Hockey Fans: Is the Goalie the Tank or the Healer?

[krakatur]

Lighthearted thread I thought of while bored on my way back from class!

Does the hockey goalie more closely resemble the tank or healer role?

Healer similarities:
- Plays with different mechanics than the rest of the team - i.e. stopping the puck instead of trying to put it in the net versus healers healing health bars up versus the rest of the party damaging health bars.
- Easiest to blame when the game/party falls apart. His mistakes cause a goal in hockey, death for a healer.
- The entire team will rush in the protect their goalie - just like a good PVP group will peel / protect it's healers.
- Can carry a bad group to victory if playing perfect. (less in cata!)

Tank similarities:
- Most armored party member - i.e. the plate wearer equivalent.
- Pick up games and leagues are always looking for goalies, who usually don't have to pay their share of the rink cost => instant queue times, groups paying for tanks in trade etc.
- Can also carry a bad group through a lot if great.
- Less relevant now, but highest entry cost and commitment. i.e. goalie gear is much more expensive than player gear, and in WoW, you had the whole defense cap entry needed before cata.

I'm sure there are others but that's all I can think of right now. What do you think?

[eternalwhitemoon]

Goalies are totally healers, and the puck is that nasty damage flying around and the net is player death! Woo!

[Revengencer]

This comparison: Apples and dump trucks. Dey cannot be compared!

[Strakha]

I'd say more like healer, can carry the team in high pressure situations, unless it's Luongo (he's more of a resto shaman)

[Callicles]

I'd go with tank and have the defenders as healers

[conscript]

I'd say more like healer, can carry the team in high pressure situations, unless it's Luongo (he's more of a resto shaman)

Wow. I don't think I have ever read a more accurate metaphor for Resto Shamans. Great in spurts, completely fold when you rely on us. I've always thought of Shaman as the Joe Thornton's of WoW, great at assisting but completely terrible when you really need us, but Luongo is equally as effective a metaphor.

[joshh]

def goalies, ideally if everything went right you don't need them, id say the tank is more like the center, responsible for initial pull of the game and the driving force of offensive play. Goalies are there when the defensemen trips up your winger, or in raid when that lock decides standing in that void zone provides a good buff. Also, if you have you're goalie standing on his head most of the fight, there going to run out of energy and your team will quickly collapse). If your healers, like a goalie, are having a bad night its gg unless you replace them. Also, they tend to be more emo, cocky, and are usually good for a tier or two before you trade them.

[Rykin]

Healer defiantly, he doesn't control the pace of things, but he keeps you alive. He doesn't control the other players(mobs) do like a tank can, but can stop them from killing you(scoring). I'd say defensmen are more like tanks and forwards are dps.

Also this makes me happy seeing I'm not the only one who compares hockey to wow.

[mynameisjona]

I'd say they are tanks, after all they are the ones needed to stop the shots. And they wear the most protection like a tank

[krakatur]

Some good arguments for both sides...

Rykin -> I agree, he doesn't control the pace of things so that is healer-like. However - you do have multiple healers working on one tank sometimes, like multiple defenders helping out the goalie tank the pucks.

Jossh has a good point too - if the team plays perfect hockey, you don't need one. Kind of like a healer ideally. But he's there to patch up the mistakes, sort of. I'm leaning towards healer now - if it weren't for the heavy armor, the emphasis on stopping the attacks by letting them hit you, and the primadonna attitude oftentimes.

[Bairyhalls]

goalies = healers, defense = tanks (and naturally, attackers = dps). Why?
Well, the defense tries to keep the attackers away from the goal. Should the defense fail, the goalie is there to save them. Also, the goalie stands the furthest back, and saves something that is going horribly wrong. Imo...

[golothgir]

Some good arguments for both sides...

Rykin -> I agree, he doesn't control the pace of things so that is healer-like. However - you do have multiple healers working on one tank sometimes, like multiple defenders helping out the goalie tank the pucks.

Jossh has a good point too - if the team plays perfect hockey, you don't need one. Kind of like a healer ideally. But he's there to patch up the mistakes, sort of. I'm leaning towards healer now - if it weren't for the heavy armor, the emphasis on stopping the attacks by letting them hit you, and the primadonna attitude oftentimes.

Hey, it's not my fault I'm awesome!

OT: I can see the argument for both sides but I'm feeling tank...Without a goalie, you're fucked because you have no one to take the hits and block the puck, kinda like a tank. But then where do healers fit in? The mistakes thing can also fall to a tank not doing his job correctly. As for protecting the goalie...it's kinda like the heals for him? (or her, though I've surprisingly never seen a female tank)

[Beige]

I'd say healer for sure for the reasons you guys listed above, awesome idea for a thread though.

[krakatur]

Hey, it's not my fault I'm awesome!

OT: I can see the argument for both sides but I'm feeling tank...Without a goalie, you're fucked because you have no one to take the hits and block the puck, kinda like a tank. But then where do healers fit in? The mistakes thing can also fall to a tank not doing his job correctly. As for protecting the goalie...it's kinda like the heals for him? (or her, though I've surprisingly never seen a female tank)

Think about it this way though - you can play without a goalie for a bit.

When the boss is almost down, but the enrage timer is coming up, you'll see healers stop healing and start spamming dps on the boss trying to get him down before time runs out in desperation. Same thing in hockey - down one goal, 1 minute left, you drop the goalie and get one more player (dps) to try and get that tying goal before the buzzer.