How different is the NHL today than 20 years ago and is it better today?

Question

I just started following the nhl and i was wondering the differences between the era's

Answer 1

First of all, there isn't a lot of difference between today and 20 years ago.
- The rink is still 200 ft long (actually, if you live in Boston, Buffalo, or Chicago, the game has changed because you all have regulation rinks now)
- The rink is still 85 feet wide
- The nets are still 4ft high by 6ft wide
- The puck is still the same size
- The ice is still frozen

What's changed?
- In 1985 there were 21 teams, now there are 30 (Ziegler added 5, Bettman added 4)
- In 1985 there were 628 players, last year there were 971
- In 1985 there were 526 Canadians, last year there were 588 Canadians (which means that the talent level has theoretically increased because we have the cream of the American and European crop)
- goalie equipment has increased to the point where in 1986 Mike Vernon covered 31% of the net and when he retired he covered 47% of the net (and he was 8lbs lighter)
- sticks were primarily wood in 1985 (4.7% aluminum) and in 2007 they are primarily composite materials (6.8% aluminum and wood)


- In 1985 tie games were given an extra 5 minutes to get settled, In 2007, if still not settled a shootout results
- In 1985, a win was 2 points, a tie was 1 point, and losing was rewarded handsomely by 0 points - In 2007, if you make it into overtime, you are guaranteed a point (unless you be a bonehead and pull your goalie on the way to losing)
- In 1985, the red line was in play, In 2007, it is not
- In 1985, the average game was 7.47 goals, In 2007, it is just 6.619 (after last night)
- In 1985 you knew who was winning the scoring race before the season started, in 2007 you don't
- In 1985 teams were free to spend as much on players as they could...and Edmonton spent $9.6MM (Winnipeg spend $3.8MM)..........in 2007, teams have to spend between $34MM and $50.3MM)

The influx of Europeans has led to one dastardly thing, the neutral zone trap. Prior to the trap (circa 1995) teams passed the puck through the neutral zone, cross-ice, tried to do end-arounds etc. Beginning in 1995, goaltender eqiupment started to grow like an unwanted fungus and everybody wanted to drop the puck at the blue line and get into position...rather than pass to the open guy streaking down the wing ala Rocket Richard.

While many many fans like to blame Gary Bettman for what is wrong today, most of the true hockey people blame the European invasion and the lack of true innovative coaching.


Lubers asked me last week if I was in favour of contracting the league. I'm not in favour of contracting the league, but I am in favour of better coaching, new offensive schemes, etc. Last Thursday I watched the greatest team on the planet (Chicago for those of you outside of Detroit - Detroiters already know this) play Columbus..........and players like Zherdev and Nash were drop passing at the blue line. If it was all 3rd and 4th liners doing the drop-pass (which aids the trap) then I'm all for contracting - but it is the stars of the game. Datsyuk and Zetterberg dropped the puck at the blue line 19x in Saturday's game against Chicago, most of the time, it resulted in a turnover. (12x).

If drop passes were outlawed, this would be a more exciting game (as well as letting the models from Project Runway play the game helmetless).


Garybasem3nt
I agree with almost all your points, except the coaching. One of the primary reasons that Scotty Bowman quit coaching was that the level had fallen off 'drastically' and it was too much work for him to coach a team to play against teams that weren't well coached.

You bring up a great point about comparing today's games against the Classics shown on NHLTV and ESPC Canada Classic. The difference is huge.

Answer 2

I agree a lot with "Like I'm Telling You..." and he has some great stats, but the biggest difference between today and 20 years ago is the talent pool.

The talent today in the NHL is at a much higher level then it was 20 years ago. With the European invasion, and the more disciplined style of play, NHL games became much tighter and more organized.

The neutral zone trap was around in 85, but the New Jersey Devils of 95 perfected it, and despite the absence of the red line since the lockout, the trap is still the most useful defensive style.

Goaltending has greatly improved (with the advent of the butterfly style), although Patrick Roy was the first great (and he started in 86).

Coaching has greatly improved with players being much more disciplined then even the great Oilers of the 80's. Fighting still occurs among the enforcers to keep the stars from getting ripped apart, but stupid "bad temper" penalties don't occur nearly as often.


Fans can talk all they want about how exciting the NHL used to be, but I watch classic games all the time on NHL Network, and although they're exciting because of the passion of the players and fans, everything just seems sloppy. The players were definitely not as quick, the goaltending was horrendous, and the defense was not nearly as well trained and coached as they are today. And these are classic games are showcasing the best teams!

I believe the reason is that the defense and goaltending has finally caught up with the offensive masterminds that first came out of the 80's.

Answer 3

The differnece is simple. It's being more Americanized or at least trying to. I believe womens volleyball rates higher than the NHL in T.V. ratings in the USA and Bettman is trying to change that, which is a mistake. Hockey is a winter sport loved by almost all Canadians and a lot of Northern USAers. But Bettman is raping us of our passion. Examples: Moving the Minnesota North Stars from up north to Dallas, down south. Quebec Nordiques, a beloved team and big rival with the Canadiens, moved to Colorado, down south. The Winnepeg Jets, who I hope to see have a new team, moved way down south to Pheonix! Why I have no idea and they think having the Great One as a coach will help, NOT! The Hardford Whalers another north USA team moved down south to Carolina, for gosh knows what reason? I mean of the millions of retierees who live in Florida, which ones really care what sports teams are in their state. Everyone is right when it comes to talent being diluted, but it's more than that! Lord Stanley presented the cup TO CANADIANS, to compete for and may the best team win. That idea was lost more that 20 years ago. So in conclusion I think the difference between hockey today and 20 or more years ago is the NHL and Bettman are trying too hard to Americanize a sport which Canadians hold near and dear to their hearts and it's pretty much destroying the game as we know it!

P.S. and what aboot that lock-out we had 3 years ago, how come just because the NHL was down and out for a season Canadian hockey teams weren't still competing for Lord Stanleys cup? I mean that's why he donated it right? I guess it's exclusive to the NHL now, just another reason the NHL is worse off now than it was 20 years ago.

P.S.S. I still love the game, and GO LEAF GO!

Answer 4

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Answer 5

If you just started following hockey, I would suggest reading a lot about the sport. To get a grasp on what the league was like, let me suggest the following books:

>>Jean Beliveau: My Life in Hockey
>>Oldtimers: On the Road with the Legendary Heroes of Hockey
>>Gordie: A Hockey Legend
>>The Top 100 NHL Players of All-Time
>>The Official Illustrated NHL History: The Story of the Coolest Game

Answer 6

It is vastly different. It is a much faster game, which is why there are more injuries even though there is much less hitting. The rules have been changed to eliminate the offside pass, which has improved the game. The "tag-up" rule for offsides has improved the game. Overall, it is a better product - and although I was skeptical about the shootout, I do end up liking it and I like knowing that the game will NOT end in a tie. There still need to be improvements, because too many non-penalties are being called (too many hooking calls that should be let go), but it is a fast and furious game now, much more than it used to be.

The idea that the talent pool has been diluted by the number of teams is silly. The number of good players has increased much MUCH faster than than the number of pro teams ready to sign them.

Answer 7

Well, it's been a long time since the highlight reels showed more than a single example per night of a skilled player stickhandling end to end and scoring.

A lot of dump and chase, some passing plays out of defensive end and across the opposing blueline, but mostly close checking and shots on crowds in front of crease.

I'll go along with the dilution theory - perhaps most apparent on the blue-line where it often takes 6+ years to develop a truly superb defenseman.

Answer 8

Hockey is brutal today, the league is so watered down due to expansion. Bettman has done nothing but ruin this game. I recall some years ago when he had the networks add that stupid red streak to the puck after somone shot it, to make it easier to see. Hello, black puck, white ice. They contrast. He must be color blind.

I am also trying to figure out why states that have no "real winter", snow and ice, have hockey teams. Like hockey is really needed in the south? Hey, let's give florida 2 teams, california 3, texas and arizona 1. I mean c'mon, it's no wonder the league has so many revenue problems. They have teams in states where hockey is not appreciated.

Take me back 20 yrs to a time when the league was small and hockey GREAT!!!

Answer 9

The Divisional Playoff format was great. It made divisional games acually mean something. Also, being you would play divisional opponents for the first two rounds of the playoffs, real rivalries were actually born. Now we just get to see Carolina play Florida 15 times a year.

Answer 10

Where to begin...lol. I agree with what others said about diluting talent and expansion. I also feel back then the game was tougher to play. Many rules have been changed to increase scoring. Also, I don't like the crackdown on the role of enforcer. Its part of the game. I love how people say hockey is too violent and there is no need for fighting but heck... these same people watch NASCAR for the crashes and take their kids to ultimate fighting...lol. Plus, unless one has played the game they don't understand why there is fighting.

Other than that, I think hockey has just become watered down, canned, and mass produced to try and gain more fans. Unfortunately, its a game that is of aquired taste and you either love it or hate it.