Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruins Fan
Don Cherry had it right it's all the pads the players wear hard plastic like armor, years back the pads were much softer, elbow pads were soft rubber now if you get a forearm shiver you will get your head taken off.
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I like Grapes, in someways he has a point and in someways he is too much of an old school guy.
Actually elbow pads changed in 2003 because back in the 2002 playoffs when Mclaren (a Bruin at the time, shocking I know) destroyed Montreals Richard Zednicks face with the hard plastic capped elbow pads. It was a shocking hit. I still have a pair of Jofas which have the plastic. I remember them being banned the next year 2003 season. Elbows are definatley less dangerous then 10 years ago and most are rubberized caps now. Unless the league changed the ban and I missed it. If you think a player who stands infront of the net or a dman who blocks shots wants to wear soft elbows I would ask you to do it first. One Chara slapshot and your career is over.
As for the shoulder pads I agree caps should be shrunk a little, but no way the hard plastic inserts should be remroved from the body of the pads unless you want some players to die. The composite sticks used, the training of the players, the increased talent size strength of the players, the different style of the game with guys standing infront of the net because the goalies equipment is so much bigger and the goalies are so.much better, the emphasis on shot blocking, I am just scratching the surface all make todays game considerably faster and more dangerous then 20-15 years ago. Shrinking pads would have lethal consequeces in todays NHL or cause a complete change in the style of game now played, for the worse I would argue.
Its not as simple as changing the pads. Unless you want to completely change the style of game. The same style the Bs used to win the cup. An extremely physical aggressive style of play. If you think they will play that way with pads from 20 years ago I got a bridge for you.