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Players Calling On The NHL To Get Rid Of The Shoot-Out

Can this be true? Hockey Players Calling On The NHL To Get Rid Of The Shoot-Out? The 2024–2025 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season will begin on October 4, 2024 The…

1997 Stanley Cup Finals Hockey goalie in the crease during a game

NHL SHOOT OUT? YES OR NO? (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)

(Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)

Can this be true? Hockey Players Calling On The NHL To Get Rid Of The Shoot-Out?

The 2024–2025 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season will begin on October 4, 2024

The NHL shootout has long been an entertaining method to end a hockey game, and now, a few players are speaking up against the shoot-out.

Hockey game  as a goalie laying on the ice as a player shoots puck in the netBruce Bennett/Getty Images

Shoot Out Going Away?

A recent article online on sportnet.ca asked a handful of players at the European Media Tour if there were any changes they'd make to the NHL. Sam Ersson, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, and Tomas Hertl said they'd like to eliminate the shootout. 

Good News For Hockey Purists

Not many hockey purists accept the shootout as a legitimate and fair way to settle the score of a hockey game - it's an individual skill competition that is the complete opposite of the team sport that hockey truly is.

Even goalies specifically mention banning the shootout, too, considering that the goaltender is the only player who takes all the shots scored and makes it a loss after 60 minutes between the pipes.

As it stands now, at least there are no shootouts in playoff games. They call it sudden-death overtime.

Red Wings History Moments In The Shoot-Out

A Datsyukian Deek

Pavel Datsyuk had a 40.8 shootout shooting percentage in his career.

Patrick Kane Was Magic When It Came To The Shoot-Out

Patrick Kane's dazzling shootout goal 

There's a reason they call Patrick Kane 'Showtime'. He was amazing with any team he played for. Look for him back with the Detroit Red Wings this season.

Trevor Zegras Was Magical

Trevor Zegras will score the most shootout goals of all time. He is only in his second season, and he already has 11 shootout goals. I don't think he will slow down. He is extremely talented. Zegras has a combination of patience, confidence, and skill. Because Zegras has so many options, the goalies can't assume what move he will make, so it's too difficult for goalies to have a set plan for him.

How Does The Shoot Out Work?

If the game remains tied after five minutes of sudden-death overtime, each team selects three shooters to participate in a three-round shootout. Those players alternate shot attempts in the three-round shootout, skating alone down the ice to score on the opposing goalie.

In the NHL's post-lockout season of 2005–06, the league ends exhibition and regular season games still tied after a five-minute-length, three-skaters-per-side overtime period (as of the 2015–16 NHL season onwards) with a shootout.

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Born in Mt Clemens, Screamin’ Scott has been a part of the Detroit airwaves for 30-plus years. With 40 years of experience in radio. When he’s not out on the streets for WCSX, you can find him devoting time to local charities with his, “Screamin Angels”; and for 16 years with Rock 4 Tots charity. And last 10 years with his local band, "Chit!." Screamin Scott likes to write about nostalgic Detroit area memories, classic rock, and local metro Detroit topics.