Kukla's Korner Hockey
Dan Boyle On Today’s Game
by Paul on 10/10/16 at 11:44 AM ET
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from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,
"When I started, you wanted the big defenseman that could hold up and chip the puck out," Boyle, who announced his retirement last Wednesday, told ESPN.com. "There was no room for the smaller guy because it was too physical of a game. Then they take out the red line and everyone is going to fly, everyone is going to wheel.''
Those post-2005 lockout years were fun for a while, as rule changes -- such as no longer using the red line to prevent teams from making two-line passes -- helped open the game.
"But obviously coaches evolve, and the game evolves," said Boyle, a puck-moving magician during his 17 years in the NHL. "And now, in today's game, you've got guys -- top guys included -- all blocking shots, breaking hands, breaking ankles. You've got coaches wanting everyone to flip the puck in, dump the puck in.
"And the play that I hated the most in the post-red line era is when teams set up behind their own net and fire these long bombs to the forward at the opposite blueline, who just puts his blade out and then the puck is in the other zone. And nothing happens. I hated that. If there's a red line there, it forces the D-man to make a play. I am one of those guys who would love to see the red line back.''
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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.
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