Friday, June 20
GMs targetting size of goaltending equipment
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By Sherry Skalko
ESPN.com
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The current state of the NHL's monitoring of the size of goalie equipment was summed up in one answer to one question:
Has a goalie ever been fined for having illegal equipment?
"No," said Colin Campbell, the league's director of hockey operations. "We've issued warnings.
"That's probably the right question … and the wrong answer."
The league's general managers met Friday, the day before the entry draft, to clear the decks of some administrative issues. While decisions on rules cannot be made without representation from the Players' Association, there was a significant amount of discussion about the size of goaltending equipment -- specifically leg pads and chest protectors.
Currently, the only restriction on a goalie's leg pads is the width, which is set at 12 inches. But it's not the width of the pads that's an issue, it's the length -- the longer the pads are, the more the bottom of the crease is covered when goalies drop down to the ice, especially in the butterfly position. The challenge for the league will be setting a limit, as not every goalie in the NHL is the same height.
Anaheim general manager Bryan Murray pointed out that his 6-foot-1 goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who was criticized during the 2003 playoffs for having illegal equipment, uses pads that are 36 inches long. Backup Martin Gerber, who is slightly shorter than Giguere, uses pads that are 38 inches long, which Murray estimates will be the limit.
Campbell noted one goaltender in the league uses pads that are 44 inches long.
"Four more inches and they'd touch the crossbar," he added.
Chest protectors present a more difficult situation. Currently, many goalies have their chest protector attached to their pants, so as they drop down, their shoulder pads are forced up. That way, they don't lose as much net coverage as they would if the chest pad slid into their pants. The NHL is concerned about injuries if it prohibits the practice.
As the velocity and force of players' shots have increased over the years, so have improvements in goaltending equipment. But where should the line be drawn?
"You've got vital organs up there. It's one of the issues that concern us," Campbell said.
When and where to monitor equipment is also an issue. Under Brian Burke, the league's previous director of hockey operations and now the GM of the Vancouver Canucks, the NHL would conduct random checks as soon as goalies left the ice. Currently, they're measured during training camps and before the start of the playoffs.
"At the end of the day, we have to do the right thing for the game," Campbell said. "Our teams may not like it, and maybe the players might not like it, and maybe the players' lawyers might not like it."
"If someone stands in the way, we're going to have to do what we have to do, whether that's fine our clubs or fine the goaltenders or fine them both."
Campbell said the league will solicit input from a group of goaltenders before pursuing the issue on a more formal basis at the next general managers meeting, expected to be held later this summer. Specific playing rules -- like the possibility of going back to the full two-minute penalty -- will be discussed then as well.
Thumbs up on obstruction enforcement
The general managers widely support the current enforcement of the obstruction standard that was implemented at the start of the season.
"It's gotten better and better," said Murray. "I think they're doing a better job"
The NHL's hockey operations department assembled video of 2003 playoff games that showed flow and scoring chances because players didn't tie up opponents like they would have done a year ago.
GMs also suggested ways to increase both aspects -- although not necessarily goals -- including reverting back to the offside tag-up rule and reducing the TV timeouts, although at least one GM objected to the latter.
"Someone said, 'No, I like the TV timeouts because my better players can play more often,' " Campbell said.
While scoring chances and tight defense aren't mutually exclusive, Toronto coach/general manager Pat Quinn noted the irony in their efforts to open up the game.
"Our systematic play tries to stop that, but that's good defense," he said. "Everyone in (the meeting) would say defense wins, but we also want the beauty of more offensive opportunities. It's a beautiful game to play in the regular season but once the playoffs start, you better be good on defense."
GMs already operating under new CBA ... whatever it is
Draft weekend is the NHL's second-largest swap meet. But the looming expiration of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement in September 2004 makes it difficult to gauge this year's activity because many teams are unwilling to take on players (read: contracts) who don't fit into their plans.
"If you believe there is going to be a new order, you've got to plan now so you have flexibility when that new system, whatever it looks like, kicks in," Burke said. "To say it's not affecting people's planning would be naïve. In fact, it'd be disingenuous.
"Teams are reacting to that in very different ways."
The Canucks have locked up the core of their team -- forwards Markus Naslund and Todd Bertuzzi and defenseman Ed Jovanovski -- well past the expiration date.
Meanwhile, the Red Wings will have seven or eight of their players -- such as Nicklas Lidstrom, Mathieu Schneider, Brett Hull, Brendan Shanahan, Kris Draper and Tomas Holmstrom -- whose contracts will be up next July.
"We've tried to get us to September 2004 with some financial flexibility," Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said. "We've been preparing for it for a couple of years. … Obviously there are some players we're going to give term to. We'll make that decision as we go. But every player is unique. Size of salary, age, a lot of things are going to come into play."
Quinn shedding a title
Soon, Toronto general manager and coach Pat Quinn will be plain ol' coach Quinn. But how soon remains to be seen.
Quinn can't shed his general manager duties until the transfer of majority ownership in Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment, which also runs the Toronto Raptors, to Bell Global Media is approved by the NBA.
One of the leading candidates is believed to be Steve Tambellini, Vancouver's director of player personnel. Both played a major role with Canada's 2002 gold-medal winning Olympic team – Quinn as coach and Tambellini as assistant GM.
Sherry Skalko is the NHL Editor for ESPN.com.
http://espn.go.com/nhl/draft2003/columns/misc/1571029.html
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