Teaching An Old Goalie A New Trick

Goalies don't have a lot to celebrate right now, as far as the new rules are concerned.  But Ed Belfour is particularly pissed about the new trapezoid rule, which defines the space behind the net outside of which a goalie may not handle the puck.  (Previously there was no such restriction.)  The intent, as with most of the rules, is to reduce the amount of time spent chasing pucks around, and raise the amount of puck possession in the offensive zone.  Guys like Belfour and Marty Brodeur have built reputations based on their stickhandling abilities, so the rule appears to attack only a particular subset of goalies.  It's tough to blame Belfour for feeling picked-on in that sense, because he is.  Additionally, between those guys adjusting to the new rule, and referees having yet another violation to f#@k up royally in the playoffs, we'll probably see an increase (no pun intended) in goalie delay-of-game penalties, which will slow the game down a bit.

Then again, it's not like the other goalies aren't under attack in other ways... equipment is being reduced, and any unnecessary cover-up of the puck will also result in a delay-of-game minor.  And the intent of the trapezoid rule makes sense... prohibiting stickhandling in front of the goal line will result in more offensive-zone faceoffs, which theoretically pressures the defense.  Even the penalties could theoretically help goal-scoring... more penalties means more power plays.  And goalies still get to stickhandle in front of the goal line, meaning we haven't lost the most exciting play in hockey: the goalie goal.

So even though the rule is kind of an unnecessary complication to a problem that didn't really exist, we have to keep something important in mind: anything that pisses off Ed Belfour is good.