from Corey Hirsch of Sportsnet,

Now, let’s take a look at each piece of equipment, where we’re at with them and where we should aspire to be:

The pads:
Their current height is ridiculous. As a standup goalie myself, the way we used to cheat was to make the pads as wide as possible to reduce the five-hole and provide maximum width coverage.

Some pads got as wide as 15 inches. I won’t mention any names, but I once measured a former goaltending partner’s pads and they were definitely 15 inches across the bottom. With the evolution of the butterfly save to cover the five hole, goalies have essentially done the same thing by making taller pads. When the butterfly closes, the tops of the pads are long enough that the five-hole shuts down completely when goalies drop to their knees.

The NHL went after the width of the pad, and reduced it, but what they should have done is gone after the height. Two-to-three inches maximum above the knee is all you need and this will open up the five hole. Knees would be exposed to pucks, yes, but the knee pads today are more protective than ever, and it’s definitely not an issue.

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