Which season defined the trap era?

[Ziostilon]

The trap era was basically 10 years i believe

Which season did you think defined what the trap era was all about

[Inker]

New Jersey's first cup to the lockout

[pitseleh]

2003/04. The NHL's GPG average dropped to its lowest level since 1955/56.

The NHL's goal scoring leader(s) scored 41 goals.

Only 20 players broke 70 points (40 last season) and only 20 players broke 30 goals (39 last season).

[TheRedressor]

Originally Posted by Ziostilon

The trap era was basically 10 years i believe

Which season did you think defined what the trap era was all about

I am not sure about defining the trap era. However I believe the 98 season was the darkest hour of the trap era.

[ozzie]

People often blame the Devils. Yes that devils team in 95 trapped, but they also had scoring depth, maybe not as well balanced as the old Canadiens, but similar.

I blame the Florida Panthers, who took it to the next level. They had very little scoring and managed to make the finals with a very below average team. Teams saw you could have more success with less and cheaper talent.

If 1995/96 final ended up being the dream match up of Colorado vs Pittsburgh who knows what happens with the trap.

[mind_the_gap*]

Originally Posted by Inker

New Jersey's first cup to the lockout

This is what I'd say...1995 till 2004.

[Knucklez]

Originally Posted by pitseleh

2003/04. The NHL's GPG average dropped to its lowest level since 1955/56.

The NHL's goal scoring leader(s) scored 41 goals.

Only 20 players broke 70 points (40 last season) and only 20 players broke 30 goals (39 last season).

2004 was my first thought too, but I'm not sure it was the trap so much as the horrendous amount of clutching and grabbing. I remember the San Jose/Calgary series that year just being a complete joke in terms of players being grabbed and tackled to the ice.

The more I think about that year, the more amazing it is that Marty St. Louis had the season that he had.

[BrodeursCups]

The dominant Canadiens teams that won 4 in a row in the 70s played a eerily similar system to the trap. They led the league in goals against in each one of those cup years.

I believe Lemaire began employing the trap on the Habs in the mid-80s and then after he was canned JP decided to keep it. Hmm, wonder what happened in 85-86?

Sure the Devils trapped in their first cup year, but they also had a plethora of talent on that cup team as well and could pile on the goals.

Also, notice how only a small, small percentage of people talk about the panthers and sabres trapping more than a trap can trap and experiencing success with said system. They had to, have you ever looked at how little talent was on each roster? Wasn't just the Devils folks. Only reason the whining is directed at them is because they knocked off a lot of giants over the years while using it.

In 95 fetisov said it "destroys hockey" yet if anyone on here actually watched the finals that year (which I'm sure many did), you'd notice that stars such as fedorov and yzerman were grabbing and waterskiing all over the ice which didn't help the pace of play.