What are your unpopular hockey opinions?

[nfreeman]

I'm going to go all meta:

Kevlar is over-used as "ultimate protective material". It is very resistant to puncture, abrasion, and slicing, only one of those properties is useful in hockey. A kelvar balacava would essentially eliminate neck injuries and wouldn't seem to affect the players' abilities. Kevlar itself is nearly useless for blunt impact; the stuff I've seen feels like thick cotton.

 

For goalie equipment, we should be talking about more carbon fiber. Light, hard, and spreads out impacts. I'd be shocked if it wasn't already heavily used, but with the same thick backing that the older plastic used that's somewhat unnecessary now. I bet d4rk and other people who play will argue though.

 

I will 100% accept your knowledge on carbon fiber vs Kevlar -- but I don't think that is a meta observation.

[bob_sauve28]

Need to make net larger and catching glove much smaller. High sticking contact with another players head should be a 5 min penalty down a man. Pads no larger or wider than actual body. Eliminate blue lines, offsides only on redline.

I'm not in on that because it would make more goals, but I don't think it would open up the game with more passing and skating. Redline off sides would be interesting to try 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Scrap the OT and SO.  2 points for a win and 1 point for a tie.

 

Also, I like the idea up thread to eliminate the blue lines, or at least the blue line off side.

[MattPie]

I will 100% accept your knowledge on carbon fiber vs Kevlar -- but I don't think that is a meta observation.

 

That's ironic. ;)

[WildCard]

-Ties are the worst thing in any sport.

 

-3 point win, 2 point ot win, 1 point SO win

 

-Miller was elite

 

-Hockey is boring to watch outside of my team and the playoffs

 

-The playoff system is broken

 

-Too many teams

 

-Russians play the game right

[Samson's Flow]

Make all games worth 2 pts

 

As such, eliminate the shootout and play a full period of overtime, or maybe just 10 mins.

 

3 on 3 hockey is way more entertaining than 5 on 5, and 4 on 4 is a happy medium. I would watch a full game of 3 on 3. (they would never do this because it eliminates player jobs, but it is way better to watch).

 

There are too many teams and not enough skill players in the league currently. The league should contract the teams.

 

The season is too long.

 

There are too many whistles and stoppage of play currently in the game, eliminating any end to end play and flow in the game.

Nillson is a better goalie for the Sabres than Lehner.

[Randall Flagg]

I love the posts. You're all wrong about everything!

[PASabreFan]

Some of you need work on your contrarianism!

[LTS]

Play 10 minute 5 on 5 overtime.

 

Reward winning with 2 points, lose or tie no one gets any points.

 

Let's see how many teams play conservative then.

[Randall Flagg]

Jack Eichel's hockey stick is too long, and the minuscule loss of leverage he would have for losing a coupe inches would do wonders for his stick handling in tight, which is below average. He loses pucks every game because of it, often in prime scoring position. I don't see enough poke checks and steals to believe that it helps him defensively, either.

 

Okposo's hands are brutal, he has trouble picking pucks off the boards and can't pivot and keep a puck on his stick to save his life. He's a very good player, but would be on O'Reilly's tier if this aspect of his game was better.

 

I'm pretty sure I'm the only member of Sabrespace with these two opinions.

[Doohickie]

I'm going to go all meta:

Kevlar is over-used as "ultimate protective material". It is very resistant to puncture, abrasion, and slicing, only one of those properties is useful in hockey. A kelvar balacava would essentially eliminate neck injuries and wouldn't seem to affect the players' abilities. Kevlar itself is nearly useless for blunt impact; the stuff I've seen feels like thick cotton.

 

For goalie equipment, we should be talking about more carbon fiber. Light, hard, and spreads out impacts. I'd be shocked if it wasn't already heavily used, but with the same thick backing that the older plastic used that's somewhat unnecessary now. I bet d4rk and other people who play will argue though.

 

Kevlar and carbon fiber are both soft fiber materials.  Each can be unidirectional (almost all the fibers aligned in the same direction) or woven into fabric.  Both can be made "light, hard and spreads out impacts" by impregnating them with an a appropriate resin that is then cured.  If you've ever used fiberglass fabric with resin to repair a rust hole on your car, you've used essentially the same process.

 

Carbon fiber is very strong in tensile stress which makes it ideal for lightweight structural applications.  Kevlar is very strong in shear stress which is good for armor/damage protection.  Depending on the application, Kevlar, carbon fiber and glass fiber might all be used in some proportion for hockey composite armor shells, with padding added for comfort and to distribute the loads.

[SwampD]

Jack Eichel's hockey stick is too long, and the minuscule loss of leverage he would have for losing a coupe inches would do wonders for his stick handling in tight, which is below average. He loses pucks every game because of it, often in prime scoring position. I don't see enough poke checks and steals to believe that it helps him defensively, either.

 

Okposo's hands are brutal, he has trouble picking pucks off the boards and can't pivot and keep a puck on his stick to save his life. He's a very good player, but would be on O'Reilly's tier if this aspect of his game was better.

 

I'm pretty sure I'm the only member of Sabrespace with these two opinions.

I agree with the second one.

[Randall Flagg]

I agree with the second one.

Nice, let's sign a petition to get Kyle into some O'Reilly post-practice practice.

[darksabre]

I'm going to go all meta:

Kevlar is over-used as "ultimate protective material". It is very resistant to puncture, abrasion, and slicing, only one of those properties is useful in hockey. A kelvar balacava would essentially eliminate neck injuries and wouldn't seem to affect the players' abilities. Kevlar itself is nearly useless for blunt impact; the stuff I've seen feels like thick cotton.

 

For goalie equipment, we should be talking about more carbon fiber. Light, hard, and spreads out impacts. I'd be shocked if it wasn't already heavily used, but with the same thick backing that the older plastic used that's somewhat unnecessary now. I bet d4rk and other people who play will argue though.

Carbon fiber is what you'd want to use, but it's really not ideal to have all that hard padding. It would make pads extremely expensive for players at all levels. Look at how much a carbon fiber goalie mask costs. Sure, the mold is more complex, so that factors in, but you would have to custom fit the carbon fiber plates to each player, or else the pads wont fit right. Current pads are much more one-size-fits-all. 

 

I really don't think you'll see a move away from the current style. It's too cost prohibitive. 

[SwampD]

Nice, let's sign a petition to get Kyle into some O'Reilly post-practice practice.

I was actually wondering about this, do they actually ever do drills on fundamentals at practice at the NHL level? I honestly don't know. Would the players get offended?

[dudacek]

Gary Bettman has done a good job.

Nothing would improve hockey's fan enjoyment level more than eliminating offside altogether.

Goalies should wear form-fitting equipment and be treated like defenceman outside the crease.

Tim Murray did not empty the pipeline with his trades

Marcus Foligno is more valuable than Johan Larsson - to this team and around the league.

Sam Reinhart will eventually be regarded as the best player from his draft year.

Evander Kane is a core player and I hope he is re-signed.

Ryan Miller is a great teammate.

Chris Drury can rot in hell.

.

[Randall Flagg]

I was actually wondering about this, do they actually ever do drills on fundamentals at practice at the NHL level? I honestly don't know. Would the players get offended?

I'm not sure, I've never watched a practice. Which is a thing, isn't it? Fans can watch practices?

 

My wild guess is that they generally don't, and that the elite players put far more work into that stuff in their time off, or after the practice ends. But I have no factual basis for that.

[Tondas]

I miss Lindy Ruff.

 

Brad Park can continue to f himself. 

 

A shootout shooter should be chased by an opposing player to keep them from going in at 1 mph.

 

I like the over the glass delay of game penalty as is.

[pastajoe]

The shine has worn off of GMTM. I bought into the "aura" at first, but he's made one decent trade, the rest have been meh to awful in grade. He's also done absolutely nothing to the roster or in regards to the coach as the team has severely under performed this year. He's brought in his players, spent way too much of the tank assets, and spent to the cap and got this current bottom of the conference version of the Sabres. This team could be in big trouble under his guidance, yet many still think he's the greatest GM ever. I just don't see it and if anyone looked at his record with this team objectively, they wouldn't either.

You have to give him another 2 years for the recent draft picks and prospects (Guhle, Borgan, Nylander, Asplund, Pu, Fasching, Peterson, Bailey, Baptiste) to join the core (Eichel, ROR, Reinhart, Reiso, McCabe, Orkposo) and some of the contracted bridge veterans to leave/retire (Moulson, Gorges, Gionta, Franson). And unlike Whaley, GMTM will give honest answers.

 

Girgensons is a better all around player than Larsson and improves the 3rd line.

 

Paul Hamilton is a good play-by-play announcer as shown when he did exhibition games and would be a better replacement for Rick than Dan Dunlevey.

 

The Wild have the most creative logo.

[Randall Flagg]

I miss Lindy Ruff.

 

Brad Park can continue to f himself.

 

A shootout shooter should be chased by an opposing player to keep them from going in at 1 mph.

 

I like the over the glass delay of game penalty as is.

That shootout idea is wild. Can you choose the chaser? Keep that long stick and go get him, Jack!

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I think that hating Brad friggin' Park is not an unpopular thing, at least in these parts ...  ;)

[pi2000]

Half-shields should be optional.

 

Remove the instigator rule.

 

OT: 5min of 3-on-3, followed by 5min of 2-on-2, then end in a tie (or goalie fight to determine the winner).

 

Remove the offsides rule in OT.

 

2 points for a win, 1 point for a tie.. no more loser point.

 

Let the goalies play the puck anywhere on the ice (remove the trapezoid).

 

Reduce goalie equipment size, but only pants, and chest protectors (and jerseys).

 

Increase rink size from 200x85 to 200x90 (Olympic is 200x100).

 

Home teams wear white.

 

Contraction.  Carolina, Florida, and Arizona should be removed from the NHL with players immediately becoming UFAs.   

 

No more pro hockey players allowed in the Olympics.

 

Pucks that hit the netting and return to the ice surface are still in play.   

 

Use an automated Hawkeye type system for signaling a goal or offsides.  

 

Goals that are kicked, gloved, or high sticked into the net are allowed.

 

Hand pass?  Allowed in all zones.

 

High stick to knock down the puck?  Allowed.  (all players wear face protection these days)

 

Dan Bylsma is a great coach and will lead this team on a Cup run.   The current struggles are simply due to youth and a losing culture in the locker room that will eventually change when the young players become the voice of the team.

[Randall Flagg]

pi, aren't half-shields still optional?

Excellent list. I like the hand pass thing.

[Doohickie]

I miss Lindy Ruff.

 

Brad Park can continue to f himself. 

 

A shootout shooter should be chased by an opposing player to keep them from going in at 1 mph.

 

I like the over the glass delay of game penalty as is.

 

I think I saw that at some level, maybe as a trial during preseason?  Where the shootout player starts from center ice with opponent player(s) starting from the blue line behind him when the referee blows the whistle?  Or did I just dream that?

Edited January 4, 2017 by Doohickie

[pi2000]

pi, aren't half-shields still optional?

 

Excellent list. I like the hand pass thing.

 

As of the 2013-14 season, half-shields are mandatory for any player that played less than 26 or fewer NHL regular-season or playoff games (as of the beginning of the 2013-14 season).