Less protection might be more hazardous for goalies

Goaltenders are still unhappy about the NHL’s decision to streamline their chest and arm protectors in an effort to make them smaller targets and stimulate scoring. Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury took to wearing an extra undershirt beneath his new form-fitting chest protector, and other goalies have said they’re getting more bruises.

The NHL previously reduced the size of goalies’ pads and pants. Kings goalie Jonathan Quick said he was more concerned about having little preparation than with having less padding.

“I think it’s more so they really took their time setting the measurements so guys are still trying to get used to it,” Quick told The Times’ Curtis Zupke. “Mine showed up the day before camp, so I think it’s the same case for most guys around the league. They want to change the rules, change the rules, but just give us some time to get used to it.” Quick also said he didn’t plan to wear an extra shirt. “I feel like I’d rather be a little bit more mobile than protected, I guess,” he said. “I’ve used the same chest [protector] for 14 years, since college. It doesn’t sound like a big change but when you’re just used to everything kind of working and moving in a certain way and then you’ve got pads there when there used to not be pads and then you don’t have pads where there used to be pads, it just makes it a little different, that’s all.”