Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy is the linchpin of the Boston defense- the play flows through him on the back end. (Getty Images)
Every hockey fan I know has ideas how to improve the game we love. I have my own.
Shrink the goalie gear
I’m a goalie. I’ve been a goalie since I started playing the game, in elementary school. And I’m here to tell you, the size of the gear today is absurd. It’s almost comical.
I grew up in the 1960s and ’70s, when “goalie protection” was an oxymoron. Comparing the felt padding of my chest-and-arm protector and pants to today’s high-tech foams is like a 1972 Volkswagen Beetle challenging a Ferrari to a race. There’s no comparison. Those space-age foams (and other materials) allow goalies to play the position with modern techniques, incorporating the entire body to make saves (remember Henrik Lundqvist using his helmet to deflect shots out of the rink?).
