Growth of college hockey in the United States
The NCAA sponsored men’s ice hockey beginning in 1948. At the time, there were less than 30 programs. By 1980, the collegiate game boasted 41 members. Today, there are 60 teams in Division I, alone, in addition to those in Division II and Division III.
“Against da rules”
A shout out there to actor Yvon Barrette, who played goalie Denis Lemieux for the Charlestown Chiefs and uttered that phrase in the 1977 classic Slap Shot. He came to mind upon looking back at some of the NHL’s rule changes over the past quarter century, particularly those affecting goaltenders.
Since 1991, the NHL has increased net sizes, downsized goalie equipment, eliminated a netminder’s ability to play the puck in corners, and implemented the shootout to determine the outcome of regular-season matches still tied after five minutes of overtime.
Advantage: Attackers.
The crease rule nullified a goal if the puck entered net when a player of the attacking team was on the crease line, in the crease, or placed his stick in the goal crease. Penalties were added for “crease infringement” and unwarranted contact with the goaltender.
Advantage: Goalies … at least until the league revised the crease rule to allow goals with a “no harm, no foul” addendum.
With all that, we present our rankings of the best Rangers draft from the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.