Colin Campbell spoke with Sporstnet about how
there will be slimmer goalie gear for the 2016 season:
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He confirmed that the NHL is looking to reduce the size of goaltender equipment.
“We are making an attempt this year, usually we make that attempt every year, and the manufacturers tell us they can’t do it in time after our March/June meetings,” he said. “So this year we did it faster and said, ‘OK you got a year and a half to do it.’”
He was then asked if that means there will be a noticeable decrease in the size of upper-body pads for goalies by 2016-2017.
His answer was yes.
“There are a number of items on the board, and as you know it’s the pads, the blocker, the catcher, the upper-body, the pants and the sweater,” he said.” And the sweater will go in unison with the upper body.” |
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I don't have much confidence in Campbell.
When asked if the slimmer gear meant tighter jersey's, Campbell's response was "well if the gear is tighter, the players will probably wear a tighter jersey with it".
Bob Mccown laughed and asked him why he would think that.
As he described, goalies could jump out of a plane and parachute to the ground with the huge sweaters they wear now.
The NHL needs to regulate and force slimmer jersey's on the them.
I think the issue becomes moot if the league says "You're a mens Medium. Here's your size 50 jersey".
The fact that Campbell couldn't recognize that makes me think the old dinosaurs of the NHL need to be cast off into retirement.
I'm also not going to hold my breath when he says there'll be a noticeable difference.
Unless the goalies come skating out looking like Ken Dryden, circa 1976, a half-inch here or there won't do anything.
The entire upper-body padding these guys wear today is ridiculous.
Ryan Miller has 4" wrists and a 165 lb upperbody, yet his arms are 24" in circumference and his chest is 83" around.
Not to mention the padding goes up to their ears. I was unaware that human beings had bone and muscle grow perpendicular to one's earlobes.
I'm hoping and praying the new stuff is going to be very noticeable.
But the last alterations they forced on goalies had almost no impact at all.
Dave Dryden, Ken's brother, brought in his old blocker and trapper from the 70's and was able to place
both inside the a new modern trapper.
Concerning increasing goal scoring, I think the issue of over-inflated goalie equipment is something that needs to be addressed regardless of where you stand on the issue.
It's turned into the equivalent to the steroid era of MLB.
I really hope the NHL can get this right. But hearing Clueless Campbell speak, I don't have a lot of confidence.