The scoring of goals in hockey has undergone significant evolution over the years, with specific eras witnessing distinct styles of scoring. During the recent playoffs, a common play involved a defenceman executing a D to D pass, drifting towards the boards, and surprising the goaltender with a well-placed wrist shot. This particular play has become increasingly prevalent in the last decade and a half, possibly due to changes in goaltender techniques and the frequency of bank shots off the boards.
In addition, videos of the NHL’s Top 100 List released a few years ago shed light on the changing nature of goal scoring. For instance, Mike Gartner noted that he used to score many goals by outmaneuvering the defenseman and then beating the goalie with a powerful slap shot, but these kinds of goals became less common around the midpoint of his career.
In the 1980s, the “winger carries the puck into the zone and rips a slap shot by the goalie” style of goals was greatly favoured. Similarly, the wide-angle one-timer has become more prevalent in the last decade, with players like Draisaitl achieving numerous goals using this tactic. This intentional strategy first gained attention with the Ottawa powerplay and Kyle Turris approximately ten years ago.
The evolution of scoring goals in hockey is also evident through specific eras in gaming. For example, in the 1994 era, holding B immediately after passing a teammate for a one-timer was a common goal-scoring technique, while in 2004, players would wait for the button to appear over the goalie when carrying the puck behind the net for an attempt at a wraparound. By 2012, holding the puck for 90% of the game and maneuvering around the defense had become popular, only to be surpassed by counterattacks beating the goalie stick side with unexpected wrist shots from just inside the blueline.
In the 1970s and early 1980s, players would lumber over the opposing blueline and deliver an unscreened slapshot from 80 feet away, a trend that disappeared by the mid-1980s. This developed into a more refined play of coming down the wing and unleashing powerful slapshots top-corner from the hashmarks, or utilizing the accurate Messier wrister. By the mid-1990s, these styles of scoring had also diminished.
All these changes in scoring techniques are a result of the evolution of the goalie position. Smaller, standup goalies were susceptible to low far post shots, while bigger butterfly goalies led to high shots in the corners. Over time, different goaltender techniques have influenced shooters to adapt their goal-scoring strategies.
In conclusion, the history of scoring goals in hockey is rich with unique eras that have seen the emergence and disappearance of different specific scoring techniques. These changes have been influenced by both player skills and advancements in goaltender techniques, leading to an evolution in the art of goal-scoring in hockey.