livingstone. That's quite a way to make the list, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Ewing Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 Clint Benedict Did you know that it was once illegal for a goalie to leave his feet to make a save? Well, that changed because Benedict "fell down" so much. To prevent his "clumsiness" from granting an advantage, the rule was changed. What I always wanted know: why the NHL waited until 1918 to institute that rule in the first place. The Patrick brothers, when creating the PCHA, allowed goalies to leave their feet to make saves back when the league formed for the 1912 season. Mind you, even though the names and dates change, this is the NHL we're talking about, and not much has changed. It also took them three more years to start awarding assists, too, along with a host of other innovations the Patricks thought of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilldoc Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 @ScottM What a great thread idea Scott...I'm learning some hockey history here...well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted November 24, 2015 Author Share Posted November 24, 2015 What I always wanted know: why the NHL waited until 19818 to institute that rule in the first place. The Patrick brothers, when creating the PCHA, allowed goalies to leave their feet to make saves back when the league formed for the 1912 season. Mind you, even though the names and dates change, this is the NHL we're talking about, and not much has changed. It also took them three more years to start awarding assists, too, along with a host of other innovations the Patricks thought of. The NHA/NHL guys always seemed to lag behind the Patricks. I shudder to think where hockey might have ended up if not for those guys. It's extremely slow going, but I'm working on a collection of mini-biographies. When I did the Patricks, I was amazed at how much they contributed in the roles of player, coach, owner, and league president. @pilldoc Thanks. That's one of the reasons I like doing threads like this. I always learn something from them. Yeah, I know. I'm a nerd. Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlaskaFlyerFan Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 I can't believe no one has mentioned him yet...Mario Lemeuix. He whined and complained about the hooking, clutching and grabbing and threatened to retire unless the NHL changed the rules. Mario got his way.You can decide if the rule changes were for the better or worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 @AlaskaFlyerFan Then hired basically every dirty player this era has seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polaris922 Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 I can't believe no one has mentioned him yet...Mario Lemeuix. He whined and complained about the hooking, clutching and grabbing and threatened to retire unless the NHL changed the rules. Mario got his way.You can decide if the rule changes were for the better or worse.He didn't get his way. It's as bad now as it's ever been. And what you call whining I call criticizing the truth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 @Polaris922 Would you call Crosbys first few years in the league "criticizing the truth'....cause if Mario didn't coach him to whine criticize the truth, I'll eat my hat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaGreatGazoo Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 He didn't get his way. It's as bad now as it's ever been. And what you call whining I call criticizing the truth.I won't deny there was a lot of truth in his comments regarding the clutching/grabbing of that era. There is also a lot of truth in the fact that he is the ONLY player to threaten retirement over the conditions that every player of his era had to endure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polaris922 Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 @flyercanuckCrosby whined a lot when he started. He was still just an 18 year old punk kid.@DaGreatGazooI remember him Not whining when Adam Graves broke his wrist to get him out of the playoffs... I remember him not whining when taking a spear to the spine after returning from a back injury... And I remember him returning to the NHL after suffering from lymphoma. I remember him saving my franchise not once, but twice.... And I remember him being attacked by non-skilled players night in and night out because the league frowned on goons and the officials wouldn't protect him like they had Gretzky, despite him being the "fave" of the NHL. I'm looking at his six Art Ross trophies listed on a banner as I type this... All the abuse, adversity, and punishment he took, despite the greatness he brought? I'd say the man earned the right to voice his opinion without being degraded for it. To try to make the owners open their eyes and put skill back into the game. To try to fix what's wrong with hockey to this day... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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