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equipment change
- Thread starter Osorojo
- Start date
Re: equipment change
I'm kinda in the Don Cherry camp that the improved pads (shin, elbow, etc) with the harder plastic shells make it much safer for players - but it also makes players much more likely to step in and block shots. That's been the single biggest change in the game in my opinion - much improved team defense and shot blocking.
Cherry also talks about increased injuries stemming from this sort of arms race. You hit a guy with hard plastic pads, and you're more likely to be safe - but the guy on the other end of the hit isn't so lucky.
I'm kinda in the Don Cherry camp that the improved pads (shin, elbow, etc) with the harder plastic shells make it much safer for players - but it also makes players much more likely to step in and block shots. That's been the single biggest change in the game in my opinion - much improved team defense and shot blocking.
Cherry also talks about increased injuries stemming from this sort of arms race. You hit a guy with hard plastic pads, and you're more likely to be safe - but the guy on the other end of the hit isn't so lucky.
Nick Papagiorgio
Holding court
Re: equipment change
It's tough to say that equipment has changed the game. It hasn't really changed the game a ton or the way it is played that much.
Skates and sticks are the most notable pieces of equipment that have changed. They are both lighter as a result of the technological advances in carbon composite materials in the skates and sticks.
Sticks went from wood to aluminum shafts to carbon composite shafts to one piece carbon composite sticks. They break more but clearly have added mphs to slapshot and wristshots. And they cost a ton.
Skates are now heat moldable and made of carbon composite and texalium. Break-in times are minimal with the baking process. They are lighter. They are stiffer. The steel hasn't changed a whole lot... CCM had a runner that was a good idea but people just didn't know how to sharpen it so that died and now Bauer has run with the idea in their new Total One skate in fusing steel to lighter materials (aluminum I think?) on the top of the blade where it will really help reduce the weight while never being a problem for actually touching the ice. New skates also COST A TON.
The rest of the equipment... yea it's gotten better but not enough to really say it has changed the game much. Even helmets (particularly the foams, VN foam is still preferred by many) have been largely unchanged with very few advances in technology to protect the head more against concussions... the most notable is the recent M11 Messier Project with Cascade and that's tough to measure because it's new and is probably only a minor improvement. Jofa did some good work with their JDP stuff on protective but again nothing drastic that changes the game.
Maybe... one could argue the protective side is better and as a result you see guys able to jump in front of pucks more often without injury.
The worst part of the whole thing is the cost of this new stuff (particularly skates and sticks). You could debate it's a budget buster and hurt smaller programs in the college game and led to their untimely death. But outside of the college game, I truly believe the cost of equipment has hurt the sport and it was already costly before.
It's tough to say that equipment has changed the game. It hasn't really changed the game a ton or the way it is played that much.
Skates and sticks are the most notable pieces of equipment that have changed. They are both lighter as a result of the technological advances in carbon composite materials in the skates and sticks.
Sticks went from wood to aluminum shafts to carbon composite shafts to one piece carbon composite sticks. They break more but clearly have added mphs to slapshot and wristshots. And they cost a ton.
Skates are now heat moldable and made of carbon composite and texalium. Break-in times are minimal with the baking process. They are lighter. They are stiffer. The steel hasn't changed a whole lot... CCM had a runner that was a good idea but people just didn't know how to sharpen it so that died and now Bauer has run with the idea in their new Total One skate in fusing steel to lighter materials (aluminum I think?) on the top of the blade where it will really help reduce the weight while never being a problem for actually touching the ice. New skates also COST A TON.
The rest of the equipment... yea it's gotten better but not enough to really say it has changed the game much. Even helmets (particularly the foams, VN foam is still preferred by many) have been largely unchanged with very few advances in technology to protect the head more against concussions... the most notable is the recent M11 Messier Project with Cascade and that's tough to measure because it's new and is probably only a minor improvement. Jofa did some good work with their JDP stuff on protective but again nothing drastic that changes the game.
Maybe... one could argue the protective side is better and as a result you see guys able to jump in front of pucks more often without injury.
The worst part of the whole thing is the cost of this new stuff (particularly skates and sticks). You could debate it's a budget buster and hurt smaller programs in the college game and led to their untimely death. But outside of the college game, I truly believe the cost of equipment has hurt the sport and it was already costly before.
Re: equipment change
Kinda dating myself, because probably most of you haven’t ever played without them, but IMO, it ‘s the sticks generally and the curved blade specifically.
The curved blade made it more feasible to lift and control slap shots while making stickhandling and executing and receiving passes more difficult. Prior to that, the Hulls and Geoffrions were notable because they had good slap shots. Some players didn’t use them at all, and some coaches actually discouraged them, even for shots from the point. Now, I’d say they’re the most common type of shot, and almost exclusively the shot from the point, unless the shooter doesn’t have time to wind up. Now passes to the backhand side are often made by twisting the body and using the forehand.
One side effect of that was that it used to be feasible to play without a helmet, and now it isn’t. I don’t think that the players (especially the goalies) of the helmetless era were any stupider or braver than today’s players; they just weren't subjected to so many shot at head height that could kill or maim them.
Which brings me to one of my pet peeves – entry level player sticks with curved blades. They have absolutely no advantage to the player, they make learning stickhandling and backhand shooting more difficult, and they force players to choose left or right long before they should have to.
Kinda dating myself, because probably most of you haven’t ever played without them, but IMO, it ‘s the sticks generally and the curved blade specifically.
The curved blade made it more feasible to lift and control slap shots while making stickhandling and executing and receiving passes more difficult. Prior to that, the Hulls and Geoffrions were notable because they had good slap shots. Some players didn’t use them at all, and some coaches actually discouraged them, even for shots from the point. Now, I’d say they’re the most common type of shot, and almost exclusively the shot from the point, unless the shooter doesn’t have time to wind up. Now passes to the backhand side are often made by twisting the body and using the forehand.
One side effect of that was that it used to be feasible to play without a helmet, and now it isn’t. I don’t think that the players (especially the goalies) of the helmetless era were any stupider or braver than today’s players; they just weren't subjected to so many shot at head height that could kill or maim them.
Which brings me to one of my pet peeves – entry level player sticks with curved blades. They have absolutely no advantage to the player, they make learning stickhandling and backhand shooting more difficult, and they force players to choose left or right long before they should have to.
Re: equipment change
Well, if you're talking 2-3 decades back, I think some consideration should be given to an entirely different kind of equipment: computers and video technology. I think a pretty strong argument could be made that these technologies have changed teams' preparation and approaches to the game far more than putting different padding in the helmets.
Well, if you're talking 2-3 decades back, I think some consideration should be given to an entirely different kind of equipment: computers and video technology. I think a pretty strong argument could be made that these technologies have changed teams' preparation and approaches to the game far more than putting different padding in the helmets.
FlagDUDE08
Banned
Re: equipment change
I would agree with LF on this one, especially if you consider the concept of video goal review. Granted I do not have statistics about how many goal decisions have been reversed because of this technology, but it takes away the "What did you see?" issues and having the game be solely determined on what a ref happened to notice in a split second. With the video replay, time can be taken to get the call right, and the games are more fun for all parties concerned.
I would agree with LF on this one, especially if you consider the concept of video goal review. Granted I do not have statistics about how many goal decisions have been reversed because of this technology, but it takes away the "What did you see?" issues and having the game be solely determined on what a ref happened to notice in a split second. With the video replay, time can be taken to get the call right, and the games are more fun for all parties concerned.
unofan
Well-known member
Re: equipment change
Maybe it's cause I didn't pick the game up til college, but I knew right away that a right-handed stick felt wierd and was a natural lefty in hockey. Took me all of about 2 minutes on the pond with a stick to realize I needed the other one.
The bigger issue is parents forcing their kids into one because they think it's right - ie I'm right-handed in everything but hockey. Had I picked it up as a kid, my parents probably would've gotten a right-handed stick and I'd have been stuck with it.
Maybe it's cause I didn't pick the game up til college, but I knew right away that a right-handed stick felt wierd and was a natural lefty in hockey. Took me all of about 2 minutes on the pond with a stick to realize I needed the other one.
The bigger issue is parents forcing their kids into one because they think it's right - ie I'm right-handed in everything but hockey. Had I picked it up as a kid, my parents probably would've gotten a right-handed stick and I'd have been stuck with it.
jcarter7669
Registered User
Re: equipment change
The change from chain link fence to seamless glass
The change from chain link fence to seamless glass
beaverhockeyfan
Well-known member
Re: equipment change
The size of the goalie equipment. Look at video clips from the 80s and early 90s and compare them with clips from today, today's goalies look like the Marshmallow Man.
The NHL keeps talking about wanting to increase scoring. Well, shrink the goalie pads and gloves back to what they were. You can still use all the modern fibers and fillers, but if you cut the size back, there will be more net to shoot at.
The size of the goalie equipment. Look at video clips from the 80s and early 90s and compare them with clips from today, today's goalies look like the Marshmallow Man.
The NHL keeps talking about wanting to increase scoring. Well, shrink the goalie pads and gloves back to what they were. You can still use all the modern fibers and fillers, but if you cut the size back, there will be more net to shoot at.
Ralph Baer
Let's Go 'Tute!
Nick Papagiorgio
Holding court
Re: equipment change
I like your style...
Even with kevlar helmets they are still going to think twice if you get them up around the head/neck nowadays.
There's a reason I shoot high and go headhunting in the first period when I'm on the ice!
I like your style...
Even with kevlar helmets they are still going to think twice if you get them up around the head/neck nowadays.
There's a reason I shoot high and go headhunting in the first period when I'm on the ice!
FlagDUDE08
Banned
Re: equipment change
As a natural southpaw, I'm definitely in agreement with this. Take athletes even in other sports, like Phil Mickelson. Swings left, but writes right. I think that that is also a bit of a change over the last quite-a-few years, in that sports are starting to become more accepting of left-handed athletes (of all ages), though it's still quite tough. You rarely see right-hand-catching goalies, mostly due to the equipment availability. Same with hockey sticks, as previously described. They're there, but not all that available. Heck, even in Polo, left-handed people are barred from playing professionally due to passing patterns.
As a natural southpaw, I'm definitely in agreement with this. Take athletes even in other sports, like Phil Mickelson. Swings left, but writes right. I think that that is also a bit of a change over the last quite-a-few years, in that sports are starting to become more accepting of left-handed athletes (of all ages), though it's still quite tough. You rarely see right-hand-catching goalies, mostly due to the equipment availability. Same with hockey sticks, as previously described. They're there, but not all that available. Heck, even in Polo, left-handed people are barred from playing professionally due to passing patterns.
Re: equipment change
Golf is different, due to the difficulty and expense involved in getting lefty clubs back in the day.
I think Robert Redford, a natural lefty, golfs right handed due to the fact that those were the only clubs available to him when he learned. He's pretty good, too, I gather.
Golf is different, due to the difficulty and expense involved in getting lefty clubs back in the day.
I think Robert Redford, a natural lefty, golfs right handed due to the fact that those were the only clubs available to him when he learned. He's pretty good, too, I gather.
FlagDUDE08
Banned
Re: equipment change
Tell me about it, this is why I don't golf. I stick to official Norwegian sports.
Tell me about it, this is why I don't golf. I stick to official Norwegian sports.
Patman
Rodent of Unusual Size
Re: equipment change
add to that the equipment doesn't weigh a ton in this day and age. If hockey were to get serious they'd still pare down the goalies back. Change the nature of the goalie and you change the tactics.
The one thing I've noticed in my decade of college hockey is that everybody got faster... I don't think that's so much equipment because I don't think much has changed in the last 10... the players are better conditioned and you can't undo that.
add to that the equipment doesn't weigh a ton in this day and age. If hockey were to get serious they'd still pare down the goalies back. Change the nature of the goalie and you change the tactics.
The one thing I've noticed in my decade of college hockey is that everybody got faster... I don't think that's so much equipment because I don't think much has changed in the last 10... the players are better conditioned and you can't undo that.
Re: equipment change
Your cute insult reveals your pedigree. I'm guessing you played without a helmet or a face mask. They would have been a waste of money.
Your cute insult reveals your pedigree. I'm guessing you played without a helmet or a face mask. They would have been a waste of money.