Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Colin Campbell to NHL Goalies: NO MORE PUCK FOR YOU!!

archer2371 · 02-12-2004, 01:43 PM

Actually, it's more like a LOT more puck for them, they just can't do anything about it.

here's the linkah
and here's the article:

Quote:

Wednesday, February 11, 2004
Updated: February 12, 4:42 AM ET

Associated Press
HENDERSON, Nev. -- Martin Brodeur, Trevor Kidd and other NHL goalies are unhappy with the general managers' plans on how to create more offense.

Colin Campbell, the league's hockey operations director, is tired of hearing the complaints.

Reducing the width of goaltenders' pads and prohibiting them from going behind the goal line to play the puck are not good solutions to those who play the position. That small group, however, is in the minority.

"I might seem a little aggravated, but every time we do something to do the right thing for the game, we get knee-jerk reactions from some aspect of our business," Campbell said. "We're just trying to do the right thing."

These were part of the solutions the GMs are proposing to add scoring to hockey, a sport in which goals per game have dwindled to five.

As general managers hurried from the board room to the airport after a three-day meeting outside Las Vegas, most talked about Tuesday's significant announcement.

Pads would be reduced from 12 inches to 10 and goalies wouldn't be able to play pucks behind the line if the changes are approved by a panel of hockey experts and then the board of governors this summer.

The proposed adjustments drew the ire of Vezina Trophy winner Brodeur and Toronto's Kidd.

After practice Wednesday, Kidd held up 11-inch pads used in developmental leagues and was incredulous that the NHL wanted to make them even smaller.

Campbell was not impressed.

"Trevor Kidd can say that, but if I were him I'd work on my game," Campbell said. "We work hard. We don't just grab things from our back pocket and say, 'Let's try this.' We do a lot of work on this."

Brodeur has made an art of getting to pucks behind his net and then acting like a third defenseman to get them out. That skill would be taken away from his game.

"Seeing a goalie handling the puck, that's pretty exciting," Campbell said sarcastically. "I thought it was pretty exciting seeing Mike Gartner and Guy Lafleur going down the wing and scoring. Now we have to go down and shove it through the side of their pads or jam it in at the side of the net."

Brodeur, a cornerstone of New Jersey's three Stanley Cup titles in nine years, was upset by the thought of being penalized for adding a dimension to his position.

"With the equipment, whatever they want to do is fine with me," he said. "But preventing somebody's talent and somebody's reaction, I mean I'm not hurting anybody. I'm not setting a bad example for kids by playing the puck behind the line, so I don't know if this is something I should be penalized for.

"But the league is at a state right now that it looks like they don't know what they're doing and they're just looking for ways to try to improve the game. Coming from people that know hockey, it's amazing that they're about to come out with these things."

Campbell's rebuttal was that goalies were never intended to be puck handlers. The pads are there for safety and not to block shots, and their sticks are solely meant to stop shots.

"We had suggestions like, 'Let's give them two blockers, not a catching mitt,"' Campbell said. "So we looked at everything."

The general managers also agreed that the tag-up offside rule should be reinstated; that nets be moved back 3 feet toward the end boards to 10 feet; and that blue lines would also move in 3 feet to keep the distance the same between the blue line and the goal, and increase the neutral zones to 60 feet from 54.

After a one-year experiment in the AHL, the shootout might be added to NHL play to eliminate ties.

"Over the next three or four months some of these things are going to be refined and thought about," said Detroit GM Ken Holland, a former goalie. "It's a great game, but we've got to figure out how to make it better."

Campbell expressed confidence that the work done this week produced changes that will be approved.

"Everything from my point of view is hard and fast with the exception of the interpretation on the goaltenders not handling the puck," Campbell said. "We'll meet again in six to eight weeks with the definitions on how this will be put into use."

During the final day of meetings, the group was given an update regarding the collective bargaining agreement that expires Sept. 15.

Arthur Levitt, the former chair of the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission, will present results of his study into the NHL's finances during a news conference Thursday in New York. Levitt was retained by the NHL a year ago.

Oy, is it just me or is the NHL getting dumber, and dumber, and dumber every year? Look, this is not the answer to improve scoring. Take out the Red Line which would eliminate the two line pass rule, and THAT would improve scoring and breakaways. Maybe even make the trap illegal (tho I don't know how that work, it's probably unfeasible anyways). I'm a strong advocate for the goalies, cuz I used to be one myself. I know what it's like to sit in for the entire game and try to be the hero. It was hard enough as is, and if they make these changes it would be even harder. Puck handling has become an essential skill for some goalies out there, and I don't think it's fair to take away that awesome skill. How about this NHL, loosen your illegal stick rules to allow for some bigger blades on those twigs, THAT will most definitely increase scoring and accuracy. To me, Mr. Campbell sounds like one of those really annoying idiots at school that whoever had a complaint they would make fun of with a very immature "Wahhhhh, does the wittle baby want to cwy?" Ugh, I just hate the tone that this guy has, and I wish these GM meetings would produce something that's actually productive!!