Written by Joe Messineo at No Coast Bias
In the 2003-04 NHL season, teams scored an average of 5.14 goals per game – the lowest mark in theNHL’s expansion era. The result was a tidal change in the league’s rules and practices, all with the intention of increasing scoring in the game. But one thing didn’t change: the size of the net.
The NHL has toyed with the idea of changing the size of their nets before. The solution has come up in some form pretty much every time that NHL scoring has dipped. But this season, with goals down to 5.32 per game from a mark of 5.5 per game at this point last year, the idea is gaining more traction than usual.
Is the NHL Serious About Changing the Net Size?
The NHL is far from sure about its course of action, and obviously, nothing will change mid-year. But we’re hearing about the net size issue from some pretty high-level guys this season. Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock voiced his displeasure with the net size earlier this season, and Hall of Fame goalie Patrick Roy has also proposed the larger net. Most notably, NHL senior vice-president and director of hockey operations Colin Campbell has acknowledged the debate and hinted that the NHL may finally take the step that it’s avoided for so long.
“Maybe we have to look at bigger nets,” Campbell admitted after a meeting with General Managers. Clearly, nothing’s been decided yet – but, just as clearly, a change in net size is very much on the table.
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