Why size is no longer a telling factor in the NHL
Back in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s, Patrick Kane probably wouldn’t have existed in the NHL.
At 5’ 11”, 177 lbs. the Blackhawks’ superstar likely would have been deemed too small to compete in the rough and tough National Hockey League, but that was then.
In recent years, the evolution of professional hockey has transitioned into more of a speed and skill game rather than one of brute force and strength. The NHL lockout period in 2004-05 came due to an extreme decrease in fan popularity for the sport, which forced the hand of the league to make some serious fundamental changes.
The goal? Produce more goals!
So they eliminated the red line (in turn, eliminating the two-line pass rule), which allowed for the implementation of the neutral zone stretch pass; something that speedy teams like the Blackhawks and Rangers have since mastered. The league would also begin to crack down on clutching and grabbing, which allowed for more room for forwards to maneuver.
With these changes, franchises began to build their teams differently. Since the rules changed, Blackhawks’ GM Stan Bowman has admitted to “stockpiling smaller players” according to Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times, because smaller typically equates to faster.
“You never shy away from talent” Bowman told Lazerus, “It’s never been more friendly for a smaller player to play because it’s really a skill game now. If you have size in addition to that, that’s great…but size alone is not the answer.”
This is why the Blackhawks maintain a great opportunity to win this Western Conference Finals series against the Ducks, despite the fact that Anaheim boasts one of the largest and most physically dominant rosters in the league with guys like Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry.
“It’s all about speed”, said Tuevo Teravainen. And that’s just the game plan the Blackhawks will bring with them to the Honda Center on Sunday for Game 1.
