Comparisons of todays game vs decades ago

[Barney Fife Lives]

In the thread on Snuggy and his point totals as compared to Petersson, Babyich, Ferderko etc, it got me thinking how different the game was when I was growing up and into the new century.
Certainly the goalies have a lot more size and equipment to stop pucks, but I am thinking of the defense and how it has tightened up via the neutral zone trap and other schemes.
Is the speed and size of the players drastically different? Are the sticks better and can generate more torque?

Thus are we comparing apples to apples or do we have to step back and realize the differences? In baseball, football and basketball players today certainly have a lot of advantages over those from years ago.

[Bubble4427]

In the thread on Snuggy and his point totals as compared to Petersson, Babyich, Ferderko etc, it got me thinking how different the game was when I was growing up and into the new century.
Certainly the goalies have a lot more size and equipment to stop pucks, but I am thinking of the defense and how it has tightened up via the neutral zone trap and other schemes.
Is the speed and size of the players drastically different? Are the sticks better and can generate more torque?

Thus are we comparing apples to apples or do we have to step back and realize the differences? In baseball, football and basketball players today certainly have a lot of advantages over those from years ago.

I love the game...but IMO, the game was better 30 years ago. So much more enjoyable to watch and more scoring.
Just my opinion.

[Harry S Deals]

Its definitely harder to score in the NHL vs a decade or so ago, good thought. Improved goaltenders, fewer PP chances, better D schemes, better faster team D play. A lot to think about but your premise is correct

[callitwhatyouwant]

I can't speak with any real memory of what it looked like pre 2000 although I went to a lot of games in the mid/late 90s as a kid. The product in my opinion is at it's best it's ever been. There are a couple issues in regards to how they are calling games, but outside of that, the skill is better. The TV product is better because you can actually see the puck. The TNT crew is great, ESPN is OK when they actually put a whole crew together but they decided this year it looks like they are reserving that for playoffs.

If I'm hockey, I wouldn't be shying away from the physical aspect. The reason I think hockey is watchable is because although there is more skill than ever, there is still an element of physical play that makes the skill more rewarding. The NBA is flop central. The NFL has told the defense you have to play with 2 hands behind your back. If the NHL turns into an all skill league I think it would suffer tremendously. I mean even listen to the casuals like the Charles Barkley during playoffs. They love that hockey players battle and they vilify their own for being babies.

[charlest]

Its definitely harder to score in the NHL vs a decade or so ago, good thought. Improved goaltenders, fewer PP chances, better D schemes, better faster team D play. A lot to think about but your premise is correct

In 2025-2026 there are 3.06 goals per game. In 2014-15 there were 2.23. We are in a high scoring era compared to recent history.

[DawgDad]

It looks a lot different, mainly due to equipment changes and later the rules changes plus clamping down on clutch and grab and slash hockey.

IMO the biggest change has been in stick technology, which has driven the game to be faster and shots to be routinely above ice level and MUCH harder. First was the curved blade, which transformed not just shooting the puck but the art and equipment of goaltending. Then composite shafts.

In the 70's and 80's (and prior) the NHL was mainly stocked with Canadian farm boys. It was a rough and tumble sport, far more physical. It was rare to see a game without multiple fights, and brawls were not uncommon. Tightening the calls on holding, cross-checking, and slashing opened up the speed and skill game, leading to the red line rule change.

Hockey is unique among major sports in that pure size and strength aren't defacto advantages, it takes a very high level of skating skill to play in the NHL. This remains a sport where top stars tend to be average size masters of skating and puck skills, some even smallish.

In this regard, top players can play up to two full decades, some well into their 40's. I saw Gordie Howe play in the late 60's, near the end of a normal career arc, and again in the early 80's. The top players of yesteryear, in modern equipment and with today's sticks, would look just like the other NHL players. You think Rocket Richard couldn't be a modern day sniper? You think Guy LaFleur wouldn't be flying up the ice like our Holloway or even McDavid? Of course they would. Hockey is mainly, predominantly, a skill sport, one where sheer size begins to work against a player by limiting mobility.

[kimzey59]

In the thread on Snuggy and his point totals as compared to Petersson, Babyich, Ferderko etc, it got me thinking how different the game was when I was growing up and into the new century.
Certainly the goalies have a lot more size and equipment to stop pucks, but I am thinking of the defense and how it has tightened up via the neutral zone trap and other schemes.
Is the speed and size of the players drastically different? Are the sticks better and can generate more torque?

Thus are we comparing apples to apples or do we have to step back and realize the differences? In baseball, football and basketball players today certainly have a lot of advantages over those from years ago.

Compared to 30 years ago.
More than half of the defensemen 30 years ago wouldn't be NHL caliber skaters in todays game and wouldn't get a chance to sniff the league.
Conversely, probably the same amount of forwards in todays game would be far to soft to survive the game in that era and wouldn't even get a look(McDavid would be a stain on the ice someplace(debatable as to whether Stevens, Hatcher or one of the many goon types(Marchment, Kasparaitis) would have destroyed him first, not a leading scorer).


You really don't have to go any further back than Barret Jackman to see the differences(Calder Trophy winner in the Dead puck era but couldn't keep up after the rule changes went into effect).

It really isn't an apples to apples comparison. The game in the Dead Puck era was just too vastly different from todays game to be fair in "era transposing".

I love the game...but IMO, the game was better 30 years ago. So much more enjoyable to watch and more scoring.
Just my opinion.

What?
30 years ago(1996) would have been right around the start of the Dead Puck era.
9 out of 10 years with an average goals per game under 3(95-96 was the outlier) that had to be corrected with the '04 lockout and rule changes(eliminated the 2-line pass rule, increased emphasis on penalizing holding/obstruction/interference, the birth of the trapezoid).

Don't get me wrong, some of my personal favorite players played in that era; but on the whole it was fugly hockey. Dump and chase at all times, constant clutching and grabbing, skill players being absolutely mauled on a nightly basis, refs that didn't know how to use their whistles, goalies that looked like Duncan the Walrus in retrospect. It was a terrible game and the League rightly stepped in to intervene.

The fun, high scoring era you're talking about is the 80's; 40 years ago(God that makes me feel old).

[netboy65]

In the thread on Snuggy and his point totals as compared to Petersson, Babyich, Ferderko etc, it got me thinking how different the game was when I was growing up and into the new century.
Certainly the goalies have a lot more size and equipment to stop pucks, but I am thinking of the defense and how it has tightened up via the neutral zone trap and other schemes.
Is the speed and size of the players drastically different? Are the sticks better and can generate more torque?

Thus are we comparing apples to apples or do we have to step back and realize the differences? In baseball, football and basketball players today certainly have a lot of advantages over those from years ago.

Goalie equipment was smaller, but guys were also still using wooden sticks.

[MandatoryDenial]

In the thread on Snuggy and his point totals as compared to Petersson, Babyich, Ferderko etc, it got me thinking how different the game was when I was growing up and into the new century.
Certainly the goalies have a lot more size and equipment to stop pucks, but I am thinking of the defense and how it has tightened up via the neutral zone trap and other schemes.
Is the speed and size of the players drastically different? Are the sticks better and can generate more torque?

Thus are we comparing apples to apples or do we have to step back and realize the differences? In baseball, football and basketball players today certainly have a lot of advantages over those from years ago.

We just had a great example in the last game of the difference in the game. Specifically in the instance where Hofer was hit with the Puck and his mask was ripped off. Once upon a time they didn't have to wear masks, can you imagine what would have happened to him if he was struck in the head with that shot? Back then they didn't have to wear helmets, now they do and Hofer suffered only a minor cut and wasn't even checked for concussion protocol.

[callitwhatyouwant]

It looks a lot different, mainly due to equipment changes and later the rules changes plus clamping down on clutch and grab and slash hockey.

IMO the biggest change has been in stick technology, which has driven the game to be faster and shots to be routinely above ice level and MUCH harder. First was the curved blade, which transformed not just shooting the puck but the art and equipment of goaltending. Then composite shafts.

In the 70's and 80's (and prior) the NHL was mainly stocked with Canadian farm boys. It was a rough and tumble sport, far more physical. It was rare to see a game without multiple fights, and brawls were not uncommon. Tightening the calls on holding, cross-checking, and slashing opened up the speed and skill game, leading to the red line rule change.

Hockey is unique among major sports in that pure size and strength aren't defacto advantages, it takes a very high level of skating skill to play in the NHL. This remains a sport where top stars tend to be average size masters of skating and puck skills, some even smallish.

In this regard, top players can play up to two full decades, some well into their 40's. I saw Gordie Howe play in the late 60's, near the end of a normal career arc, and again in the early 80's. The top players of yesteryear, in modern equipment and with today's sticks, would look just like the other NHL players. You think Rocket Richard couldn't be a modern day sniper? You think Guy LaFleur wouldn't be flying up the ice like our Holloway or even McDavid? Of course they would. Hockey is mainly, predominantly, a skill sport, one where sheer size begins to work against a player by limiting mobility.

I dunno what the overall play comparison would be. But Hockey has definitely been on the up side of the bell curve in terms of evolution. They haven't begun to flatten out yet. You can listen to a chiklits or watch one of their golf videos when they have a late 2000 earl 2010s stanley cup caliber player on there. They will talk about how the league is just WAY more skilled now then it was. every 4th line has skaters on it. You would get a break from teams for 1-2 lines in the 90s. Not today, the 4th line might not have the mits or nose for the net where a 90s player might have a big edge on him there. But there ability to skate is 2nd to none at the moment.

I'm not one of those guys that is blinded by the moment. I usually try to take the experts opinion. And to a T, nearly every relatively new guy who retired like a TJ Oshie will talk about how the game has almost had a total 180 makeover in the last 15 years. I think it directly is attributed to youtube. Not only has the training gotten better to allow for skill development, there's just a lot more access to film. Hockey has always been held back because ESPN and the like have never fully embraced it as their every day stuff. You get to see a million clips of NFL, NBA, MLB. You see highlights every night. It's a rarity with hockey until recently and that's only because they kind of have to push their networked tv.

[DawgDad]

There were plenty of smallish skill guys in the old days, Danny Gare, Yvon Cournoyer, et al. They got lots of protection, and they had to be tough in their own skin. When Gretzky arrived he was commonly lined up with "Cement Head" Semenko and another skill player. Federko, famously, had Sutter on his wing in his early years.

[Absolut]

Its definitely harder to score in the NHL vs a decade or so ago, good thought. Improved goaltenders, fewer PP chances, better D schemes, better faster team D play. A lot to think about but your premise is correct

Giant goalie eq sucks

[Tony Palazzolo]

I think you have to look at several variables. Yes, stick technology is radically different (darn expensive, my son plays). When you look at the players, the off ice training is way more advanced. Some of that is purely competition. In order to keep your job you have to keep up. Also advancements in training technology. The what and how of what they are doing has been studied to death. This has to do with more money in the sport. The contracts are worth more, the revenue from games, from television and other sources is much more. That bleeds in to money going toward training.

Goalie equipment has to be up there. Look at a goalie from the 80's or 90's. They look naked compared to a modern goalie. Their pads used to made of leather that held water and got heavier as the game went on.

Also of note is the growth of youth hockey in non-traditional part of the country. When I was growing up youth hockey was relatively minor here in St Louis. Now St Louis is a hotbed of hockey activity.

[Blues Dave]

Yes training and nutrition alone have made tremendous strides. And (bleep), ya can't smoke any more. And as others have said, rule and red line, plus trapzoid. Equipment. Players back then just weren't as fit as todays players, but fortunately they were all pretty equally unfit. Nowdays ya don't have to have two jobs or be farmers too. Money is a bit (LOTS) better so the teams actually own the players. I'll probably think of more later.

[chuckt]

Its definitely harder to score in the NHL vs a decade or so ago, good thought. Improved goaltenders, fewer PP chances, better D schemes, better faster team D play. A lot to think about but your premise is correct

Nearly a whole goal per game more is scored now than a decade ago. This is a uniquely high scoring era when looking back to recent history

[HighStick]

Today's players are super soft but highly skilled compared to players of the past. The worst player in the league probably skates as good as Gretzky did when he entered the league. Most of the others probably skate better. Gretzky in his prime couldn't hang with Mackinnon or Mcdavid today. The whole game is just a different animal now.
None of our current Blues roster could survive 60 mins on the ice with Stevens or Bourque or Hatcher. Konstantinov would give 2 of these guys a concussion before the national anthem was even over. Probert, Domi and Twist would commit murders nightly on these guys. Imagine Kyrou getting grabbed by Probert.... See ya Kyrou! The rink itself would be a crime scene nightly.
The goalies today are much bigger on average than they used to be also. That and the pad size makes a huge difference.