I think it’s lost on some people what an impact the size of the ice pad makes the game and to how you play. Particularly D men. The game is unfortunately changing, but it is emphasised ten fold on an Olympic sized ice pad. It near impossible to make open ice hits without either headhunting a player late or putting the team wildly out of position.
You don’t see almost any D men making hits anymore, even in their own corners. Chasing players into corner leaves you wide open and throws your defensive shape. Making hits through the neutral zone leaves you with an odd man rush. You can’t win. Particularly if you aren’t the quickest footed player; not that Josh is slow by any means but let’s be honest he’s 6 foot 4.
It’s not the BBT anymore or even a case of the game going soft, just the reality of adding many meters to an ice pad and the pace of play increasing. If you’ve played a contact match on IAW you’d understand, you have to skate so much further to make your hits now and the puck is long gone by the time you’re there. Also factor in the neutral zones are smaller. That extra second the extra 5 meters in length, and 4 across gives you makes such a difference.
Olympic ice is shite. No one likes playing on it. Even the rinks in North America are smaller.