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Mon Nov 16, 2009 3:19 pm EST

Pass or Fail: The 'superstar' provision for NHL shootouts

By Greg Wyshynski

Ari Baum-Cohen of Illegal Curve has an op-ed on Hot Dog Hockey regarding the current state of the shootout, a gimmick whose existence we're obviously on record as loathing. But we're realists, it's here to stay, so why not make the most of its shallow appeal, right?

Baum-Cohen looks at how teams are faring -- the Atlanta Thrashers are 7-1? -- and proposes a few changes that would increase the fun factor in the NHL's shootout, like expanding to five shooters like the AHL has.

Yet it's this proposal that's grabbed our attention:

Shootouts in many European leagues have three shooters for each team followed by sudden death.  Unlike the NHL, after the third shooter the same shooter can shoot as many times as he wants.  This format would allow, in a tied shootout, Ovechkin and Crosby to battle until one player scored and one was stopped.  It would also prevent a situation where players such as Brad May(notes) and Brooks Orpik(notes) shoot to decide the game. 

What's interesting about Baum-Cohen's "let the stars shoot" proposal is that it's going against the grain for shootouts in North American hockey. Before this season, the AHL would allow teams in shootouts that went beyond five skaters to use those same five skaters again in "extra rounds." But the League changed its shootout rules over the summer, ensuring that "no player may shoot twice until all eligible players have gone once," like in the NHL.

(The AHL told us today that the tweak in their shootout format hasn't dramatically altered the length of their overtime sessions, although it's still a small sample on which to judge.)

As we said at the time:

For entertainment value, does a fan want to see Sidney Crosby(notes) twice or Tyler Kennedy(notes) once? The altruistic format that gets all players involved is attempting to give a shameless exhibition some semblance of competitive fairness. Hell, there might even be more drama to see a player who failed in the first cycle seek redemption in the second five.

If we're going to artificially finish games with skills competitions that are made for tidy conclusions and made-for-TV highlights, then have the best players decide it. Two questions:

1. Pass or Fail: After the initial rounds, the NHL should allow players to have multiple attempts in the shootout at the coaches' discretion and without restrictions.

2. What is your ideal format for the shootout? (Note: "Not having one" is not an acceptable answer.)

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162 Comments

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  1. JohnTheRev
    1. Posted by JohnTheRev Mon Nov 16, 2009 3:34 pm EST

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    Fail - With this format in place, we would not have been graced with the Marek Malik between-the-legs-in-the-15th-round goal. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlplXgDMDdA
    Ideal format: 5 shooters per team. If a team has more than 30 seconds left shorthanded at the end of overtime, they lose a shooter. And 1 point for a win, none for a loss.
  2. bfrank27
    2. Posted by bfrank27 Mon Nov 16, 2009 3:35 pm EST

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    1: Pass, most players would probably agree that its fun to shoot, but if a point in the standings is on the line they want their best players shooting.
    2: Mentioned by someone else, Have a shootout prior to each game the decide the extra point in games undecided after 65 minutes (regular season). Shootout every game (NHL gets more skills competition), and it makes for more competitive OT and close regulation games especially against division rivals (keep them from getting the extra point/a point at all).
  3. hockeysteve54
    3. Posted by hockeysteve54 Mon Nov 16, 2009 3:37 pm EST

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    I propose that if neither team wins after three rounds of the shootout, the two goalies go head-to-head in a break dancing competition.
  4. Daniel F
    4. Posted by Daniel F Mon Nov 16, 2009 3:37 pm EST

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    Ovechkin hasn't really been money in the shootout so i don't think he would be chosen over and over against crosby, but anyways I think the current format is sufficient. fail.
  5. moo cow
    5. Posted by moo cow Mon Nov 16, 2009 3:38 pm EST

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    1) Pass.
    2) For each additional round a player participates in the shootout, an item of clothing must be removed ala Ned Braden (opposing teams choice). Skates are, of course, exempt.
  6. MstrB
    6. Posted by MstrB Mon Nov 16, 2009 3:40 pm EST

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    Let the goalies try to score on each other.
  7. thewall125
    7. Posted by thewall125 Mon Nov 16, 2009 3:46 pm EST

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    Pass, don't tell me that Brad May would rather shoot than Pavel Datsyuk with the game on the line. Malik's goal was sweet though.
    5 shooters, then sudden death. If you are in the box at the end of OT, you go no earlier than sixth.
  8. The Bog
    8. Posted by The Bog Mon Nov 16, 2009 3:47 pm EST

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    I say each team gets 3 shots and whoever they want to take them can take them. If that means Jussi Jokinen goes 3 times in a row for the Hurricanes, so be it, atleast they might win more than 10 games that way.
  9. Kasra
    9. Posted by Kasra Mon Nov 16, 2009 3:51 pm EST

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    The backup goalie has to try in the shootout before you get to repeat players. If your backup was thrown out of the game, your regular goalie can substitute.
  10. jibblescribbits
    10. Posted by jibblescribbits Mon Nov 16, 2009 3:51 pm EST

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    One team gets Patrick Stephan, the other Chris Borque. They trade shots until one of them manages to luck one in an empty net.
  11. Jarmy
    11. Posted by Jarmy Mon Nov 16, 2009 3:59 pm EST

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    I dont know about the rest of you but I dont mind when the plugs have to take shots in the shoot-out I found it hilarious when Marek Malik pulled the between the legs shot to win it lol
  12. The Gavel
    12. Posted by The Gavel Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:02 pm EST

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    Big fail. In regulation and the 5 minutes of overtime the entire team's performance usually determines who wins. It makes little sense to take what little team involvement there is out of the shootout. Besides, though it would be great to see Cindy Crosby make up for getting stoned in round one with a big goal in round two, why turn Cindy into a goat when if he gets stopped three times in a row? If a star went into a shootout slump it would allow a part of the game that many believe to be meaningless to take away from a star's draw at the gate, which ultimately hurts the league. Also, if teams only put their stars on the ice for every shootout they might be missing out on their extra point. I hate to say it, but there are a number of players that seem to only excel at the shootout that wouldn't be put on the ice any more.
  13. Matt S
    13. Posted by Matt S Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:03 pm EST

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    Hockey is a team effort, I don't like the idea of the same player being allowed to shoot multiple times. Once is enough.
  14. Windy City Hockey
    14. Posted by Windy City Hockey Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:06 pm EST

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    I think the players should be blindfolded, spun around three times, and then pointed towards the goalie to attempt a shot. It would mean as much as it does now.
    NOTE: Goalie will also be blindfolded. Certain players like the Blackhawks Troy Brouwer would be allowed to forgo the blindfold, as this would be deemed too unfair. He can't score on a breakaway/shootout to save his life (and he has had tons of chances).
  15. c
    15. Posted by c Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:07 pm EST

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    Fail. I love watching the third and fourth liners go at it. It's not like they're much less adept at shooting, they just don't get chances like that on the bottom lines and it's fun to watch surprises like Malik.
  16. rgallihugh
    16. Posted by rgallihugh Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:07 pm EST

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    Extend the 4 on 4 overtime to 10 min., that would get rid of about half of the shootouts (maybe more if one side is more spent) and would not add too much time to the game. The 10 min overtime was used in the NHL prior to World War II.
    Then keep the first three shooters before sudden death but once sudden death starts let anyone go (no seconds until after the first three shooters) two more times after the first three shooters so that you don't have to start over until every on on the team has gone three times.
    If they top 3 or 4 guys cant close it out after 9-12 rounds the teams deserve to see the less talented imho.
    At that point most of us are ready for bed.
  17. Svipal
    17. Posted by Svipal Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:10 pm EST

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    Massive fail. This is a team sport, right ? In sudden death, you have to go through your entire team to have someone shoot again.
    STOP F@CKING WITH THE GAME AND CHANGING RULES EVERY YEAR.
  18. Mark P
    18. Posted by Mark P Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:10 pm EST

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    Ideal format: 2 on 1s, 5 sets apiece. At least you can get some defense in there.
  19. nate
    19. Posted by nate Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:11 pm EST

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    PASS - Remember Toews multiple goals in a single shootout at the World Junior Championships? I always will. Memorable. Let the stars have at it.
  20. Justin J
    20. Posted by Justin J Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:11 pm EST

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    "What is your ideal format for the shootout? (Note: "Not having one" is not an acceptable answer.)"
    Then what's the point in living really?
  21. jds8623
    21. Posted by jds8623 Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:11 pm EST

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    If you have shootouts with just the stars you won't have the Malik goal between the legs.
  22. Svipal
    22. Posted by Svipal Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:11 pm EST

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    My suggestion is that any player in the penalty box at the end of OT should not be able to participate in the shootout. What's to stop a player from tackling someone with 5 seconds left ?????
  23. Runnin up on ya !
    23. Posted by Runnin up on ya ! Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:13 pm EST

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    Fail: [profane]ing about the year in year out rules changes and then proposing new ones or tweeks to old ones in your fan blog.
  24. j0ehoe
    24. Posted by j0ehoe Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:13 pm EST

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    Go to five skaters if we're gonna have this bull [profane], but keep it to one per shooter unless it goes through.
  25. bkulikow_99
    25. Posted by bkulikow_99 Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:14 pm EST

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    1. Fail. I love watching the scrubs in the shootout. I'd love to see Eric Godard lumbering in on net for the extra point.
    2. I'm fine with the format as it is, but I wouldn't complain if they went to five shooters.

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