Listen to Sid the Kid

[auxlepli 17]

Brian Costello, of The Hockey News, reports that Sidney Crosby said that the size of goalie equipment needs to be reduced.

Like E.F. Hutton, when Sidney Crosby speaks, people listen. Crosby is the NHL’s best marketing tool: the league wants him playing in every NHL city every season and is doing what it can to balance the schedule.

So when Crosby told The Hockey News recently he thinks the NHL should take further steps to reduce the size of goalie equipment, you know the league heard the echoes over and over again.

Last week it was reported that Dallas Stars goalies made fun of Roberto Luongo because he wears an extra flap, for protection, on his pads. James Mirtle mentioned it in his blog too.

So it was surprising to hear the news Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo is playing with two small extra knee flaps, which extend outside the allowable 11-inch width of each pad near the knee.

The fact Luongo’s getting away with this is astonishing. Even Dallas goalies Marty Turco and Mike Smith made light of the extra flaps by donning exaggerated cardboards flaps of their own in mock jest, of course.

It doesn't make sense to me why the NHL allows Luongo to exceed the stated rules. It also doesn't make sense to me why the NHL is considering making the nets bigger when it could reduce the size of goalie equipment. The technology is there to do so.

Phil Esposito also thinks the size of goalie equipment should be reduced, and specifically said the gloves of today are enormous compared to when he played.

[Wings_Dynasty 267]

It will never happen. If it is someone else's idea, espcially a player's, the league won't go for it.

THey have to get all the credit for a good idea, and they get to blame the players, coaches, fans, and jersey companies for the bad ones.

[Yzerfan1999 81]

Could someone point out these flaps to me? I have looked at pics of Lou and can't see the difference.

They look the same as

and

They all have the inner flap on the knee. Turco's look the same - in fact all the RBK ones do.

Quick Edit: *all the same in the knees. It looks like Luongo's ARE much bigger than the others, but you be the judge.

Another Quick Edit: Maybe he is talking about what you can see on the outside of MA Fleury's pads by the knees? That little extension which is absent from Turco and Khabi, but you can't see Luongo's well enough...could be there?

Edited December 24, 2007 by Yzerfan1999

[datsyukonethree 0]

I think the extra flaps are the ones that cover the top of the knee. You'll be able to see them when he's down in the butterfly.

[lfd250 1]

Ok on his right pad, start at the stick work your way up past the two straps and then you'll see a slightly darker blue round shape next to the label. I think their making it a big deal because it's on the outside were as everyone else just has one on the inside. (JMO)

[irishtemper14+25 11]

they pointed them out on hockey night in canada last saturday and they will not stop any extra pucks, luongo just likes them...its less than a cenimeter thick and just sticks out a few inches, does not give him an advantage

[Yzerfan1999 81]

Ok on his right pad, start at the stick work your way up past the two straps and then you'll see a slightly darker blue round shape next to the label. I think their making it a big deal because it's on the outside were as everyone else just has one on the inside. (JMO)

Yeah, i thought i saw something there too.. So MA Fleury has some kind of pad there too? They look more triangular.

[Yemack 1]

I don't know about extra flap stuff but whatever Giguiere is wearing it definately isn't legal.

[sharomyga 6]

I don't know about extra flap stuff but whatever Giguiere is wearing it definately isn't legal.

LMAO))))))))

[Turkey 0]

I don't know why this is such a revolutionary idea. I understand that the NHLPA probably hinders the issue but frankly, what are there more of in the PA: Goalies or players who shoot pucks at goalies?

[Mjolman 0]

I say the pad size should be a bit smaller and tightly regulated. Also would like to see plastic shells taken off shoulder pads. Just cloth in equipment like that.

Plastic on only helmets and knee pads for skaters.

[Vincanni 1]

If you ask me I see the chest protectors and other concealed means of exaggerating one's size in net as being a larger problem. I understand goalies need to protect themselves but if you look at guys like Luongo and Giguiere it's impossible to dictate were their chest ends and were their necks begin. Their over-sized chest protectors puff up so high on them, this gives them a clear advantage on concealing the net behind them.

[Izzy24 44]

I think the extra flaps are the ones that cover the top of the knee. You'll be able to see them when he's down in the butterfly.

Those are "thigh boards" which are illegal in the NHL.