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Welcome to The TSN Hockey Bobcast - where TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie addresses your questions on hockey...and just about anything else.

Subscribe and listen to the full podcast here: iTunes / SoundCloud / Google Play / tsn.ca/bobcast

Send your questions to bobcast@bellmedia.ca and our TSN Hockey Insider might just answer them in future episodes.

Here are a few topics from this week's edition that stood out:

 

Gearing Up On Goalies

Bob: "Historically, the NHL has been real strong on not changing rules in the middle of a season and this isn’t a rule changer, per se, but it is something that could potentially affect the goaltenders. I think the NHL, and the reason they’ve done that, is because they are so so so frustrated that this process has taken as long as it has and that they’re still not even close to where they want to be. The NHL and the NHLPA and the goaltenders haven’t agreed yet on the chest protector, how that can be reconfigured. They haven’t agreed yet on the arm pads and what they call the 'uppers' of the goaltender, how that can be reconfigured. 

The NHL has been trying for literally years to get this done and there’s been a lot of pushback - as well there should be on anything regarding safety with the NHLPA and the goaltenders union, so to speak. I still think there’s a huge amount of frustration and dealing with the equipment manufacturers has been very, very difficult and that’s a very slow process in getting the prototypes and the testing and everything else. So an answer to the very crux of Scott’s question: why would they not do this at the beginning of the season? They wanted to do it at the beginning of the season, they expected to do it at the beginning of the season and the fact that they got pushback and have had to jump through as many hoops as they did, that it’s finally in position to be effected for the beginning of February, I think the NHL’s attitude is, 'Too bad. We’re finally going to put this ahead and we’re going to forge ahead,' and hopefully they’ll be able to get the chest protectors and the uppers and everything else. 

As I’ve said on previous podcasts, I don’t believe this is being done because the NHL is trying to get more goals. They’re trying to do it because it’s the right thing to do. Because a 6-foot-4, 230-pound goaltender shouldn’t be wearing the same equipment as a 6-foot, 190-pound goaltender. I don’t know if there’s any 6-foot, 190-pound goaltenders left in the NHL but you get my point."  

 

At The Movies

"I would never say 'Sudden Death' is my favourite hockey movie. It's 'Slapshot' today, every day, all day long man. I know it's a cliche and I know that people want a more interesting answer. But for me, 'Slapshot' is an absolute and utter classic..."

 

Travel Tips

"Whether you travel a little or travel a lot, sign up for all the cards! Frequent flyer points, Air Canada's Aeroplan - sign up for the card and get credit for the points. Same thing with hotel, whether it's Marriott or Starwood, whatever the case may be. 

Get a number and start getting credit for all that stuff because if you're going to turn your professional life upside down with a lot of travel, there needs to be a reward. And that reward is gathering all those points..."