The trapezoid.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

On Saturday's segment of "Coaches Corner", Mr. Cherry touched on five easy ways to change the rules of the game, in an attempt to lessen the number of injuries due to legal, but overly zealous, bodychecking:

HNIC / Coach's Corner .

There is speculation that the "rule makers" (i.e., the General Managers) might make a small step in this regard, and it's one of the points Mr. Cherry included; from Toronto Star :

...

Like getting rid of the trapezoid behind the net.

Yeah, that's the kind of move the GMs would like. Simple, not drastic.

The trapezoid was instituted after the 2004-05 lockout as a means of stopping goaltenders from playing the puck in certain areas behind the red line. The idea was that goalies were becoming too active in their puck-playing, thus neutralizing enemy forechecks too often and too easily.

It was part of a package and, as it turns out, it was probably an extra rule that could have been left out. The other rule changes – eliminating the red line for two-line passes, outlawing hooking and holding, particularly in the neutral zone – ended up having enormous impact on the pace of the game.

Defencemen, however, have clearly become more at risk from the big hit, particularly with obstruction on forecheckers removed.

...

From Toronto Star :

...

The best argument came from Dave Hodge on TSN The Reporters Sunday. He pointed out that the NFL has found a way to reduce head shots and violence without harming the product or the league's popularity.

"Why not take your cue from a league that's a lot more popular than you are in North America?" he asked.

...

Is something like this move a step in the right direction, or a waste of time?

[jollymania 162]

Except football sucks and why would you want to emulate it? But i think the trapezoid rule has nothing to do with football and it should be abolished because the game wasn't any worse when the goalies could run out there and grab pucks, if anyhting it was more entertaining to see what guys like Turco or Brodeur would do. But as long as these big hits on dmen are good clean hits, who cares, the problem comes when guys run in there and board the defenseman.

Edited November 9, 2009 by jollymania

[egroen 384]

Get rid of the trapezoid! :beerbuddy:

[russianswede919293 95]

I'm all for no trapezoid.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

On Saturday's segment of "Coaches Corner", Mr. Cherry touched on five easy ways to change the rules of the game, in an attempt to lessen the number of injuries due to legal, but overly zealous, bodychecking:

HNIC / Coach's Corner .

There is speculation that the "rule makers" (i.e., the General Managers) might make a small step in this regard, and it's one of the points Mr. Cherry included; from Toronto Star :

From Toronto Star :

Is something like this move a step in the right direction, or a waste of time?

If you want to prevent some injuries (which have plagued the league to a momentous amount this year) it is a step in the right direction rather than a waste of time.

[zettie85 106]

On Saturday's segment of "Coaches Corner", Mr. Cherry touched on five easy ways to change the rules of the game, in an attempt to lessen the number of injuries due to legal, but overly zealous, bodychecking:

HNIC / Coach's Corner .

There is speculation that the "rule makers" (i.e., the General Managers) might make a small step in this regard, and it's one of the points Mr. Cherry included; from Toronto Star :

From Toronto Star :

Is something like this move a step in the right direction, or a waste of time?

What moves did they make in the NFL besides telling them not to and putting in more rules like not leading with the head? It's not a solution to look at the NFL.

[Konnan511 1,736]

Except football sucks and why would you want to emulate it?

The National Football League - $6.3 Billion > National Hockey League - $2.56 Billion. I'd say that's a pretty damn good reason to try and emulate some things of the NFL no matter how you feel about it. Unless you're against the NHL grossing more money then I see no reason why not to try and emulate some things.

it was more entertaining to see what guys like Turco or Brodeur would do. But as long as these big hits on dmen are good clean hits, who cares, the problem comes when guys run in there and board the defenseman.

Agreed with the first part, not so much the second part with how many injuries we've seen from careless players taking advantage of the rules to their benefit.

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

nevermind.

Edited November 9, 2009 by CaliWingsNut

[wingfanatic4alltime 32]

I for one hated that rule since it was implemented i always felt if goalies want to go out and play the puck then they should be fair game. So hopefully this rule is gone soon

[C-TownWing 0]

I caught this suggestion on Coach's Corner and immediately thought it was one of the smartest things Cherry's ever said (not saying much, but still), it makes perfect sense. I think the impact of the trapezoid on offense is overrated in the first place. Sure, you have a couple goaltenders in that Brodeur/Turco category, but just as often as not, you'd have some terrible puckhandling goalies getting away from the crease and turning it over.

Added bonus for Wings fans: not having to watch Ozzie wait at the edge of the trapezoid for slow moving pucks coming around.

[zettie85 106]

nevermind.

Why?

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

Why?

because the person who posted ahead of me dealt with the subject before me, and I no longer liked my response.

[blankrap 9]

The National Football League - $6.3 Billion > National Hockey League - $2.56 Billion. I'd say that's a pretty damn good reason to try and emulate some things of the NFL no matter how you feel about it. Unless you're against the NHL grossing more money then I see no reason why not to try and emulate some things.

The NFL makes more money because it knows how to sell itself. It is a hooker and we are the johns. It does not make more money because it is a better sport, they just put out a better product. If the NHL had a halfway decent marketing campaign, (or a marketing campaign period - and marketing Hockey on the NHL network doesn't count) and tried to sell it's product beyond its marginal fan base it would make more money too. Do not emulate the NFL - that equals fail.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Mr. Hodge was talking about the way the NFL has dealt with safety issues, not the number of "foam fingers" sold.

[Guest Lidstromboli]

call it the Drapezoid and penalize anyone who enters it besides draper

[blankrap 9]

Mr. Hodge was talking about the way the NFL has dealt with safety issues, not the number of "foam fingers" sold.

Correct. I was replying to Konann5000000... I don't think that how the nfl directly deals with safety issues is why they outsell the NHL in pretty much every market in the world. In all fairness though the nfl players aren't skating 20 miles an hour into each other or boards for that matter and they don't punch each other to oblivion either. Also, injuries are just as prevalent in the NFL you just don't hear about them often unless they are a Tom Brady like player. This year the bills have lost 8 Defensemen for < 2 weeks due to injury and thats just one team. So.... they may not lead with their helmets but their bones break just as much as hockey players do. I am not trying to argue with anyone I am just stating that maybe the NHL isn't much worse in the injury department then the NFL.

I know, they could emulate the NBA and blow the whistle every time someone touches the someone else.

I do agree with getting rid of the trapezoid though it is one shape that doesn't really belong in hockey.

[55fan 5,133]

The only good thing that implementing the trapezoid has done is to teach kids the name of a rectangle that's fat on one side.

The sooner we get rid of it, the better.

[blankrap 9]

The only good thing that implementing the trapezoid has done is to teach kids the name of a rectangle that's fat on one side.

The sooner we get rid of it, the better.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA

[chrisdetroit 189]

Agreed. The trapazoid should go.

And while they are at it please get rid of the stupid puck over the glass rule. It amounts to giving a team a penalty because of an accident.

We didn't have the rule before the lock-out (except for goaltenders) and you didn't see people shooting the puck over the glass then. Worst case, don't make it a penalty - treat it like icing.

[thedisappearer 291]

Trapezoids belong in geometry class, not hockey.

[Stiffy 0]

Every other line on the ice is parallel to another so OBVIOUSLY the trapezoid does not belong.

[Hack & Whack Rule! 160]

It would be a great idea to get rid of the trapezoid. Unfortunately, nobody's going to listen to this little giblet of common sense. That would mean they would have to admit it was a bad idea.

[cmonster 11]

Agreed. The trapazoid should go.

And while they are at it please get rid of the stupid puck over the glass rule. It amounts to giving a team a penalty because of an accident.

We didn't have the rule before the lock-out (except for goaltenders) and you didn't see people shooting the puck over the glass then. Worst case, don't make it a penalty - treat it like icing.

I like the way you think good sir! I actually think that eliminating the trapezoid would increase offense! I think elimination of the trapezoid would boost the transition game and allow teams to capitalize on things like slow changes, etc. it would benefit teams who have good puckhandling goalies and great puckmoving defensemen.

[jeff48109 474]

what was the reason for putting in the trapezoid in the first place? to punish goalies like Brodeur who can actually handle the puck?

[Konnan511 1,736]

The NFL makes more money because it knows how to sell itself. It is a hooker and we are the johns. It does not make more money because it is a better sport, they just put out a better product. If the NHL had a halfway decent marketing campaign, (or a marketing campaign period - and marketing Hockey on the NHL network doesn't count) and tried to sell it's product beyond its marginal fan base it would make more money too. Do not emulate the NFL - that equals fail.

Errr....you just helped make my point. My premise was, there is no reason why we should not try and emulate some of the things the NFL does. You countered with they know how to market better. Well....I'd say marketing better would be something the NHL could try and emulate from the NFL. Work on the straw man.