Due to the difficulty of passing and making plays in the new NHL because most teams clog the middle of the ice, teams have been forced to win games by driving hard to the goal and picking up garbage.

The NHL used to have a crease rule (which Buffalonians know all about) to prevent this from happening, because of safety concerns.

They revoked the rule sometime after those playoffs, perhaps in a desperate attempt to prevent something like that from happening again...

Watching these games, I've become weary of possible injuries to goaltenders. They're constantly getting slammed into with practically no way to protect themselves because they're focused on stopping the puck, and they can't pay attention to that other stuff.

Do you think a goaltender could be seriously hurt?

And if so, does the NHL consider changing the rules of hockey, yet again?

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Wheelhouse

Your defense is supposed to stop them rushing the net, not the rulebook.

On the other hand, we probably benefited by having Hasek during that era. He would have been run endlessly, and stepped on, and fallen on regularly. We ALL know the crease rule blows(UNLESS YOU ENFORCE IT FAIRLY).

The goalies are the best protected of all players on the ice. Miller is 163 lbs; looks like 230 lbs in his equipment.

I don't see many goalies getting injured from the nets being "crashed."

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"I'll rap you with my cane; you pencil necked geek!!"

-Bowler, imitating Freddy Blassie, at the very first M & G.

if mike sees this you'll hear a completely different tune when it comes to goalie protection.

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Check out my website: http://www.artistzero.com

"That wasn't very nice...I do believe you killed my hat."

Driver of the FIRE LINDY RUFF Bandwagon since 2008.

They do have the most protection, but I don't know if their equipment is really designed to protect against people.

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Remember kids : Running into a goaltender is bad, because we wouldn't want them to get hurt. However, follow through elbows to the head are ok because they are just a tough hockey play.

The more you know.

Now as a defenseman, I fucking hate anyone who takes a run at my goalie. Go near the crease, and I'm the one either picking you up and moving you, or shoveling you out of there like a pile of shit. This one guy who plays goal, however, tends to have a mouth on him and runs it like you wouldn't believe. If he gets on the nerves of the opposition for no reason or starts shit, well mother fucker, god helps those who help themselves.

As for the NHL, I think some guys bull their way to the net intentionally sometimes with the intent to injure. But I have to agree that it should be the job of the defense/forwards to stop you from getting that close to the net to begin with.

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If it's a tight squeeze, spit on it! - NyI

He's a middling AHL player who had the good fortune of a drunk arbitrator. - The Squanto re: Tim Kennedy

Jhonas Hiller and his knee to the head would beg to differ. I don't disagree with you though, it is an aberration.

I think goalie interference needs to be enforced a bit more. The strategy of knocking defensemen onto their goalie has to stop. One of the reasons Anaheim won the cup was because every time there was a stoppage in play, someone was falling on the opposition goalie.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Made me think of it, lol.

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We have two Stanley cups won Anaheim and No One Caresolina where the winning team was benefitted greatly from knocking around the opposition goaltender either throughout the playoffs or in the finals themselves.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

According to most on this board, they'd agree with that strategy...

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"She's like plan C after an 18 pack"

Squanto 7/27/2010

Never said that was an acceptable play.

Just saying the international's rule that "prevents" it from happening does just the opposite.

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Wheelhouse

Anything that can be done to make goalies MORE in play I'm in favor of. I hate rules overprotecting certain positions regardless of the sport. I genuinely like violence in sports, and that's one of the reasons I dislike basketball and soccer so much.

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

I've yet to see a violent hit to the head in international play. It helps when you can get thrown out of the game for it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSNi9nIr ... re=related
theres one or two for you

I've never seen a rough moment in polo either. It helps that I don't watch.

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When I was a boy I spoke as a boy, I understood as a boy, and I thought as a boy; when I became a man I took that boy outside and shot him.

Allow players to put their heads down, and they'll be skating without protecting themselves all the time.

Stupid rule.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyY7OuvOsyo#t=1m1s

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Wheelhouse

Some may consider Cormier's head shots to be a tad dirty.

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

Fair enough.

I'll still never be convinced that having a rule severely punishing hits to the head it WORSE than not having a rule. I also vehemently disagree that by punishing hits to the head, you encourage players to put their heads down and invite hits.

Edit: Whatever. I don't know why I bother to debate this issue. We should just allow people unfettered access to bash in each others brains on the ice, because they're 'tough hockey plays'.

Bullshit.

Not at all what I'm suggesting.

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Wheelhouse

I also think predatory head shots should be punished severely, and can't imagine anyone here disagrees. Where is this controversy coming from?

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.