Robert Thomas didn’t go for the flashy answer when ESPN asked him which NHL rule he’d change. The Blues center kept it simple: get rid of the trapezoid.
“I like goalies playing the puck, so I would take out the dead space in the corners,” Thomas said. “Especially with our goalies.”
That dead space is the restricted area behind the goal line where goaltenders are allowed to handle the puck. Step outside it, and the goalie gets hit with a two-minute minor. Thomas called it a “dead space” for a reason: it boxes in skilled puck-moving goalies and keeps them from using a part of the game they’ve clearly gotten better at.
The rule dates back to 2005, when the league put it in place to keep active netminders like Martin Brodeur from functioning like a third defenseman and wiping out forechecks on their own. But the game has changed since then, and so have goalies. They train heavily on puck handling now, and the rule often leaves them watching while defensemen take the punishment along the boards trying to dig out dump-ins.
For St. Louis, Thomas’ “especially our goalies” comment points straight to Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer.
Binnington has never been afraid to leave the crease and handle the puck. Hofer has shown the same willingness, and he’s even scored a goal in the AHL.
If the restriction disappeared, the Blues could gain a real edge from both goalies, making dump-ins something opponents have to think twice about. That would create more possession for Thomas, Jimmy Snuggerud, Mason McTavish and the rest of the Blues’ offense.
It would also make the game move faster. Instead of dump-and-chase sequences turning into board battles every time, some of them could flip into quick counterattacks the other way.
There’s another layer to it, too: more drama. When a goalie heads deep into the corner to play the puck, the whole building holds its breath. One bad touch can turn into a scramble at an empty net in a hurry.
The NHL in 2026 is a speed-and-skill league, built around constant motion. Thomas’ idea fits that version of the sport. Opening up the trapezoid would let goaltenders use more of what they can do, while giving fans one more wild element to watch.
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Jordan Binnington Is Entering Blues Camp With Real Pressure
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The pressure is sharper now because new general manager Alex Steen appears to see Hofer as the goaltender who should grow into the role for the long haul. Even so, St. Louis also needs Binnington to show he can still be a dependable part of the picture in a contract year, which leaves the Blues with an unsettled competition and one of camp's most closely watched storylines still waiting to be resolved. [Read more 🡒]