Should goalie equipment be reduced?

It's been a debate in the NHL for years now, should the equipment that goalies wear be reduced to create more goals. Many believe that because there are bigger goalies in the NHL who get to wear bigger equipment it gives them more of an advantage. We are witnessing the age of the big goalie, gone are the days where we could see a goalie like Jeff Lerg in the NHL. The shortest goalie right now in the NHL is Jhonas Enroth of the LA Kings at 5'10". The league average size for a goaltender is about 6'2", with the tallest goalie being Ben Bishop who stands at 6'7". Bigger goalies are in high demand for NHL teams. But there is an issue that comes with bigger goalies, their equipment is sized for their protection. That means bigger chest protectors, bigger pads, and bigger goalie sticks all of these things add to the massive goalies.

As the time has gone and goalie pads have become more and more regulated, when the new style pads first came out there was no regulations. As the butterfly style was popularized by Patrick Roy it led to a massive change into style and technique. The goalies who were growing up during that time saw an advantage to Roy's style. They no longer need to try and save a shot standing, Roy brought this new style to forefront of the goaltending community. Angles and movements were now focal points of goaltending, and of course it led to better goalies. This led to a dramatic drop in scoring during the 90s and early 2000s, this was known as the dead puck era. Since the season after the 2005 lockout the goals per game average around the league have not climbed over three. 

That bring us to today since 2008-09 goals per game have been on a steady decline, but the talent level in the NHL has never been better. Players are shooting harder and goalies are making crazier and crazier saves. The development of goalies just over last ten years has dramatically increased save percentage around the NHL. Add the big equipment that goalie wear and that’s where you have an issue. It's almost like the NFL it's more entertaining to the causal fans to see high scoring games, and the NHL is trying to find a way to increase their scoring. A segment aired on TSN about shrink the goalie equipment without changing the protection for the net minders. 

Corey Hirsch led the segment showing how you are able to cut down certain areas on the current goalie equipment. In just a day it has the hockey community ablaze with opinions and many goalies in opposition of this new equipment style. There is no doubt that bigger goaltending equipment plays a factor in some saves that goalies make. The NHL will be shrinking pads and equipment in the near future, but how long can that last? Just like players transitioned to composite sticks from wood, goalies will be able to figure out how to stop the puck with smaller equipment. 

Making goalie equipment smaller is a short term solution, the next generation of goalies will have an easier time with the smaller equipment. At the same time, it will be interesting to see if some of the elite goalies on big money deals will be able to adjust to the new equipment. Only time will tell if the NHL will shrink the goalie equipment by a significant amount. But one thing is for certain this change will bring a lot of opposition and pissed off goalies. 

Feel free to comment on this post with your own opinions of what the NHL should do. Also follow me on Twitter @james_mcgowan3 for all of my articles.