Record Breaking in Bettman's NHL?

Question

Everyone keeps asking, “who will break Gretzkey’s goal record?” My question however is SHOULD it be broken? Gary Bettman has made it a lot easier to play in the NHL, but players like Gretzkey set their records with the old rules in place when it was much harder to score and make plays. Should the NHL split up records between old and new?

Answer 1

Why should they be split up?

The only rule in place that affects scoring is the red line

Rule 1: Making the room behind the net 11 feet.
- this rule has been instituted and taken away several times in NHL history (most recently in 1990-91) before being re-instituted in 2005. During Wayne Gretzky's career the area behind the net varied from 10 feet to 12 feet to 11 feet to 13 feet to 10 feet and now again to 11 feet

Rule 2: Tag Up Offside
- this rule was in effect was in effect from 1956 through 1959, 1973 through 1977 and 1986 through 1996

Rule 3: No red line
- The red line didn't exist prior to 1944

Rhe rules in the NHL are constantly changing, the players in the NHL are constantly changing. In 1973, NOBODY was ever going to score 70 goals again. Well, it happened. When Gretzky scored 92 goals, nobody would ever come close.............Hull scored 87 one year, Lemieux had 85.

When Richard scored 50 goals in 50 games, that was the ultimate record...............until Mike Bossy tied it in 1980-81 and Gretzky obliterated it a year later.

The only delineation currently used in the NHL Guide and Record Book is the introduction of forward passing in the offensive zone and allowing goalies to make saves laying on the ice (1927-1929).

Oh, and Gary Bettman had nothing to do with the new rules, these were a list of rule suggestions dating back to the 1970s and used in several other leagues that the owners and players voted on in 2005. Fans had been asking for these for years, the league just gave them what they want.

And.................I don't see anybody threatening any scoring records in this 'so-called easier to score' NHL


Bob
I don't like the trapezoid either, I think it's a waste of ink and hasn't really affected the game in a major way. It wasn't like every goalie was an expert puckhandler (although I agree with not allowing a goalie to flop on the puck while it is in the corner)

As for the removal of the Red Line, the players wanted that. The NHL used to receive 200 emails a day from fans about this one as well.

The shooting over the glass...I actually agree with that one as well. It happened 2-3x a game in the 60s and 70s, and suddenly it's happening 7-8x a game, and several times intentionally. Take the bloody icing!

The Shoot-Out. I'm still dead set against that one.

Believe it or not, there are a lot of things I disagree with, I've seen the reasoning, and I understand it, but I still disagree with it. I'm just trying to provide a balanced viewpoint.

What I want (aside from winning Powerball)
1. Get rid of the shootout

2. Get rid of the 1 pt for an OT/SO loss. I hate when a team loses 20 more games than it wins, but because they lost those games in OT/SO they have more points than games played (traditionally meaning you are over .500)

3. Get rid of OT in the regular season. The NHL worked quite well without it from 1943-44 through 1982-83.

4. Penalize referees for not calling penalties

Answer 2

Actually, when Gretzky broke into the NHL, scoring was at an all-time high. Check the stats, they don't lie. It wasn't until the early 90's, when teams like the Devils "invented" the neutral zone trap, that scoring began to drop. Also, players began getting bigger and bigger, and the rules favored such players. Now that the ref's are once again a little more strict on the clutching and grabbing, the game is opening up much more for the smaller, speedier players. Now, we will see higher scoring again, maybe not like in the 80's, when games routinely ended 7-6, 9-5, whatever, but once again, scoring is climbing.

Answer 3

A few years ago before the new rules in the NHL I would have said only Roy's record would fall (Compliments of Marty Brodeur =) ) but now that the NHL has new rules to increase scoring Sittler's record may fall, Orr's will NEVER fall and Since you don't have any of "The Great One"'s records listed I can't say. But Again the One that will fall is Roy's record and Orr's will NEVER be broken. BTW Roy's record is 551 win's. as of 1/07/08 Brodeur has 515 wins. Like I said that record will be Shattered.

Answer 4

I think so. If one tampers with the parameters of the current NHL (the way is has always been for the past 90 years), then the records should be split. After all, pro baseball is essentially two different leagues pre and post integration. Should all the records be split in that fashion? Yes. Should the records from the Original Six era be split with the post expansion era? yes. If Bettman does tamper with the nets and other rules of the NHL, should separate records be kept? Yes.

Answer 5

Nah. In order for a sport to survive, you have to change, and take the records with it. Look at it this way. Richard broke and made records too. That was in the '40s and '50s where seasons were a lot shorter. Gretzky broke them in the '80s. Should there be a difference in the records? IS there a difference in the records? In my opinion, no, and factually (as far as I know), no. So there really is no need for the NHL to keep them seperate.

Answer 6

only for the goalies (Wins) IMO. Last year, nearly all the good teams had a new record in wins in a season (3 teams with 50+ wins, this is ridiculus), this is because there is no more ties, there must be a win in every game. Not that Brodeur won't get the most wins ever without this new rules. They won't get rid of the shootout, so
1) have a column of wins prior to lockout and another for post lockout and then a third column for total wins
or
2) just have a new column listed as shootout wins

Answer 7

How about we compare Gretzky to an era where goalies didn't wear masks and couldn't go down on the ice? Foolishness. Easier to play in the NHL now than when Gretzky was setting records? Crazy. Harder to score? Nuts.
Split the records? Every sport has rule changes, new equipment, different eras. More so in some cases than the NHL (see MLB with steroids). Blacks couldn't play in the MLB years ago, are we gonna split those records?
Appreciate it for what it is. True hockey enthusiasts know the difference in eras and what rules were in effect at what time. Who holds the record for goalie wins in a season......Brodeur BUT.............

Also "Like I'm Telling You"-great answer as usual but I don't know if I can agree with this statement-

"Fans had been asking for these for years, the league just gave them what they want."

Maybe casual fans. I was fine without the SO, the crazy goalie unrestricted zones etc. as were most I know that are in the know.

Die hard fans IMO wanted refs to call a penalty a penalty-the rules were always in place to prevent "clutching and grabbing", just call it. The goalie equipment was getting out of hand, they solved that one. Get rid of the instigator.

Not one person I know said we need to get rid of center, put a restricted goalie zone, put in shoot-outs, give penalties for shooting the puck out in your own zone...regardless, etc.

I know the rules committee was to blame but I don't have to like it all and I think alot of traditionalists will agree. I'm all for forward progress but it's all in an effort to appeal to the casual fan. It offends me as a rabid fan.

Let's sell the NFL to Canada but let's make it three down football to appeal to them. As a poor example but to get the gist.

Answer 8

No. If you split it for the current generation, you'd have to go back and split it a bunch of times to account for all the rule changes over the decades.
Next thing you know, everybody's asking "should this record be allowed, should that guy's record get an asteric, is Barry a cheater?"

Answer 9

What do you mean harder to score? Goalies are a lot better than they used to be, mostly due to the size of their pads now.

Scoring was ridiculously high when Gretzky set his records, I don't have the exact figures, but I guarantee you that scoring is lower now.

Answer 10

I think WG's records are safe, but the Sid the Kid hype is fun.

Records are for breaking. My 440 relay team ( hs track) broke one and 10 yrs l8r somebody broke our record.