Fire & Ice

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Brodeur hopes NHL banishes trapezoid

Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur is among those hoping the NHL general managers decide at their meetings over the next two days to remove the trapezoid behind the nets.

The trapezoid was implemented in the NHL following the 2004-05 lockout to limit the goaltenders from handling the puck in the corners behind the net. It begins at the goal line with angled lines six feet from each goal post and widens to 28 feet at the end boards.

Former Flyers general manager Bobby Clarke was one of the leaders in getting the trapezoid implemented. It was commonly known as the “Martin Brodeur rule” because it was clearly aimed at the Devils netiminder, who was one of the best at getting behind the net to handle the puck.

But, now general managers are looking for ways to cut down on the number of injuries on defensemen who are being hit hard by forechecking fowards.

““I’m not involved, but my view of it is it’s a no-brainer if they want to start to eliminate these huge hits for the defensemen,” Brodeur said. “Many times you’re able to just chip the puck and save a big hit. That was one thing when I was younger whenever my defensemen or somebody was getting a big hit, I felt guilty that I let that the guys get hit like that. Now, I’ve got to sit and watch all the time.”

Brodeur believes removing the trapezoid might also increase scoring.

“Again, if you give the liberty to the goalies to play the puck, they’ll mess up more than they’re successful,” Brodeur said.. “If you get them in the corner where they’re not really comfortable and now there’s no more holding, so that decision you’ve got to make it a lot quicker. They’ll give up the puck, they’ll create havoc sometimes. But that’s me and I’m preaching for my own thing. I think it’s for that one reason, for the speed, it will be safer. It’s a route. You’ve got to try to find something because so many guys are getting hurt. And it’s no that they’re all dirty. It’s just that guys are coming with so much speed.”

Brodeur can’t believe the pounding the defensemen sometimes take.

“Sometimes, I’m like, ‘Why are you guys doing this? Let them go first.’ You might not play the rest of the game, but at least you’ll be healthy on the bench,” he said. “It’s amazing. These guys are troupers. Look at us. We were practicing with five, four defensemen yesterday because of not necessarily head injuries, but injuries to people. It’s around the whole league.”

Devils coach Jacques Lemaire also supports removing the trapezoid.

“Oh, I don’t know, first of all, why they put that in,” Lemaire said. “They never put a rule against (Wayne) Gretzky because he was so great – say, ‘You can’t make more than five passes in a period; you can’t score more than two goals in a period…To me, it’s good and it’s a gamble that having the goaltender come out, and it’s – hey, you’ve got to play smart against them. And sometimes they (mess) up, like other players. And people like it when they get scored against and there’s nobody in the net.”

One of the problems is the forecheckers are no longer impeded by defensemen holding them up because of the crackdown on interference. As good as that has been for the game in other areas, it also has created situations where defensemen are being hit at high speeds.

“Well, you want a faster game, you take the red line out; all the interference which was in this game, they took it out – which is good,” Lemaire said. “Now, you take the interference out, now the guys are free to go. Now you’re going to get the injuries, because they’re free to go. Which is normal. But… as far as I’ve been in this game, there is a rule for charging. Where did that rule go? When is the last charging I’ve seen? Before, they used to take three steps and they get there. Now, they start at the red line to go and hit the guy.”

***
Lemaire was asked today about former Devil Scott Niedmermayer, the current Ducks captain who he coached for five seasons during his first stint as the team’s coach. What is Niedermayer’s greatest strength?

“Has to be skating and vision,” Lemaire said. “Has to be. He’s got great vision, and his skating is probably one of the best, if not the best, in the league…He’s never in trouble. You know, he’s quick – he’ll go up ice, he’s quick to get the puck in his own zone; he’s quick to get out of trouble. Even if you want to put pressure on him, he will dish the puck, quickly, to someone else, because he’s got that vision. You know, he’s hard to – the only place he can get in trouble is when he’s stopped in front of his net. That’s the only place you can control him. Otherwise you can’t. And that is because he’s stopped.”

Speaking of Niedermayers, Devils center Rob Niedermayer (Scott’s younger brother and a member of the Ducks’ 2006-07 Stanley Cup team) will not play again Wednesday because of an upper-body injury. Rob Niedermayer has not practiced since he was injured in last Wednesday’s game against Washington.

“Not ready,” Lemaire said. “Still laying down, on his back.”

TG,

I posted this question on the last 2 posts, and it seems like it proved my point. Sometimes it takes several minutes for a new post to come up. I was refreshing my page constantly and going to the home and this post took 30 minutes to come up. It says you posted the previous at 2:20 but I didnt see it until 2:50. Also people are commenting on old posts because they do not know there is a new post. Can you make a comment saying something like “new post” on the previous post when a new post comes up? This may help. Thanks TG.

Marty’s best best line on the previous post (who came along to toronto)

“With me being there, with Zach being the future captain and Clarkie is from Toronto, so we figured maybe he’s going to help us out there, so we had to sneak him in the plane,” Brodeur said.

Zach the Future Captain!!!

thats cuz anything Flyers-related is ABSOLUTELY RETARDED.  What an idiot. How do u not foresee people rushing to the puck!?  Stupid.  What a shame so many goalies like Marty have been with-held from displaying their talent to play the puck.  What a shame so many players injured from this stupid trapezoid.  F it.  Get rid of it ASAP. 

Would they be able to do away with it.. say.. after the all star break?  That would be beautiful.  The sooner the better.

The whole trapezoid thing is BS anyway. Why are they messing with the rules of the game so much. If they take it away, does that mean the league admits it failed once again? How terribe was that skate in the crease rule where it would be no goal? Another failure by the NHL.

I checked and this post was up immediately after I sent it.

TG,
Do you have a complete list of 2003 Stanley Cup players that are attending the game against Anaheim? Thanks very much!

TG,

I’m not sure why then. I guess people aren’t refreshing because there are new posts and people are posting on old posts without knowing there is a new one. Is it possible for you to say new post on a previous post when a new post comes up? Your awesome either way!

very interesting article about the nhlpa and everything that went down w/ Paul Kelly
http://proxy.espn.go.com/nhl/notebook?page=buccigross/091110

I hate the trapezoid. BTW…is it coincidental that it starts with the word t-r-a-p???

Also, has anyone else noticed that when you sit upstairs behind the net..it looks like two hockey sticks lying on the ice?

Dump the stupid trapezoid its a dumb freaking rule and it only confuses the casual fans more. “What are those weird lines behind the goalie?” Oh those lines are meant to stop the greatest goalie to ever play hockey from clearing lazy dump ins out of his zone!

so much love given to Scott Neids the last few days… wonder what’s up?

disappointing to hear Rob’s on his back; sounds like he’s going to be out for awhile.

let’s hope the trapezoid goes away pronto.  how quickly does something like that happen once it’s decided?

and what ever happened with making the goalie equipment smaller?

That Tramazoid rule has to be the stupiest rule I have ever seen in any sport. Not only does the league look foolish but it puts defensemen’s health at risk, and prevents talented goaltenders from displaying their skills.

I hate Gary Bettman with a passion. I can’t tell you how much sleep I lost with the crease rule. I liked Lemaires quote….he’s right. Do we limit Gretzky’s passes…..get real. Get rid of this rule and overthrown the commish while we are at it.

All purist and real hockey fans are in agreement on this one.

The trapezoid was a stupid rule to begin with.  Get rid of it, I say.

@mikeschoenf:

If they take it away, does that mean the league admits it failed once again?

There’s no shame in admitting you made a mistake as long as you correct it.

god, marty you are awesome.

But hockey is famous for changing rules becuase of the skill of a player or teams.  In the 80’s they did away with the 4 on 4 power play becuase of Gretzky and the Oilers.

The trapezoid was cleary because of Marty’s skill.

And even though it was ridiculous to see…what sport changes a rule in the middle of a playoff series like they did with the Avery Rule a few years ago?

@Warren….hockey is not famous for changing rules. The 4 on 4 is one example. The avery thing was not a rule change. It was and is unsportsmanlike conduct. The officials just werent sure what to do because there was never a classless player like that before

TG if they do speak about it and decide to remove the trapezoid, when would that be taken into effect?

wow u lost sleep over a rule? 

its just not even a coincidence it was from philly.  They can’t beat us for all those year so their GM makes a rule to try to give them an edge.

If we win the Cup this year, every Devils fan will be beyond jubilant for so many reasons.

1. It shows that we can win without a hall of fame defense
2. It shows that DEFENSE and even the trap, is still better than your high flying offense.
3. It shows we can win even with rule changes aimed to make us fail.
4. NJ can win without failing miserably and stocking up top 5 draft picks for 5 consecutive years (HELLO PITTSBURGH “DYNASTY”)
5. Gives NJ its due recognition for continued, consistent success.  4 Cups in 14 years would be pretty sweet.  Never longer than 5 seasons without a Cup.
6. Further establishes Brodeur’s greatness.  Fleury and Lundqvist can keep dreaming about winning 4 Cups.
7. Says FU to the rest of the Atlantic, including the retarded Flyers fans, the pompous brain-dead Rangers fans, and the unbelievably bias and cocky Pens fans.
8. Finally gives Marty, Lemaire, Lou, a Cup that will probably be their last one.  We gotta get them all one more b4 they retire.
9. Makes us all happy people.
10. ...  Makes us all happy people.

woops i stand corrected with #5.  It would be 6 years between 03-2010. and so 4 cups in 15 years.  Thats still sweet.  ESPECIALLY considering there was no epic fail and rebuild in between Cups.

@Modnarm….that post was on point. It is extremely difficult to win cups and be successful every year and never rebuild. Our way is the most honorable but considerably harder that the Pens. I think we all could build a winner if we tanked 5 straight years to get picks. AND don’t let them off the hook for what they did in dumping games to get Mario. Yeah some dynasty alright

ITS A TRAP!

i don’t care if we trap more than ever (although thats difficult to do without a redline).  If we win a Cup..  then YOU SUCK CUZ U CAN’T BREAK OUR TRAP!  so SUCK IT and stop complaining just cuz u LOST.

I’ll never use our trap as an excuse for us losing. I take a lot of pride in the trap. 

Idk why some people think it ruins the game.  How’s it ruin it?  Its a structure?  Its a style of coaching?  It makes the game more diverse. 

GO DEVILS!

TSG,

The trapezoid should have never been made in the first place.

I have not heard of this no 4 on 4 rule. When did they make the rule and when did it go away? Why are they constantly changing rules. Do they change rules in baseball???

Totally agree. I don’t care how we win or if it’s perceived as boring….whatever… if you don’t like it than try to beat it was always my philosophy on this. I’d much rather win 2-1 than lose 6-5

“Brodeur hopes NHL banishes trapezoid” is like a headline reading “Superman hopes world banishes kryptonite.”

they never put a rule against (Wayne) Gretzky because he was so great – say, ‘You can’t make more than five passes in a period; you can’t score more than two goals in a period

best quote by lemaire ever

and they need to get rid of the trapezoid already it was the dumbest rule ever