Ideas on how to increase goal scoring...

[Shantz My Pants]

So I figured we have some knowledgable and creative posters here, why not discuss ways the NHL can increase goal scoring. This will be the first year since 03-04 where not a single player has scored over 100 points in a season and goals per game since the 2nd lock out have dropped from 3.08 to 2.73, which it has hovered around the past 4-5 seasons.

While the obvious reduce the size of goalie equipment suggestion will come up, I'm still not so sure that's going to make that much of a difference as the position is so technical and specialized it might not do a helluva lot.

One idea I've floated around that I got from my uncle was taking away the ability for PKers to ice the puck when ever they want. Instead, force them to still play the icing rule as normal. This in turn would force them to actually gain control and keep possession through half the neutral zone. It also doesn't make sense that because they committed a penalty, they lose a player on the ice, but suddenly are able to gain the ability to ignore the icing rules.

Any suggestions we can discuss?


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[MassHavoc]

Force full faced visors and masks... then players wouldn't feel so pensive about getting into the dirty work area and goals would go up... If that works, you can add suits of armor as well for extra protection.


Maybe make the ice bigger and go 7 on 7 with guys who just sit at the line and cherry pick.

 

[MassHavoc]

Asshattery aside... I know it wouldn't be true goal increase, but I like the idea of 2 things. 1.) not erasing powerplay time when a goal is scored, so make a team sit for the full penalty time. This would hopefully reduce stupid penalties and open up the play a bit but also give more powerplay goals. 2.) extend periods and the end of a game if there is still power play time on the clock. Except at the end of a game if the team that is leading is on the powerplay. I know they carry over to overtime, but I hate overtime. I want sudden death regular hockey in overtime.

Which brings me to a question, when was the new overtime/shootout format introduced and how has that affected the numbers? Are they counting the goal in the shootout in the goals scored numbers?

 

[Ares]

eliminate the offsides penalty.... but give the goalie some sort of ice pellet gun they can shoot at any would-be cherry pickers who wanna hang around.

 

[DMelt36]

Anyone else get the feeling that the league has gotten awfully loose with interference calls again? Seems like any player that dumps the puck into the zone instantly gets clutched/grabbed/interfered

 

[Shantz My Pants]

Anyone else get the feeling that the league has gotten awfully loose with interference calls again? Seems like any player that dumps the puck into the zone instantly gets clutched/grabbed/interfered

Power play opportunities has dropped since 05-06 from 5.85 to 3.11 a game. But since o8-09 more teams have scored on the PP at a rate of 18.59% compared to 16.47% the year before the lock out of 05.


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[ClydeLee]

It's not so much in the latest seasons that scoring overall has been down, just individual scoring leaders at the top are down. Also I think a part of that is most of the top names are past their high 100 pt total primes. Not legit prime skills but when you look at the history, those numbers generally stop existing after 26.

But less PPs will generally result in less top offensive players getting better opportunities to score more.

 

[TCD]

I am a big fan of leaving the games rules alone instead of changing them every year. No wonder scoring is down these players have to adjust to new rules every single year. Gotta let some of these rule changes simmer for a while before throwing new ones into the pot.

I also think key injuries to key guys and a season of the mumps has probably contributed to this seasons lack of 100 point players.

 

[Shantz My Pants]

I agree with leaving the game alone at times, but I really think they should implement the PK no ice rule. Just doesn't make sense to begin with.


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[2323]

eliminate the offsides penalty.... but give the goalie some sort of ice pellet gun they can shoot at any would-be cherry pickers who wanna hang around.

Best idea of the lot. What makes the scoring so low is goalie equipment and a bunch of defensemen clogging up shooting lanes. So many goals now are from random bounces...deflections going in and put backs on random bounces. There's very little skill in this. The offside penalty is allowing defensemen to creep up since they know the offside will diminish breakaways.

If guys are cherry picking, big deal. It will force defensemen to take a risk going on the attack.

But there is a dearth of scoring coming from skill. They need to tilt the game towards those who have skill...dynamic players who can flip the ice with their skating, shooting, and passing.

The other thing is making officials enforce rules already in place. This notion of playoff hockey isn't good for scoring or good for the game. Not enforcing the rules is not enforcing the rules, and it tilts the game in favor of certain teams...like Boston and LA. It's a credit to the Blackhawks have been as successful as they have. The way the game is officiated, doesn't exactly work in their favor.

People complain about Bickell...and it's understandable. He is overpaid and even mgt knows it. But this playoff hockey thing is real and he becomes valuable in this scenario because the way the game is officiated increases the reliance on random deflections and put backs. If not for playoff hockey, Bickell would likely not make 4 million or not be on the Blackhawks.

 

[Crystallas]

Faceoff on opponents side after penalty goal.
Shorten the distance between the bluelines and goals.
Revisit trapezoid changes.
Adjust two line pass rules.


IDK. You'll have periods of scoring, and periods of defense. It's not always rules related.

 

[biscuit_in_the_basket]

So I figured we have some knowledgable and creative posters here, why not discuss ways the NHL can increase goal scoring. This will be the first year since 03-04 where not a single player has scored over 100 points in a season and goals per game since the 2nd lock out have dropped from 3.08 to 2.73, which it has hovered around the past 4-5 seasons.

While the obvious reduce the size of goalie equipment suggestion will come up, I'm still not so sure that's going to make that much of a difference as the position is so technical and specialized it might not do a helluva lot.

One idea I've floated around that I got from my uncle was taking away the ability for PKers to ice the puck when ever they want. Instead, force them to still play the icing rule as normal. This in turn would force them to actually gain control and keep possession through half the neutral zone. It also doesn't make sense that because they committed a penalty, they lose a player on the ice, but suddenly are able to gain the ability to ignore the icing rules.

Any suggestions we can discuss?


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I have always thought that not negating icing on for the team on the PK would increase goal production and make penalties more "hurtful".

Another idea is to give the full 2 min on a PP.

Add a third assist.


The biggest challenge is not just the parity, but the size, skill, and fitness of the players have allowed for less ice and quicker moves to the player with the puck.


Of course, getting rid of parity in the league (cap), then the lopsidedness would come back relatively quickly.



For me, I think the game does not need more scoring. Like soccer it has become a chess match that is interesting to watch.

 

[biscuit_in_the_basket]

Faceoff on opponents side after penalty goal.
Shorten the distance between the bluelines and goals.
Revisit trapezoid changes.
Adjust two line pass rules.


IDK. You'll have periods of scoring, and periods of defense. It's not always rules related.

Oh yea, get rid of that freaking trapezoid. Broduer retired.

 

[CRM 114]

Get rid of offsides and goalie interference. Call more penalty shots. But don't pussify the game like the NFL has.

 

[Shantz My Pants]

I do like the game the way it is, and playoff hockey is the best hands down.

Just thought since OT rules are being looked at we could discuss other rules that might deserve a look.

I believe it was on TSN, but there was an article about this scenario of having no 100+ scorers. Teams are much more skilled, have more depth, and super star forwards are playing less minutes because of that. I don't think any forward has more than 20 minutes a game average, which 20 years ago was unheard of.




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[BlackHawkPaul]

Faceoff on opponents side after penalty goal.
Shorten the distance between the bluelines and goals.
Revisit trapezoid changes.
Adjust two line pass rules.


IDK. You'll have periods of scoring, and periods of defense. It's not always rules related.

I can agree with the offensive zone faceoff if a PP goal is scored. What happens on a SH goal? Still award the PP team with the offensive zone FO?
I disagree with shortening the blue lines. I believe the opposite would have a better effect. More offensive zone and less off sides.
Eliminate the trapezoid.
What 2 line pass rules? I thought the lockout of '05 eliminated that.

One unorthodox rule I would like to see would be extending play at the end of the 3rd or OT if a PIM is called with less than the penalty time.
For example: Player A trips player B with :30 to go in regulation. Extend the period by 1:30 to give the full PP. It's a tad soccer-rules, but that may help when teams know they only have to kill seconds rather than minutes.

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

Whoever gets the GWG in the shootout gets a goa (for realz)l. Anyone else on the winning team that scores gets assists.

Seriously, **** the shootout.

 

[DMelt36]

Power play opportunities has dropped since 05-06 from 5.85 to 3.11 a game. But since o8-09 more teams have scored on the PP at a rate of 18.59% compared to 16.47% the year before the lock out of 05.


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Any idea if you can break down the number of power plays by penalty called?

It just seems to me like there's a ton of interference that isn't getting called in the NHL anymore. For example, yesterday during Blues/Wings, someone from the Blues dumped the puck in and appeared to have a step on everyone toward retrieving the puck. But Zetterberg, while mostly flat-footed, was able to take a few steps to his right and pin the Blues player to the boards and the chance was over before it had an opportunity to begin. I know the Wings are notorious for being the worst offenders of this, but I have to imagine they're not the only guilty parties.

 

[Shantz My Pants]

I didn't see that option, but interference isn't called like it was coming out of the lockout of 05.


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[MassHavoc]

Question, what about ice size? Would it be useful to go bigger or smaller?