Ken Dryden's suggestion for making hockey better

Schafer might disagree, but Ken Dryden has an interesting take on making hockey a more wide-open game.

dbilmes
Schafer might disagree, but Ken Dryden has an interesting take on making hockey a more wide-open game.

Dryden's nailed it. Just look at any photo of him in a Cornell uniform side by side with one of Leneveu or Galajda. Dryden had to flash a glove or kick out a pad or swing a stick to make a save. Today such a move earns oohs and aahs like it's some kind of miracle. Dryden in pads still looked like a normal human. As I've written here before, today's goalies look like Bibendum the Michelin man.

Add more pucks.

Agree with Ken. Goalie pads are way too big, so if they have to make the net bigger, so be it. And if they want to increase scoring, repeal the "Gretzky Rule" and have teams skate 4 x 4 during offsetting minors.

And if you want to talk Bibendum, look at the goalies in the indoor lacrosse league. Those guys are all pads.

I’ve noticed this year especially how much congestion there is, limiting the impact of skill. If slightly increasing the net size can have a ripple effect to minimize the congestion, I’m all in favor.

They call them "goalie pads" for a reason. They are supposed to protect the goalie, not the goal.

all for it.. 6 inches all around. wonder if it would require some fixes to the ice making where ever the chilling under the net lives.

I'd also go back to the rectangular crease instead of the dome shaped one.

scoop85
I’ve noticed this year especially how much congestion there is, limiting the impact of skill. If slightly increasing the net size can have a ripple effect to minimize the congestion, I’m all in favor.

If we really wanted to eliminate the congestion then the ranks all have to get bigger, like Olympic size or even more.

Players are just so much taller/bigger and faster these days than they were back when they game was first played (or even just compare to the 70s) and the rink dimensions were set. Today there is effectively so much less space on the ice as a result.

dbilmes
Schafer might disagree, but Ken Dryden has an interesting take on making hockey a more wide-open game.

...said the thieving giraffe.
But I actually agree with him. Dryden's size gave him an edge, but without his quickness he would've gone nowhere.
I would be nervous about hitting a cooling line if I drilled new holes in the concrete under the ice to anchor the wider net. Engineers get to work. Once we have flexibility in net size, maybe peewees should have a smaller net.

I hate 99% of all new ideas.

I like Dryden's idea.

Hockey goals should result from the strategy, angles, and quickness of the shooter and the goalie - not their equipment.

On one hand, I don't disagree. But I don't think hockey is too low on goals, either.

Dafatone
On one hand, I don't disagree. But I don't think hockey is too low on goals, either.

I sure do. Too easy for a team badly outplayed to hang within a goal and then tie or win on a fluke goal off a knee or skate or strange bounce off a board.

Baseball has had some of the same issues with gloves being twice as big as yrs gone by. Not sure how changing plate size would hurt or help the game.

Basketball would be interesting too.. They lower rims for smaller kids but never raise them for older kids.. 11 ft rims would change shooting for sure and make it less of a dunk fest.

soccer uses smaller goals at lower levels, watching so many 0-0, 1-0 games at the highest level.. why not experiment with goals 2-3 ft wider or taller just to see what effect it has on some of the friendlies.

fball went the other way making goal posts narrower, moved them further back as kickers got better.

golf is trying to make courses longer and harder for better players too.

There are "scrum goals" and there are "shooter's goals"; there are "clean saves" and there are "flop saves". Watching shooters cleanly beat the goalie and watching goalies cleanly beat the shooter is more fun than watching knock-hockey. Has there been a significant decrease in goalie injuries since goalie pads have become wider? Somebody must be keeping track of actual results.

i think a combo of 1) larger net 2) smaller pads 3) 200x100 rink would all be good for the game.

The Rancor
i think a combo of 1) larger net 2) smaller pads 3) 200x100 rink would all be good for the game.

Start with smaller pads. Easiest to implement and goalies won't look so ridiculous. Technology advances make pads much more protective than in Dryden's (and my) day.

Posted by: George64 (---.rochester.res.rr.com) [ PM ]
Date: May 10, 2013 11:58PM

Al DeFlorio

There was a time when a goalie looked like a human, with legs, arms, and a recognizably human form. A save required moving a glove, a stick, a blocker, or a leg. No more. Today a goalie is so padded he just stands in the way. A snapped glove save causes wonderment in an announcer.

Compare any photo of Dryden in a Cornell or Montreal uniform with any goalie today. No wonder it's so difficult to score anymore, and why teams like this year's RPIs and Colgates can hang in with and beat much better teams even though dominated on the ice.

I couldn't agree with you more. Here are goalie pads from 1902, 1965 and 2012. Kanji at 5'11" is over 4" shorter than Dryden, but taller than the goalie on the left (Dave Quarrie?) in the 1965-66 freshman team photo who appears to be about the same height as 5'10" Brian Cornell.

Hey now if it weren't for those huge pads Omar wouldn't have been able to stop 6 out of the 10 shots he faced!

Don't know how to post this here as a photo so here's a link.

[images.app.goo.gl]

Article that included above photo, worth a read.

[www.hottytoddy.com]

Al DeFlorio
Don't know how to post this here as a photo so here's a link.

[images.app.goo.gl]

Article that included above photo, worth a read.

[www.hottytoddy.com]

Miracle on Ice as "the greatest moment in United States history"? Somehow I was expecting better editing than the Sun.

Beeeej

Al DeFlorio
Don't know how to post this here as a photo so here's a link.

[images.app.goo.gl]

Article that included above photo, worth a read.

[www.hottytoddy.com]

Miracle on Ice as "the greatest moment in United States history"? Somehow I was expecting better editing than the Sun.

There must have been a sales on woulds.

George64
Posted by: George64 (---.rochester.res.rr.com) [ PM ]
Date: May 10, 2013 11:58PM

..... the goalie on the left (Dave Quarrie?) in the 1965-66 freshman team photo .....

I believe George Swan was the other goalie on that frosh team.... Dave Quarrie would have been on the varsity at that time.

The Rancor
i think a combo of 1) larger net 2) smaller pads 3) 200x100 rink would all be good for the game.

I don’t know where else to put this.

George64

The Rancor
i think a combo of 1) larger net 2) smaller pads 3) 200x100 rink would all be good for the game.

I don’t know where else to put this.

That is either an understanding spouse or an ex-one.

George64

The Rancor
i think a combo of 1) larger net 2) smaller pads 3) 200x100 rink would all be good for the game.

I don’t know where else to put this.

unless you have another room with a lot of floor space that's where i'd put it too

It's Been 50 Years Since Ken Dryden Stunned the Hockey World

[apple.news]

Ken Dryden was a splendid goaltender - but he isn't exactly a one-trick pony. THAT's what makes me happy he's a C.U. grad!

osorojo
Ken Dryden was a splendid goaltender - but he isn't exactly a one-trick pony. THAT's what makes me happy he's a C.U. grad!

Sort of like RBG, who could do law and opera.

Swampy

osorojo
Ken Dryden was a splendid goaltender - but he isn't exactly a one-trick pony. THAT's what makes me happy he's a C.U. grad!

Sort of like RBG, who could do law and opera.

Or Coulter: imbecility and virulence.

Cornell taught me enough NOT to compare RGB or AC to KD.

Dryden on hits to the head.
[nationalpost.com]