BOSTON -- Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy says nets should be bigger and equipment should be smaller.
"I think it's a good idea," said Roy, the coach of the Colorado Avalanche. "I think it will help the scoring. I would think about getting the goal posts a little bit smaller [which] will make a huge difference, and if every time it hit the post or crossbar it goes in, it's already a lot of goals."
A decline in goal scoring was a hot topic at the GM meetings this week in Toronto. Some suggested increasing the size of the nets, while another idea was to once again tweak the size of goaltending equipment.
While Roy is all for the changes, Boston Bruins coach Claude Julien is not.
"I don't like the size of the net changing at all," said Julien, who suggested possibly making the crease smaller to keep goaltenders deeper in the net.
Bruins goaltender and 2014 Vezina Trophy winner Tuukka Rask didn't appear too concerned about a bigger net, but he believes the equipment is already small enough.
"You might have to challenge a little bit more," Rask said. "Then again, I don't mind it because that just means you're letting in four or five goals and it's OK -- I'll take that."
Twice during his pro career, Rask has dealt with changes to his equipment. At one time, his pads were 2 inches taller than they are now. He would not be a fan of a decrease in size once again.
"I really don't know if they can make the gear a lot smaller anymore," Rask said. "If you start taking pads out, I wouldn't be a fan of that. I'm sure they're going to come to a conclusion at some point, but I hope they talk to some goalies if they start cutting the pads down, because then the risk of injury might increase."
Rask has his own ideas if the league decides on bigger nets or smaller goalie equipment.
"They obviously want more scoring, and they have taken some cuts from us and if you're going to do more cuts with the goalies, it should increase the scoring, but then maybe take guys back to wooden sticks to make it even," he said.