New Rules?

[Jim Hyla]

USCHO article on the coaches meeting.

It would change our game:

Anastos, the rules committee chair, said the most prominent idea presented to increase scoring opportunities was to not allow players to intentionally leave a skating position (i.e., kneel or lay down) to block shots.

Read more: http://www.uscho.com/2013/05/10/committee-hears-coaches-ideas-on-regionals-ncaa-selection-but-consensus-lacking/#ixzz2SvYnINeR

[Josh '99]

USCHO article on the coaches meeting.

It would change our game:

Anastos, the rules committee chair, said the most prominent idea presented to increase scoring opportunities was to not allow players to intentionally leave a skating position (i.e., kneel or lay down) to block shots.

Read more: http://www.uscho.com/2013/05/10/committee-hears-coaches-ideas-on-regionals-ncaa-selection-but-consensus-lacking/#ixzz2SvYnINeR

What?  That's absurd.  I came around to understand the hand pass thing (conceptually, there isn't really any reason why you should be allowed to hand pass in the defensive zone).  This is just nuts (said lots of people about every rule change ever in any sport, I'm sure).

[Rita]

USCHO article on the coaches meeting.

It would change our game:

Anastos, the rules committee chair, said the most prominent idea presented to increase scoring opportunities was to not allow players to intentionally leave a skating position (i.e., kneel or lay down) to block shots.

Read more: http://www.uscho.com/2013/05/10/committee-hears-coaches-ideas-on-regionals-ncaa-selection-but-consensus-lacking/#ixzz2SvYnINeR

How stupid. When I played defense, I was pysched it I got a good block on a shot and prevented a scoring chance. If this passes, maybe next up would be to get rid of the goalie for a "shooter tutor".

[Al DeFlorio]

USCHO article on the coaches meeting.

It would change our game:

Anastos, the rules committee chair, said the most prominent idea presented to increase scoring opportunities was to not allow players to intentionally leave a skating position (i.e., kneel or lay down) to block shots.

Read more: http://www.uscho.com/2013/05/10/committee-hears-coaches-ideas-on-regionals-ncaa-selection-but-consensus-lacking/#ixzz2SvYnINeR

How stupid. When I played defense, I was pysched it I got a good block on a shot and prevented a scoring chance. If this passes, maybe next up would be to get rid of the goalie for a "shooter tutor".

They could start by changing the rules on goalie pads so they'd look like this again: http://cdn77.psbin.com/img/mw=360/cr=n/d=lemah/obyehic09x0uuygx.jpg

[billhoward]

Like what, the pads barely reaching the knees?

[billhoward]

USCHO article on the coaches meeting.
It would change our game:

Anastos, the rules committee chair, said the most prominent idea presented to increase scoring opportunities was to not allow players to intentionally leave a skating position (i.e., kneel or lay down) to block shots.
Read more: http://www.uscho.com/2013/05/10/committee-hears-coaches-ideas-on-regionals-ncaa-selection-but-consensus-lacking/#ixzz2SvYnINeR

Can't drop to your knees or to the ice to block shots? What's so terrible about that? Scoring goes up, fewer players get injured blocking hard shots, you could go back to half-visors.

[Al DeFlorio]

Like what, the pads barely reaching the knees?

Like a human being rather than the Michelin man.  LeNeveu's chest padding made him look more deep than wide.

[Trotsky]

USCHO article on the coaches meeting.
It would change our game:

Anastos, the rules committee chair, said the most prominent idea presented to increase scoring opportunities was to not allow players to intentionally leave a skating position (i.e., kneel or lay down) to block shots.
Read more: http://www.uscho.com/2013/05/10/committee-hears-coaches-ideas-on-regionals-ncaa-selection-but-consensus-lacking/#ixzz2SvYnINeR

Can't drop to your ,knees or to the ice to block shots? What's so terrible about that? Scoring goes up, fewer players get injured blocking hard shots, you could go back to half-visors.

This seems like the wrong way to go about it though.  Kind of like saying a wide receiver can't leave his feet to catch a pass because that's dangerous.

Limiting the size of the goaltender's padding is the most effective (and least invasive) way to restore a little more balance, though as long as they continue to aggressively punish impedence penalties I don't even think a big problem exists anymore.

I wouldn't cry if they banned composites, either, from what I've read, which granted isn't very much.

[George64]

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.

[David Harding]

Here's another fine idea!

Among the outside-the-box ways to get more of a balance in scheduling was this idea: Disqualify any teams that play more than 60 percent of their non-conference games at home from NCAA tournament consideration. That concept, however, was a non-starter among the coaching body as a whole.

[billhoward]

This seems like the wrong way to go about it though.  Kind of like saying a wide receiver can't leave his feet to catch a pass because that's dangerous.

Limiting the size of the goaltender's padding is the most effective (and least invasive) way to restore a little more balance, though as long as they continue to aggressively punish impedence penalties I don't even think a big problem exists anymore.

I wouldn't cry if they banned composites, either, from what I've read, which granted isn't very much.

Football isn't made of hard rubber, isn't sailing at 60+ mph, isn't capable of hitting you in the face. The purpose of blocking a shot is to interpose a solid and defenseless object in the way of the puck.

Limit the size of the goalie pads? That'd be okay, too. No reason you can't do both.

I've never subscribed to the Hemingway theory that only bullfighting and auto racing are true sports because there you risk your life. (I'm still undecided about gymnastics Olympic ribbon waving as a true sport.) I'd extend that to not believing you must have facets to sport that ramp up the risk of injury.

[Ben]

Surely making the goals bigger would be the easiest way to increase scoring. But is that even a desirable end?

[Trotsky]

This seems like the wrong way to go about it though.  Kind of like saying a wide receiver can't leave his feet to catch a pass because that's dangerous.

Limiting the size of the goaltender's padding is the most effective (and least invasive) way to restore a little more balance, though as long as they continue to aggressively punish impedence penalties I don't even think a big problem exists anymore.

I wouldn't cry if they banned composites, either, from what I've read, which granted isn't very much.

Football isn't made of hard rubber, isn't sailing at 60+ mph, isn't capable of hitting you in the face. The purpose of blocking a shot is to interpose a solid and defenseless object in the way of the puck.

Limit the size of the goalie pads? That'd be okay, too. No reason you can't do both.

I've never subscribed to the Hemingway theory that only bullfighting and auto racing are true sports because there you risk your life. (I'm still undecided about gymnastics Olympic ribbon waving as a true sport.) I'd extend that to not believing you must have facets to sport that ramp up the risk of injury.

A strawman, a banality, and a non-sequitor.  Congratulations on your empty rhetoric hat trick.

[LaJollaRed]

This is would be a sad rule change. One of my favorite things in hockey is watching a forward selflessly dive in front of a shot like a bodyguard taking a bullet.

[Rosey]

USCHO article on the coaches meeting.

It would change our game:

Anastos, the rules committee chair, said the most prominent idea presented to increase scoring opportunities was to not allow players to intentionally leave a skating position (i.e., kneel or lay down) to block shots.

Read more: http://www.uscho.com/2013/05/10/committee-hears-coaches-ideas-on-regionals-ncaa-selection-but-consensus-lacking/#ixzz2SvYnINeR

This is dumb. How do you enforce this? Are they going to put contact sensors on the skaters' knees to know if they hit the ice? I don't see how the officials would be able to consistently differentiate between a "skating position" and not.

The easiest way to achieve fewer blocked shots is to outlaw full cages: no one's going to be stupid enough to kneel to block a slapshot if they have a chance of taking it in the teeth.