Comments on: Brendan Shanahan says removing goalie trapezoid wouldn’t make a big difference

By: 1943mrmojorisin1971

1943mrmojorisin1971 — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 04:07:09 +0000

As a goalie I have to disagree, at least if they’re behind the goal line. I’m all for the goalie being fair game if he leaves the crease and charges out to the side glass or towards the blue line to play a puck.

The main problem with that is no matter where the goalie is on the ice he isn’t supposed to be touched as per the unwritten rules. If Reimer wants to go out to the neutral zone to play the puck and you touch him you can expect Colton Orr to pound you. That’s just the way the game is

By: hystoracle

hystoracle — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 20:11:50 +0000

The only issue is the Goalie has to be fair game if he goes into the corner to play the puck. The opposing team must be allowed to check the goalie if he’s out there playing the puck – otherwise he is a moving pylon. The way some of these elite tenders play the puck it will be dumped right back out – which is why the rule was imposed in the first place to extend zone time in an attempt to increase scoring. I don;t have an issue with te goalie playing the puck where ever he wants in the zone as long as he is fair game. When he’ s in the crease that’s a different story – they have to stop these guys running goaltenders in their crease who are in no position to defend themselves.

By: bcjim

bcjim — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 17:16:22 +0000

Who died and made Brendan Shannahan expert on everything? Enough about almighty Brendan already.

By: donttouchthedirtypenny

donttouchthedirtypenny — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 10:46:48 +0000

I hate the shootout almost as much as I hate 4 on 4 OT. Is there any other sport that changes their rules so dramatically, to the point where they take a player out of the game, to break a tie? These rules were supposed to stop teams from playing conservative in OT and settling for the tie. Now teams play for the SO. Same result, except now you have a slew of 3 point games. Terrible. What’s wrong with a tie anyway?

By: 1943mrmojorisin1971

1943mrmojorisin1971 — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 01:07:16 +0000

“Shootouts are lame, but again, they’re going to be a part of the game for at least the short-term future so it’s best just to begrudgingly accept them like an irritating relative at Thanksgiving.”

Well said. If anything I really hope they reformat the OT and make it more difficult for games to get to a shootout. Having multiple games go to a shootout every night since the lockout has taken any possible excitement out of them. I never go to a game hoping to see a shootout, it’s just so pointless

As for the trapezoid, it really is pointless and in my opinion slows the game down (in those instances where a team dumps it in to get a change so the puck just sits past the goal line and the goalie has to wait for his defensmen to go pick it up). The new rules have opened the game up like never before for those with speed and skill, they should be able to carry the puck into their opponents end. If they want to dump and chase the goalie should have the option to go out and play it. Like you said, it seems pointless to penalize a goalie’s skill, although it seems if it were completely up to Bettman goalies would be wearing road hockey pads and wouldn’t be allowed to leave the crease all in the name of increased offense. Maybe this trapezoid is as much as anyone with half a mind would let him constrain the goalies