Watching Old Games During Suspended Season

[onegroove7]

Honestly, I don't miss the modern day NHL at all.

[tobin834]

hahaha! I am finding the same for not only hockey but all games. I want them to just release every game from the whatever season and watch from then. I would honestly love that.

[bhurst99]

I watched a bit of Game 4 of the 1976 Stanley Cup Finals between Montreal and Philadelphia on Youtube. I actually had no idea Philadelphia made in back to the Cup after winning in 1974 and 1975.

I don't know if there is a sport that looks so different from the 1970s until now. (Maybe basketball since there were no three point lines in the NBA) No advertisements on the boards, most players aren't wearing helmets and the goalies ... oh my. The goalies look like stick figures. Their technique is also incredibly bad compared to NHL goalies today. By comparison, you can tell the skaters are very skilled by their skating speed, puck handling and stick work.

I watched the first two goals of the game which were scored on wrists shots that would never have been scored today. Like not a chance in the world they get past even the worst NHL goalkeeper today.

Just a weird thing to watch. I couldn't watch the rest of the game after that.

[onegroove7]

Quote: Originally Posted by bhurst99

I watched a bit of Game 4 of the 1976 Stanley Cup Finals between Montreal and Philadelphia on Youtube. I actually had no idea Philadelphia made in back to the Cup after winning in 1974 and 1975. I don't know if there is a sport that looks so different from the 1970s until now. (Maybe basketball since there were no three point lines in the NBA) No advertisements on the boards, most players aren't wearing helmets and the goalies ... oh my. The goalies look like stick figures. Their technique is also incredibly bad compared to NHL goalies today. By comparison, you can tell the skaters are very skilled by their skating speed, puck handling and stick work. I watched the first two goals of the game which were scored on wrists shots that would never have been scored today. Like not a chance in the world they get past even the worst NHL goalkeeper today. Just a weird thing to watch. I couldn't watch the rest of the game after that.

They teach goaltenders to play the game very differently nowadays. With the current size of the padding, they coach goalies to hardly move and just cut down the angles by moving forwards. One of the best things a goalie can do now is be tall because it allows him to have even bigger pads and occupy even more of the net. You could argue that the best goalies were the ones of the past since they actually had to work to make saves. Dominik Hasek was sort of the last of his kind. Guys like Pekka Rinne were the first to be told "JUST DON'T MOVE!"

[Money99]

Quote: Originally Posted by onegroove7

They teach goaltenders to play the game very differently nowadays. With the current size of the padding, they coach goalies to hardly move and just cut down the angles by moving forwards. One of the best things a goalie can do now is be tall because it allows him to have even bigger pads and occupy even more of the net. You could argue that the best goalies were the ones of the past since they actually had to work to make saves. Dominik Hasek was sort of the last of his kind. Guys like Pekka Rinne were the first to be told "JUST DON'T MOVE!"

Great points.
And goalies back then, with their 80lb pads and catchers chest protectors, were forced to come out in order to cut off angles because their 'stick figure' stature forced them too.
Goalies were much more athletic and exciting before Gigure made Stay Puft Marshmallow Man padding popular.

As you stated, today's goalies are trained to be Big and play the angle.
Brian Burke said they no longer make saves, but rather block shots.
Heck, Henrik Lundqvist has his trapper fused so he can't close it. He's basically using a frying pan.

IMO, hockey was FAR more entertaining back then (and up to 1994) because the game was far more spontaneous from both the skaters and netminders.
You're lucky if you see one or two oddman rushes in a week in today's NHL. You'd see one or two a period back in the day.
And in the end, sports are supposed to be entertaining.
I don't care if it was sloppier and dmen had poor Corsi numbers in 1985.
I try watching games today, but I don't find endless dumping and chasing and grinding along the walls very entertaining.
Just like I'd rather watch a breakaway or a Bure rush over today's standard goal of a point blast, 8 guys in front of the net and the puck bouncing off sticks, skates and butts.
Nobody needed to watch 15 replays from several different angles to figure out who's body part touched the puck last before it went into the net from 1920-2000.


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[DrJones]

Unpopular take, I'm sure, but I think the average entertainment quality of today's NHL is just fine for the most part. And yes, I'm almost 50 and have been watching games since Gretzky's rookie year.

Is the quality of play as good as 89-94? No. Is it a million times better than 98-04? Hell yes.

[DrJones]

Quote: Originally Posted by Money99

Nobody needed to watch 15 replays from several different angles to figure out who's body part touched the puck last before it went into the net from 1920-2000.

A lot of that is because sh** just happened back then and there were no replays or social media to get the outrage machine started. The amount of dirty plays, awful calls, deliberate attempts to injure, rampant goaltender interference (half of the Islanders goals from about 1978 to 1983 resulted from Clark Gillies taking out the opponents' goalie), uncalled hooking, slashing, elbowing, kicked-in goals, etc. would absolutely blow people away today. I am not nostalgic for the early 80s (well, not for the hockey of the early 80s, anyway).

[mercalnd]

Quote: Originally Posted by DrJones

Unpopular take, I'm sure, but I think the average entertainment quality of today's NHL is just fine for the most part. And yes, I'm almost 50 and have been watching games since Gretzky's rookie year. Is the quality of play as good as 89-94? No. Is it a million times better than 98-04? Hell yes.

I agree wholeheartedly! Though I'm just pushing 40...