Why don't hockey teams use morbidly obese goalies? How can you score if the goalie is wider than the net?

Answer 1

Two reasons... it wouldn't work and second even if it would work, there is a think called sportsmanship...

If would almost certainly mean the end of hockey as a professional sport if anyone successfully did this.

Answer 2

That would never work. In the old days, the fattest, and slowest person was stuck in the net as goalie, but now, goalies have to be the best skaters on the team. The skating a goalie does is not the same as a player. the goalie doesn't merely stand in front of the net the whole game, they are constantly transferring weight off one foot to the other, and actually shuffling across the ice, as opposed to skating striaght forward. A morbidly obese person could never stand in front of the net for a whole game, never mind shuffle, plus you could score by shooting by their skates, there is enough room to score there.

Answer 3

Being a hockey goalie, I've probably had at least 50 people ask me this question. My best answer is that there are not many people (if any) who can cover 100% of a net that is 6ft wide and 4ft high. If people this size do exist I don't think they would want to be known as the person whos body can take up 24 square feet of net. Finally if they only covered 99% of the net it would not work because they wouldn't be able to move to cover that other 1% of net.

Answer 4

Typically as mentioned it would be due to a deflection. I have also on occasion seen a wayward pass that was missed by the intended recipient go down the ice to an empty net and score as well. The goal counts and is awarded to the last player on the opposing team to have touched the puck when that happens. Edit: "Goaltender Marc-André Fleury of the Pittsburgh Penguins had a shot from Henrik Zetterberg of the Detroit Red Wings go between his legs and stop short of the goal in the third period of Game 6 of the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals. Believing the puck was loose behind him (which it was), he fell backward to cover the puck, and accidentally pushed it into the goal, giving the Red Wings what turned out to be the game- and Stanley Cup-winning goal. This was the second year in a row that the cup winning goal was an own goal scored by a goaltender." So technically, there was a Pittsburgh Penguin who scored on Marc-Andre Fleury, and his name was Marc-Andre Fleury. It lost them the Stanley Cup. No riots though... Well, perhaps a laugh riot from Detroit Red Wings fans.

Answer 5

Wow, The Say What Guy's answer was really attacked. I can't believe people took him so seriously.

Now, to answer the question, obviously the ideal situation would be to obtain a goalie whos body covered every inch of the goal. It would be the perfect defense. Inpenetrable.
The problem is though, the public may frown on the idea of encouraging people to become obscenely fat just to play hockey. I hear it's not good for one's health.

Answer 6

Because the goalie has to be in good enough shape to actually pass a physical, and then get onto the ice. With all the equipment a goalie has to put on, such a man would have a heart attack before he got his mask on.

Answer 7

Probably because nobody is fat enough to cover the whole net, which is 24 square feet. A morbidly obese person would not be able to move around in the crease quickly enough to cover the net effectively when the other team is moving the puck around, so it would actually be easier for them to score.

Answer 8

Wouldn't work, they'd just throw a donut on the ice and when the goalie dove for it, he wouldn't get up fast enough to cover the net - open net - score!

Answer 9

Thank you.

This is proof that hockey is spreading to new fans. Picture this guy and a few friends. They put on some Floyd or the Dead, pull back a big bong hit and talk about hockey.

"Hey man, why can't the goalie get like a big shield instead of that stick, man?"
"Dude, how many buds could you get in that Stanley Cup?"
"Who's turn is it to get munchies, bro?"

Answer 10

a) you gotta get these guys in pads
b) morbidly obese people are not athletic. there is more to bein a goalie than blocking pucks
c) NHL players can find little pockets of light, and an unathletic fat guy will not be able to protect those pockets

d) fat people cant skate

Answer 11

Yes too have pondered this very question. Goalies have customized gear, so I don't see it as a problem that they couldn't get pads big enough. Yes, I may hurt when you get hit by a puck, but just because you're morbidly obese doesn't mean you're a wimp.