No, I do not wish to get into a comparing of talents between two of the most talked about netminders this season. Nor do I wish to go into depth about how their heavy workloads might have had something to do with their second round defeats in these playoffs.
What I would like to do is ask each and every one of you to look closely at each photo and tell me what one of the greatest differences is…
Need a hint?
How about the fact that if Luongo’s butt wasn’t sticking out the side, we might have never known that he decided to wear his pants on this specific game day?
I don’t know about any of you, but I grew tired of listening to how the NHL proposed new rule and equipment changes every season to draw in new fans or to raise scoring across the league, quite a few seasons ago. This season we have heard the absurd proposals of increasing the size of the nets, changing the playoff overtime format and of course, Reebok’s unveiling of the super jerseys.
Is it any news that Reebok has undergone technological research to change the game? Personally I think this all started over a decade ago back when they decided to slap their logo on a pair of barn doors and called them goal pads.
Here’s what I am talking about…
I believe that goaltending pads should be regulated at no more than 3 inches above the top of the knee cap. In the case of Luongo, that might hypothetically be a loss of 6 to 9 inches each pad. How does this help the game, you ask?
Martin Brodeur most likely owns the shortest goal pads in the league. He does so for the simple fact that he is one of the very few throwbacks in the league that has not adopted the butterfly style.
The butterfly method was brought to the NHL to prevent the dreaded five hole goal. And think back. When was the last time you saw someone score five hole that didn’t involve a tip in or a screen? It used to happen much more regularly, but with these monster pads combining to make any where from a foot to a foot and a half of closing space, no wonder this scoring area has become near extinct. And that’s not all…
In the past, the way goaltenders tried to prevent the five hole goal, was simply to keep the blade of their goalstick on the ice coving up the bottom half of the exposed triangle. In many cases the shaft of their stick also obstructed the path to the twine. However, by placing their goalsticks strategically, they opened other holes on either side of them. They also made the poke-check a more difficult choice to make.
So rather than increasing the net size, creating 1000 dollar improved hockey sticks, or aerodynamic uniforms, lets not get too caught up in the future of the league. Instead, lets take a page out of the past of this great sport and put an end to these over inflated leg-barriers.
Losing 6 to 9 inches off the top of these pads will do nothing to harm the protection of the goaltender, but will instead greatly protect the integrity of the game.
(This rant was in no way to bash Luongo. I still think he is a fine goaltender 😉 )
