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White Growing On Goalies
by Paul on 09/05/08 at 10:23 AM ET
Comments (8)
from Fluto Shinzawa of the Bruins Blog at the Boston Globe,
(Tim) Thomas, Manny Fernandez, and Tuukka Rask are now all wearing white pads.
This summer, Thomas participated in a goalie group (Alex Auld was also there) in Toronto that discussed various issues. Later in the summer, Buffalo’s Ryan Miller, New Jersey’s Martin Brodeur, and the Islanders’ Rick DiPietro were the representatives in the NHLPA’s goalie working group that collaborated with the NHL.
The issue of white pads was discussed, and according to Thomas, the notion was floated to ban them altogether if they provide netminders an advantage.
“That didn’t go over too well,” Thomas said.
Roberto Luongo has also made the switch to white.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Boston Bruins | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Tim+Thomas,
Comments
Yeah- I always thought it was like soccer goalie jerseys .... The more detail and color and attention you can grab with your gear, the better ... That way, the shooter is focusing on the pads and is more likely to send pucks flying at them.
Posted by ColdWar on 09/05/08 at 11:17 AM ET
... and it’s much easier for players to “lose” the puck in a goal-mouth scramble when you’ve got darker pads.
I’m not a goalie, but that was the first thing I thought of, too. If a puck hits the goaltender and drops on top of his pads, it would be a lot easier for an opposign player to spot it and poke it in the goal while the goalie is looking for it. With dark pads, especially with a pattern that serves as disruptive coloration, a puck would be harder to find.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 09/05/08 at 11:27 AM ET
I don’t buy it, frankly. I like darker-coloured pads. White pads supposedly look look bigger than they really are, while dark or black pads supposedly look smaller than they really are—and it’s much easier for players to “lose” the puck in a goal-mouth scramble when you’ve got darker pads.
George—
There’s only one problem with your theory. Unlike you, Baroque and ColdWar, most goalies are not susceptible to logic. 
Posted by YzermanZetterberg on 09/05/08 at 12:36 PM ET
Well the colorful pads stand in stark contrast to the white twine behind the keeper. If the distinction between keeper and net becomes more obvious, it’s easier to find the unguarded areas of the cage. I didn’t think of the difficulty they present in terms of finding loose pucks around a goalie, but overall they definitely have to make it easier on shooters.
Posted by Mike on 09/05/08 at 12:39 PM ET
Damn you YzermanZetterberg!
Chris
Goaltender for 16 years now.
(BTW, I am all for smaller equipment, but this white idea is stupid.)
Posted by moore00 from Columbus, OH/Grand Rapids, MI on 09/05/08 at 12:48 PM ET
Damn you YzermanZetterberg!
I said most goalies. Anyone who frequents this site would seem to be an obvious exception (phew).
Posted by YzermanZetterberg on 09/05/08 at 01:31 PM ET
White pads are supposed to make the five hole look bigger than it is, because they resemble the ice color.
Roy used to wear pads with that were half white, but diagonally colored.
The crease scramble logic makes sense though.
Posted by Osrt on 09/05/08 at 08:20 PM ET
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The Reebok (they’re no longer “RBK hockey”) endorsees took part in Francois Allaire’s goalie camp in Montreal, and Luongo, J-S Giguere, and Mathieu Garon all sported white pads.
I don’t buy it, frankly. I like darker-coloured pads. White pads supposedly look look bigger than they really are, while dark or black pads supposedly look smaller than they really are—and it’s much easier for players to “lose” the puck in a goal-mouth scramble when you’ve got darker pads.
This light pads/dark pads thing seems to go in cycles, so we’ll see how long it lasts.
Posted by George Malik from South Lyon, MI on 09/05/08 at 11:14 AM ET