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Category: NHL-Talk

Johan Hedberg Talks Goalie Equipment & Says Remove The Trapezoid

by Paul on 03/21/13 at 04:05 PM ET
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from Tom Gulitti of Fire & Ice,

Devils backup goaltender Johan Hedberg agrees that the size of some goaltenders’ equipment is excessive, but doesn’t think that reducing the pads again is the right way to go.

“The pads are not the problem,” Hedberg said today. “The problem is the pants and the chest protectors, arms and shoulders.”

Hedberg believes that that reducing the length of the pad above the knee and having more conforming knee pads wouldn’t necessarily create room in the five hole, but it might expose the goaltenders to being hit in the knee more and possible injury.

“The way you play on your knees these are good for preventing injuries,” Hedberg said of the current knee pads.

That said, Hedberg fully believes that reducing size of other parts of the goaltenders’ equipment is something that needs to be done.

read on

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  Tags: johan+hedberg

Video- A Different View Of The Situation Room

by Paul on 03/21/13 at 03:45 PM ET
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Most of us have probably seen numerous videos of the Situation Room in Toronto, but this one is a little different.

You actually witness a conversation between a referee and people in the review room, which may help you understand what both sides are saying to each other when a play is under review.

 

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Coach’s Challenge Needed

by Paul on 03/21/13 at 03:38 PM ET
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from Stu Hackel of Sports Illustrated,

...Where the meeting fell short were on items that required a bit more foresight and more time, specifically the coaches' challenge concept. That one needed some serious study and probably a working plan for the managers to digest and critique. No real plan was presented this time, and because the group didn't lay the groundwork for that to take place in a future meeting, the challenge idea seems dead for now.

But it won't stay dead because TV replays will inevitably show what the on-ice officials can't see. That will only increase the demand for itI

It's too bad the GMs didn't have time to think this one though. They know the ever-increasing speed of the game has made officiating more difficult. As mentioned earlier this week, the challenge idea gained steam this season after linesmen missed an offside call that resulted in an Avalanche goal. But it has also gotten an airing because referees have been more vigilant on goaltender interference calls that wiped out goals, calls some GMs questioned, and because officials missed seeing pucks fly into the protective netting above the glass, which should kill the play.

Coincidentally, on both the evening after the GMs meeting and the night before it, a pair of incidents highlighted why some endorse instituting a coach's challenge.

more

Use technology to get as many calls right, it is that simple!

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Wrapping Up The GM Meetings

by Paul on 03/20/13 at 07:06 PM ET
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from the CP at CBC,

NHL GMs discussed reducing the size of goalie equipment and increasing video review Wednesday, while both the league and NHL Players' Association sounded a desire to grandfather in mandatory visors.

"Every little piece of goaltender equipment is now a project for a goalie to get bigger," said Colin Campbell, the NHL's vice-president of hockey operations.

Campbell said the instructions to Kay Whitmore, the NHL's goalie guru, are "Do what you have to do within reason to make sure they're still protected to reduce the stopping area."

Current rules allows goalie pads to go 55 per cent of the way between your knee and your pelvis, says Whitmore.

continued

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The GM Meetings From The NHLPA View

by Paul on 03/20/13 at 05:23 PM ET
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from Nick Cotsonika at Puck Daddy,

Is the NHL Players’ Association ready to support a grandfathered visor rule?

The union at least will ask its members what they think. If they are in favor, the rule likely would go from the competition committee, to the NHL Board of Governors and into the book.

But we’ll see.

“We’re definitely going to look at talking to the guys about grandfathering them in,” said Mathieu Schneider, the special assistant to NHLPA executive director Don Fehr, at the NHL general managers’ meeting. “We’d probably do some type of poll.”

The NHL has been in favor of mandatory visors or at least a grandfathered rule, and the NHLPA has encouraged its members to wear visors. But the league cannot force the players to wear visors without their consent, and the last time the NHLPA polled its members, they were heavily in favor of personal choice over a grandfathered rule.

continued, Schneider mentions more topics which were discussed today...

added 6:23pm, Watch video below of Schneider talking with the media...

Continue Reading »

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Buying Time In The Faceoff Circle

by Paul on 03/20/13 at 12:19 PM ET
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from Jesse Spector of The Sporting News,

“On every icing, the winger goes in (for the draw) and gets thrown out on purpose,” Islanders coach Jack Capuano said. “You see that everywhere you go. He’s getting thrown out so the center can take the draw and it buys five more seconds (after a team is not allowed to make a line change following an icing). That should be a rule that they should look at. That happens all the time. The officials, if they see something, a guy cheating once or twice, they’ve got to throw him out. I’ve got no problem with it.”

The only problem is that of all the elements for officials to follow by the letter of the law, why faceoffs? Maybe the men in stripes would better serve the game by keeping a close eye on hits like the ones by Jannik Hansen on Marian Hossa and Brayden Schenn on Anton Volchenkov earlier this season that resulted in suspensions from the league office, but no disciplinary action on the ice.

more on this and other hockey topics...

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Talking GM Meetings

by Paul on 03/19/13 at 04:10 PM ET
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from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,

• For starters, the NHL will have the GMs split into breakout groups that will focus on different items. For example, one group will talk about interference on the forecheck, another group will talk about diving/embellishment, etc. The groups will then report back to the main group for general discussion later in the day. The breakout groups are an annual practice at the GMs meetings, although usually they’ve got three days to work with. 

• There will be discussion about the merits of a coach’s challenge for video review of goals. This was brought up a couple of years ago by Dale Tallon but got very little traction with GMs at the time. Now, it appears there is more appetite for this conversation. Part of the conversation as well could be simply to give the war room in Toronto a bigger scope in terms of what it can review on goals. Right now, it’s essentially just whether the puck was in or not and on kicking plays. But if the GMs want, it can widen the war room’s scope to include goalie interference plays on controversial goals, etc. Should be an interesting discussion.

more

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NHL GMs Not What They Once Were

by Paul on 03/18/13 at 02:59 PM ET
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from John Shannon of Sportsnet,

There was a time when this group of leaders set the tone for the league.  They were involved in the business of the game as well as the rules.  They were the like the Cardinals in the Catholic Church, or the Knights of the Round Table.  They were the mandarins of the game, anticipating trends, influencing change or more importantly, keeping the game on the same simple track it has been on for decades.

In the mid-1980s, this group was viewed as the most powerful, influential group in the NHL.  Names like Torrey, Nanne, Sinden, Pulford, Fletcher, Sather, Quinn and others commanded respect and reverence.  Team owners, league management and the NHL Players’ Association all bowed to this group.  They were truly the “Keepers of the Keys” in the NHL.

But things have been altered in the last 20 years. For one, Gary Bettman’s view of a more central government has cut back on the managers’ role.  Secondly, a more powerful NHLPA has been put in place to protect the players to a much higher level. Thirdly, a new kind of owner has appeared, one who wants to be involved in the business of the game, how it is played and how much money has to be spent.  Finally, the position of team president has evolved to have much more influence within the business of hockey. The once iconic domain of the general managers has become very crowded.  Some would argue for the better, others to the game’s detriment.

continued

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Late Saturday Night Hockey Notes

by Paul on 03/16/13 at 10:43 PM ET
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from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

- Don’t know what it is about American hockey coaches but there is this condescending arrogance that comes with Ron Wilson, John Tortorella and Peter Laviolette that somehow Dan Bylsma missed out on.

- If the Calgary Flames are going to move Jarome Iginla and not move goalie, Miikka Kiprusoff, what’s the point? I know it goes against ownership views, which seem rather pointless to me, but they should go hard after a top three draft pick this year and finally begin the process of rebuilding.

- Why doesn’t Steve Yzerman fire his hated coach Guy Boucher in Tampa and replace him with either Lindy Ruff or Jon Cooper?

more hockey notes...

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Video- Topics Of Discussion On Coach’s Corner Tonight

by Paul on 03/16/13 at 09:02 PM ET
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Ron MacLean and Don Cherry discuss shootouts, fighting, on-ice communications & goalie helmet safety.

 

Filed in: NHL Teams, NHL Talk, NHL Media, Hockey Broadcasting, CBC HNIC, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

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