Chris Osgood guarded the net for the Detroit Red Wings for 14 seasons.
Up until the spring of 1985, nobody in the National Hockey League had ever seen a water bottle on top of a goalie’s net. Then, in that year’s Stanley Cup Finals between Philadelphia and Edmonton, Flyers netminder Bob Froese—tired of playing entire periods without being able to skate over to the bench for a water break—decided to keep a bottle at hand. Using a piece of velcro, he strapped it to the top of his cage.
The Oilers argued, to no avail. The referee decided that as long as the bottle was securely fastened, it posed no threat. “What are they gonna want up there next?” snorted Edmonton coach Glen Sather. “A bucket of chicken?”
Aside from an occasional minor controversy like “water-bottle-gate,” not much thought is given to goalie nets. And yet, like every other piece of hockey equipment, these yawning rectangles of mesh and galvanized steel have their own unique history.
While various forms of ice hockey have been played for centuries, nets are a relatively recent development. Up until the 1890s, a goal area was marked simply by jamming two sticks into the ice. An umpire stood directly behind, ready to wave his handkerchief to signal a score whenever the puck crossed the goal line.
This quaint method had its drawbacks. “The puck travels at such a tremendous velocity that it is usually simply a matter of impossibility to tell whether or not it has passed between the goal posts in its flight from the players’ sticks to the end of the rink,” one newspaper noted. “Umpires are but human, and no matter how attentively they may be watching the game, they cannot always give the correct decision.”
Games continued to be marred by constant bickering over whether a goal had been scored or not. Then, in the mid-1890s, some hockey teams borrowed an idea from another cold-weather sport: ice polo. Two sections of gas pipe were placed in the ice as uprights, connected by a third piece of pipe placed horizontally across the top. This crossbar added stability. Netting was added as a way of capturing the puck after it flew past the goalie.
Observers were divided over the newfangled contraption. The Montreal Gazette complained that it made goalies into cigar-store Indians. But the Brooklyn Eagle predicted nets would revolutionize the game. And they did. Pretty soon, anyone who could handle a hammer was slapping together a few 2-by-4’s and some baling wire.
The advent of professional hockey helped standardize nets. Percy LeSeur of the Ottawa Silver Seven designed the first official net for the National Hockey Association (precursor to the NHL). LeSeur’s net was constructed of steel pipe. It was 4 feet high, 6 feet wide, 22 inches deep at the base and 17 inches deep at the top. A rope net was draped across the top and back of the frame and tied in place.
LeSeur’s model was updated in 1928 by Art Ross, a former defenseman who also owned a sporting goods store in Montreal. Ross’s design featured a double semicircle enclosure at the back of the net, which trapped pucks shot from nearly every angle. Pucks often ricocheted out of straight-back nets, so the new design helped cut back on the number of disputed goals.
However, in the mid-1980s the NHL eliminated the double semicircle after a player was seriously injured sliding into the back of the net. The enclosure was returned to its original straight-back design.
At about the same time, the NHL addressed the issue of safely anchoring the net to the ice. Because of the steel pipes holding them in place, they didn’t give very easily. Over the years, several players were severely injured rushing pell-mell into the unforgiving backstops. Gordie Howe, for example, once tore open his forehead after crashing into the Montreal net.
When nets did give way, however, there still was the potential for catastrophe. While playing for Hartford in 1980, Howe’s son, Mark, actually was impaled on the center spike after crashing into the net at high speed. It was one of the worst accidents in NHL history, with Howe losing three pints of blood on the ice before he could be removed. As bad as it was, it could have been worse, as the pipe just narrowly missed severing his spinal column.
As a result of this gory accident, the league redesigned its nets. In 1986, the NHL changed over to a magnetized anchoring system. This may have saved Steve Yzerman’s career. In 1988, shortly after scoring his 50th goal of the season, the Wings’ captain injured his knee sliding heavily into the Buffalo net. He missed the rest of the regular season, but the damage could have been much greater if the net had not easily dislodged upon impact.
Of course, players quickly learned to take advantage of the new anchoring system. Forwards crashed the nets like never before, while defenders weren’t above lifting the net off its magnets—thus stopping play—when the action got a little too hot around the crease.
The NHL also learned. In 1991, the league got rid of the magnets and adopted the current anchoring system. Now sections of flexible plastic pipe, which bend but do not break, are inserted into the ice surface and hold the goal posts in place. At the same time, the league decided to color the goalie’s crease a light blue. Today, despite the tweaks and fine-tuning, the net that Petr Mrazek and Jimmy Howard defend at The Joe is essentially the same their predecessors did at Olympia Stadium in the 1920s.
FAQs
Current NHL nets are of the same dimensions as Art Ross's incarnations. Its opening measures 6 feet by 4 feet.
When did the NHL make nets smaller? ›
2005-06The NHL adopted a comprehensive package of rule changes that included the following: Goal line moved to 11 feet from end boards; blue lines moved to 75 feet from end boards, reducing neutral zone from 54 feet to 50 feet.
When did nets go up in hockey? ›
TORONTO (June 20, 2002) - Commissioner Gary Bettman today mandated that the NHL's 30 Clubs install netting above the glass that borders the corners and end zones of their arenas.
What was the first hockey net? ›
On January 6, 1899, the Halifax hockey teams developed the first hockey goal net called the Nova Scotia Box Net. The Goal-Judge, whose job was markedly facilitated by the net, took up his new position behind the net.
Are all hockey nets the same size? ›
A hockey goal post has standard NHL dimensions of 6 x 4 feet. The net's opening measures 72 inches (or 180 cm) in width and 48 inches (or 120 cm) in height. In terms of its depth, the goal is 40 inches (or 110 cm) deep. The overall net is held by a metal tube frame that measures roughly 2 inches (or 5 cm) in diameter).
What is the largest NHL comeback? ›
The Kings completed the largest comeback in NHL playoff history, going from being down 5–0 to win the game in overtime, 6–5. Combined with upset wins in Games 1 and 5, the underdog Kings eliminated the heavily favored Gretzky-led Oilers in a 3–2 series victory to reach the second round.
What is the Gretzky rule? ›
OYHA employs the “Gretzky rule” which means that a player can only play up if the player makes the “A” team at the play up division level. The player attempting to “play up” must place in the top 30% of the high level “A” team in order to qualify.
Should hockey nets be bigger? ›
By increasing the size of the net, players would score more goals; however, that doesn't mean the goals they'd be scoring would be entertaining. Making nets larger would only be creating odd angles for players to shoot at.
Has a hockey puck ever gone through the net? ›
Known for his hammer of a slapshot, Weber fired the puck through the net's mesh, only the officials didn't realize it because it went by goaltender Thomas Greiss that quick and deflected off the boards.
What year was the best Nets team? ›
The 1973-74 Nets were led by NBA legend Julius Erving. The 1973-74 Brooklyn Nets established their dominance in the NBA, losing just two games en route to their championship win. Julius Erving was virtually unplayable that season, winning the ABA MVP and making his way into the First Team All-ABA squad.
The NHL has used the Marsh Peg design to hold its nets in place since 1991. The plastic anchors were originally 1 5/8 inches long, but in 2002, the league increased them to 1 7/8 inches. They sit in drilled holes in the ice, but can become less effective if they are not sitting at the correct depth.
Why did NHL add netting? ›
Because of Cecil's death, the league implemented mandatory netting at both ends of the rink in every arena at the beginning of the next NHL season in 2002–03 to protect spectators from errant pucks.
...
Death of Brittanie Cecil.
Montreal Canadiens, Canadian professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The oldest continually operating team in the National Hockey League (NHL), the Canadiens have won more Stanley Cup titles than any other team (24) and are the most successful franchise in league history.
Who was the first $1 million dollar hockey player? ›
1971: Bobby Orr becomes the NHL's first million-dollar man when he signs a new contract with the Boston Bruins. Orr, coming off a record-setting 139-point season in 1970-71, is already the NHL's highest-paid player.
What is the oldest hockey? ›
Craig Anderson is the oldest active NHL player in the 2022-23 season. Anderson is 41 years old and plays for the Buffalo Sabres.
...
Ranking Oldest NHL Players in 2022-23.
| PLAYER | TEAM | AGE |
|---|
| Craig Anderson | Buffalo Sabres | 41 years |
| Mike Smith | Edmonton Oilers | 40 years |
| Mark Giordano | Toronto Maple Leafs | 39 years |
| Joe Pavelski | Dallas Stars | 38 years |
9 more rowsDec 2, 2022
The white bag on the left, as you look into the net, contains the system used by the NHL's three cameras. The one on the right houses the CCU, or camera-control unit, for Gordon's mobile eye, with two video transmitters sending two separate streams.
How heavy is a hockey net? ›
Official regulation size hockey net (6' x 4') opening with 31" depth. Weight 80 lbs.
Do hockey nets have to be red? ›
(a) The goal frame should be of approved design and material and shall extend four feet (4') high from the ice surface and six feet (6') wide when measured from the inside of the goal frame. The frame shall be painted red in color, and all other frame support structure shall be painted white.
What was the craziest NHL comeback? ›
There has only been one 30-plus point comeback win in NBA playoff history. The Los Angeles Clippers rallied from a 31-point deficit against the Golden State Warriors in Game 2 of the first round in 2019, erasing what had been a 94-63 lead with 7:31 remaining in the third quarter.
Who is the most losing NHL franchise? ›
The Maple Leafs lead all NHL franchises in losses (2,850). The Vegas Golden Knights have the highest point percentage among active NHL teams (. 622), while the Seattle Kraken have recorded the lowest point percentage (. 366).
1. January 23, 1944: Detroit 15, New York Rangers 0. The most one-sided game in NHL history took place in Detroit on January 23, 1944, when the Red Wings blanked the New York Rangers, 15-0.
What is Rule 70 in hockey? ›
Substitutions made prior to the fight shall be permitted, provided the players so substituting do not enter the fight. (b) For a violation of Rule 70 (a), a double Minor penalty shall be imposed on the player of the team who was the first to leave the players' or penalty bench during a fight.
What is the 7.4 rule in hockey? ›
A Match penalty will be assessed to any player who charges an opponent in such a way that they are unable to defend themselves or who deliberately attempts to injure an opponent by charging. No Misconduct penalty may be assessed for charging.
What is Rule 7.3 in hockey? ›
A player may steer or direct an opposing player into the boards, without actually touching or body-checking them. This is acceptable. This is often seen when a player is skating down the ice with the puck and has to go around a defending player. Often, the puck carrier will try to go wide along the boards.
Are hockey hits bigger than football hits? ›
Hockey hits are, on average, 17% harder than football hits even though hockey players are 20% smaller than football players? Interesting. Josh Meinhardt and 1,419 others like this. Anyone on the receiving end of both hits even st the highschool level knows this.
What hockey nets do the NHL use? ›
Our Official NHL Regulation Goals are the only officially approved hockey nets for the NHL. The original Cush-Net™ safe hockey goal was designed in 1984. It went on to become the “Official NHL Frame” in 1985 and is still the standard today.
Why are there empty nets in hockey? ›
Empty net goals usually occur on two occasions in ice hockey: In the final minutes of a game, if a team is within two goals, they will often pull the goalie, leaving the net defenseless, for an extra attacker, in order to have a better chance of scoring to either tie or get within one goal.
Do fans get to keep hockey pucks? ›
Yes, unlike soccer or American football hockey is a sport where you can keep the puck if it flies into the stands, the reason being pucks are cheap enough that the league can afford it. Same goes for baseball and tennis.
Can hockey goalies see the puck? ›
Simply put, they found that goalies should keep their eyes on the puck. In an article to be published in the journal Human Movement Science, Panchuk and Vickers discovered that the best goaltenders rest their gaze directly on the puck and shooter's stick almost a full second before the shot is released.
Who is the best player ever to play for the Nets? ›
Franchise all-time best players (Regular season)
| PLAYER | GP | PTS |
|---|
| Jason Kidd | 506 | 14.6 |
| Brook Lopez | 562 | 18.6 |
| Derrick Coleman | 348 | 19.9 |
| Vince Carter | 374 | 23.6 |
6 more rowsKnicks–Nets rivalry
| First meeting | November 30, 1976 Nets 104, Knicks 103 |
| Latest meeting | March 1, 2023 Knicks 142, Nets 118 |
| Next meeting | TBD |
| Statistics |
|---|
| Meetings total | 220 |
8 more rowsKidd led the Nets to back-to-back NBA Finals as by far the best player on the team. The Nets franchise became synonymous with Kidd during his time there. It made sense that Kidd is the only Net to have a jersey retirement ceremony since the move to Brooklyn after his retirement.
Why did NHL stop in 2004? ›
The 2004–05 NHL lockout was a labor lockout that resulted in the cancellation of the National Hockey League (NHL) season, which would have been its 88th season of play.
What was the crease rule in 1999 NHL? ›
'" The NHL had sent a private memo out earlier in the season with a clarification to the in-the-crease rule. The memo stated that if a player was in control of the puck, a skate could be in the crease even if the puck was not, and a goal in that circ*mstance would count.
Are hockey goalies bigger now? ›
While it is true goalies are bigger than they've ever been and their equipment is more high-tech than it was a few decades ago, the exact same thing can be said about players and their gear.
Why did ESPN stop covering NHL? ›
Schreiber explained that hockey only comes up in coverage after major fights, and oftentimes the coverage "disses" hockey. Schreiber explained in 2007 that ESPN's coverage of the NHL has noticeably declined since the network lost hockey rights in 2004.
Why do NHL players skip eyelets? ›
So Why the Missing Eyelet? The goal with purposefully skipping the eyelet from a biomechanical prospective is to gain increased range of motion, in particular at the knee and ankle joints. Basic biomechanics states that increase velocities result in increased joint amplitudes.
Why is the NHL not more popular? ›
Some people don't have easy access to a hockey rink. Ice time can be pricey, and there may be select hours to practice. Markoulis also said the marketability of the NHL's top prospects is lagging when compared with basketball, baseball and football.
What city is the oldest NHL? ›
Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens are the oldest hockey team in the NHL, one of the oldest continuously existing sports franchises in the world, and also one of the most successful in all of sports. The Canadiens have won 24 Stanley Cups, 24 division championships, and have 64 players in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
What is the oldest NHL team without a Stanley Cup? ›
Among the current thirty-two active NHL teams, twelve have never won the Stanley Cup, with the oldest of them being the Vancouver Canucks and the Buffalo Sabres (50 seasons). The longest Stanley Cup drought in NHL history belongs to the Toronto Maple Leafs (54 seasons), breaking a tie with the New York Rangers.
The team was named for its owner's business in waste management; James Galante purchased the franchising rights for $500,000 and named his 17-year-old son, A. J., president and general manager.
What hockey player was fined $5000? ›
NEW YORK -- Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for slashing Edmonton Oilers defenseman Vincent Desharnais during NHL Game No.
What hockey player parents steal money? ›
According to court documents, Tina Johnson borrowed at least $15 million across about 18 high-interest loans that resulted in multiple defaults. Some of these loans had interest rates as high as 24%. Using their son's money, the parents also bought a beach house in Manhattan Beach, California.
What did Wayne Gretzky just buy? ›
The Ontario Hockey League announced Wednesday the transfer of ownership of the Niagara IceDogs will be moved to majority owner Darren DeDobbelaer, alongside minority stakeholder Wayne Gretzky.
What was the golden age of hockey? ›
The Original Six Years (1950-1967) In 1942 the Brooklyn Americans quit the NHL and set the stage for what many consider to be the "golden era" of hockey. The "original six" era is not an accurate label, of course, but is in common use especially by those who cannot recall an NHL without the Pittsburgh Penguins.
What age do hockey players stop playing? ›
Sports tend to be a young person's game, with most of the best professional athletes in their 20s. Players tend to retire in their 30s — even the best ones — however, some are able to hold on for a little longer. In fact, dozens of NHL players have managed to play in at least one game after blowing out 40 candles.
Who is the oldest living NHL player? ›
When did NHL goalie equipment get bigger? ›
Goalies filled their nets by donning huge chest protectors and shoulder pads, big loose sweaters, double-wide pants and “thigh rise” leg pads that extended well above the knee to help close off their “five hole.” In 2005, the NHL decided enough was enough and began requiring form-fitting jerseys and pads proportioned ...
Why does NHL have empty nets? ›
Empty net goals usually occur on two occasions in ice hockey: In the final minutes of a game, if a team is within two goals, they will often pull the goalie, leaving the net defenseless, for an extra attacker, in order to have a better chance of scoring to either tie or get within one goal.
What is the maximum size of the hockey net mesh? ›
4.3 Nets a. the maximum mesh size should be 45mm. b. the net should be attached to the back of the goal-posts and crossbar at intervals of not more than 150 mm.
Percy LeSeur of the Ottawa Silver Seven designed the first official net for the National Hockey Association (precursor to the NHL). LeSeur's net was constructed of steel pipe. It was 4 feet high, 6 feet wide, 22 inches deep at the base and 17 inches deep at the top.
What is the top shelf of a hockey net? ›
What Is The Definition Of Top Shelf In Hockey? 1. This refers to the upper, top area of the goal that is above the goalie's shoulders and below the crossbar.
Why do so many goalies wear 31? ›
Numbers in the thirties were seen as "safe" for goaltenders, since most numbers below thirty were already spoken for by forwards and defensem*n (remember that "high numbers" were essentially-unheard of at this time).
Did the NHL shrink the goalie pads? ›
Contrary to popular belief, the NHL has been shrinking goalie equipment for at least the past dozen years. Pads were narrowed, shortened, then shortened again. Both glove and blocker had their total surface area reduced. Jerseys were required to follow the form of the goaltender's body.
Did NHL make goalie pads smaller? ›
For the 2005-06 season, overall NHL goalie equipment size was decreased by 11 percent. Per-team scoring immediately jumped to 3.08 goals per game. Over the next several seasons, rules enacted included: Leg pads could be no wider than 11 inches.
Why does the NHL not allow cages? ›
First and foremost, pro hockey players, as well as junior players, are not required to wear cages, unlike in minor hockey. Another factor is that pro players don't want to look weak by wearing cages. Cages might have worse visibility than visors, but that is irrelevant for goalies.
How many empty nets did Gretzky score? ›
Wayne Gretzky has the most career goals against empty nets, with 56 goals.
| NAME | GP | S |
|---|
| Alex Ovechkin | 1342 | 6,346 |
| Marian Hossa | 1309 | 4,229 |
| Eric Staal | 1357 | 4,032 |
| Mario Lemieux | 915 | 3,633 |
21 more rowsIn today's market, there are two approved types of 'glass' shielding used in hockey rinks: Tempered Glass, and Acrylic.
What are the 2 white boxes in hockey nets? ›
The white bag on the left, as you look into the net, contains the system used by the NHL's three cameras. The one on the right houses the CCU, or camera-control unit, for Gordon's mobile eye, with two video transmitters sending two separate streams.
How heavy are NHL hockey nets? ›
Heavy-duty goals made with reinforced steel posts tend to be more expensive and generally weigh around 70 pounds. Cheaper goals or smaller goals made for children will use lighter metals or even plastic to construct goalposts, making them weigh significantly less.
Goal (ice hockey) - Wikipedia. Open main menu.
