what can be done to improve the scoring in the NHL?

Question

the scoring in the nhl is down again this year as you might of heard lately. what should the nhl do? make bigger nets. smaller goalie pads. should they do anything or leave it as is?

Answer 1

Definately leave it. It's a great game.

Answer 2

I've been watching the NHL network recently and the biggest difference between the Gretzky era and now is the goaltending. Those guys were tiny!! Watch an old game from the early 80's and watch one from today and there is a huge difference in the amount of space these guys eat up. For example, one of the best goaltenders of that time was Billy Smith. He was 5'10" 185lbs. J.S. Giguere is 6'1" 210lbs. plus the huge equipment these guys where, there is very little chance to score a goal. The NHL will never see another player come close to the 70 goal club as long as they allow the goalies to where jerseys 6 times there size. The players in the league currently are just as skilled, if not more, than those of that era. The difference is in the goaltending. Make these guys have to where the pads they used to wear and then we will see scoring go up. 5 goals per game is too low. They need to get it in the 7-8 range and then you will see more national coverage. No one can tell me that if a current player was closing in on Gretzky's numbers for single season records that a major network would not pick those games up.........

Answer 3

Have less of it. People forget that the reason that in the 80s that teams like the Oilers could score that many goals was because they had 5 bona fide all stars playing forward, 2-3 in defense, and one in goal. So, the puck was always in the other end with 8 players who had all the talent in the world could do what they did best - score.
Now, rather than making the skill players become grittier or work hard to score their goals, we try to make it "easier for the skill players."
All this does is lead to players with less skill being made to look better than they are, because it is easier.
What made Gretzky, Lemieux, and Messier (and earlier, the old legends) greater than the NHLers of today is they didn't need the rules bent to get their numbers up. They adapted to the rules they had to follow. And they thrived. That's what the NHL needs, not change the rules of hockey to make things more interesting. The game is interesting enough that we don't need more scoring or more penalties. Prime example - lifting the puck over the glass is now a penalty. Now, when I played defense growing up, that was a smart defensive play. Now it's a penalty. Could Scott Stevens, Kevin Hatcher, Ray Bourque, or any of the old great defensive players been able to play their position as well in the old days without that? Goals certainly would have been up. Would the game have been better? No. The problem with Hockey isn't the lack of goal scoring, it's leadership trying to make so many changes that don't fit the sport, alienating it's existing fan base in a failing attempt to draw new fans to the sport.

Answer 4

Get rid of 1 referree. Go back to 3. There's too many whistles during 5 on 5 play, thus interrupting the flow of the game. Also, the refs are seemingly always in the way. Last night (friday) a puck went in between the legs of the ref on one of Zetterbergs goals. The ref was standing in the middle of the play because he had no where else to go. One less ref will bring the scoring up to where it was before the lockout. It might make it even higher because of the creases added behind the net

Answer 5

Scoring is fine. Komasrek- Wouldn't more penalties lead us to more PP's leading us to more scoring? Not that I disagree that some of the penalties are BS but to point to it as a reason is where I disagree.
Scoring was up after the lock-out as were penalties. As the teams have adjusted to the new rules, penalties and scoring have decreased slightly but as LITY said, not to the point where it hasn't been before.
Also, the poster who mentions the Oilers being high scoring because of all of the All-Stars, it is not like it was just the Oilers. Some guys were getting over 100 points with very little in the way of teammates.
I do find that Dmen who join the rush are becoming obsolete though.

Answer 6

How about, we just outlaw the use of goalies? Perhaps make the nets 15 feet wide? How about, defensemen cannot carry sticks in the defensive zone?

This is sarcasm by the way, there was nothing wrong with the NHL until Bettman became commissioner!

Answer 7

Let's leave the game of hockey alone. Who are the ones that say scoring is down and ratings are low anyway? Does anyone really care about them? I don't. Hockey is still a great game, even with Bettman's new rules.

We need to stop trying to improve the game for TV ratings and JUST PLAY HOCKEY.

Answer 8

For one get rid of the asinine penalties that grind the game to a standstill. The faster the game, the fewer stoppages of play and then the goals will add up. I have more ideas, but this subject always gets me riled up(because there was not a problem in this area until you know who showed up and decided to run the game into the ground) so in the interest of keeping my blood pressure in check I will stop there.

Answer 9

Stop changing the way the game is played and let the players skate instead of blowing the whistle for every little thing.Refs should notice if a hook is a real hook or just some inadvertent happening during a play.

Answer 10

NOTHING!
Those that want the net enlarged are nuts.
If anything the equipment the goalies use should be reduced. Other than that leave the game alone.

Answer 11

u know last year i said that the goalies pads should be smaller.But you know what really has brought down scoring is the defensive tactics that are allowed.--the d should be required to stay on their skates.--no body blocking by diving on the ice.--i think we should start there than see.