New Body Contact Rules

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PuckNA
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New Body Contact Rules

Post by PuckNA » Wed Sep 04, 2019 10:47 am

What are your thoughts?

I watch the below and cringe, not only because of some of the crappy examples they give (for both sides) but by how we are taking any of the onus off the player with the puck to play heads up hockey. To me responsibility for preventing injury falls on both parties, puck carrier: play with your head up, expect contact, don't make yourself a target... Defender: don't target the head/back/knees, face to face, shoulder to shoulder, or hip to hip, don't engage guys already engaged. I watched and over and over they talk about players in "vulnerable spots"... don't put yourself in those... accountability for players on both sides. While I like them trying to make the game safer, your undermining the game as well by making it ballet on ice.

USA Hockey wants scoring, so we take out most contact to let the water-bugs run free... we all like skilled guys that can score, but guess what, some of us also like guys that stop them and can be hard to play against in the defensive zone, guys that will plant you when you try to be to fancy and have your head down, cuz guess what, we have to keep our heads up when you have the puck or we retrieve pucks, you should have it up when you have the puck as well.

I think USA Hockey has undermined this for a while (probably unintentionally), all starting with removing checking until Bantams. We have now gone from making contact a part of the game when kids are younger, slower, less physically mature and teaching them the right way when they are open to learn and making it as common as any other play:; to moving it to Bantams and making it an event to hit when they are bigger, faster, and stronger and less receptive to "doing it the right way". I personally think the changes that have opened up the neutral zone as a race track have been responsible for a lot of issues, speed + sudden stops = whiplash/concussions. I get the concussions can come from an elbow to the head or a glancing blow, etc., but to take out the ability to finish a check and basically take away a defenders ability to slow down that player from immediately rejoining the play is bad in my mind. Not all guys are water-bugs with great hands, some have good hands, good speed, we can't make a team of Gretzky's it will fail (Gophers). USA Hockey again, are all focused on offense and scoring. IMHO

Maybe I am old-school, but if I hit you a couple times and you stop coming down my side of the ice out of fear or whatever you want to call it, then guess what? I make my job easier, I shrink the rink make it easier for my team. You might now chip it in vs trying to blow past me, you lose possession, now we battle for possession. If you aren't comfortable in front of the net, good, should be that way. Don't want to meet in the corner for a puck battle, then you shouldn't be there. Can't keep taking away tools from the defense side, eventually if you want to score more... get better, be more rounded or play the role you can.

Just my 2 cents and my HO.

What are your thoughts?

https://www.usahockey.com/page/show/512 ... nd-respect

InThePipes
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by InThePipes » Wed Sep 04, 2019 11:40 am

I don't have any answers. The landscape and participation in all contact sports is changing (football, hockey, boxing, etc.), they all look different than they did 10 years ago and one can only guess what it'll look like 10, 20 or 30 years from now in each sport.

O-townClown
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by O-townClown » Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:39 pm

PuckNA wrote:
Wed Sep 04, 2019 10:47 am
What are your thoughts?

I watch the below and cringe, not only because of some of the crappy examples they give (for both sides) but by how we are taking any of the onus off the player with the puck to play heads up hockey.
You are onto a peeve of mine. I'll watch the video later. A kid will go near the boards, get the puck and turn his back. Someone who was going to body him off the puck will push him to the wall from behind on the number. Parents yell, "that's a check from behind!" Well, the kid couldn't check him from the front! Drives me nuts to see that rung up as 2 & 10. Depends who has the whistle.

A player with the puck has some obligation to prepare or evade a check. It shouldn't be carte blanche to turn the back in avoidance.
Be kind. Rewind.

PuckNA
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by PuckNA » Wed Sep 04, 2019 1:08 pm

Agree... hate the fact guys first thought when retrieving a puck on the wall is to turn your back on the oncoming defender. You put yourself in harms way and if the guys with the whistle think it is fine to do that the defending team loses a guy for 2/10 or longer, but guy turning his back, could be carted off or worse. Kids need to be taught early how to protect themselves and not be in vulnerable spots, as well as how to take a hit and give a hit.

GoldenBear
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by GoldenBear » Wed Sep 04, 2019 1:14 pm

You are onto a peeve of mine. I'll watch the video later. A kid will go near the boards, get the puck and turn his back. Someone who was going to body him off the puck will push him to the wall from behind on the number. Parents yell, "that's a check from behind!" Well, the kid couldn't check him from the front! Drives me nuts to see that rung up as 2 & 10. Depends who has the whistle.

A player with the puck has some obligation to prepare or evade a check. It shouldn't be carte blanche to turn the back in avoidance.
OTown:, I agree 100%! This has bothered me to no end for the past 5 plus years. I see it so many times and it's so dangerous for the offensive player to make this move.

The worst example I remember like yesterday is a player in high school streaking up the boards for a potential break away. The defender who is 10 feet off the boards and two or three strides behind is busting ass to get back and prevent offensive player from breakaway or good angle shot. The offensive player, when defensive player is five feet from him going full speed decides its a good move to suddenly stop and turn his body towards boards. Defensive player in a half second to react from going full speed comes to a half stop and makes contact to offensive player's back. Offensive player falls against boards and defensive player is done for the game. My two cents is I'm ok with the penalty, while I don't think it's worthy of expulsion, but my concern is for the offensive player making that move and being so lucky that he didn't get hit full speed. They need to punish the offensive player in that situation as well. Similar to embellishment. GB

That guy for that thing
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by That guy for that thing » Wed Sep 04, 2019 1:29 pm

This issue over the past few years has been one of my biggest complaints. I am a big guy, who has some speed but not top tier. I don't have great hands but can shoot alright if given some room. I am the enforcer on most of my teams in charge of keeping other players in check.

With all of that in mind, players have been getting lazy with regards to personal protection. I know that I can hurt people even with a clean check, but like mentioned above, players getting scared and turning at the last moment has cost me a lot of penalty minutes. I think that taking hitting out of peewees was a bad decision. Imagine a kid that learned to take a hit/throw a hit while smaller and who learns how his edges are beneficial in hitting. Once he gets back to average, if not above average, that kid will know how to safely hit, but it will look very bad. I think this past year's state tournament has a few examples (cough cough DEast).

I know that up in Duluth, back when peewees could check, the kids were required to take a hitting camp, before they became peewees, with all of the local high school coaches. I am not aware if other places do this, but it was great.

I think there are 2 big reasons that kids turn/put themselves in dangerous situations: They are afraid of getting hurt (there have been more media on injuries lately), and they don't know how to tale a hit (this can lead to getting hurt, but its a separate point in my mind)

I don't want to say that kids aren't as tough as they used to be, but getting your bell rung was just a typical thing back when I was younger. It is definitely not ok, but kids are more cautious now to avoid it, and they spin to try to get away from the hit, putting themselves in a worse position. This only causes more injuries/worse hits and causes the league to want to take away the possibility of the hit, as they are saying that is the root cause. I don't think the hit is the root cause, the turn is, for the most part.

Another issue is that as kids get faster and stronger, the hits become bigger, I get that this is an issue and there is not an easy solution, but the speed can also be an issue if a kid slides into a post. High-speed stopping quickly will always result in something, no matter what.

Now with my rant on it behind me, as a ref, I guess I may let hits get bigger than other refs do, simply because that is the style of hockey that I played. Coaches get upset, but I just explain that the hit was a square check, or his player put himself in a bad position. IT does frustrate people, but the kids get up and keep going with the play. Maybe I should be more strict, but I the kid's aren't getting hurt, the hit makes its point, and the kid will be more aware next time he comes through the zone. If the play is dangerous, and it is the hitter's fault, then, by all means, I call it, and I am not afraid to throw out a 5 if need be, but if the hitter is committed to the hit, and then the hittee makes a change to avoid the hit, its hard to penalize the hitter, IMO.

PuckNA
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by PuckNA » Wed Sep 04, 2019 1:56 pm

I don't mind that at all, hate to see calls because the crowd "Oooohhh'd" after a hit as it was violent or loud. I hate the big guys who target little guys, but love the guys who are not the biggest but have guts to go after the guys bigger than them when it's part of the play. I know ref's that have told players "You can't hit that hard, it's only to remove them from the puck..." I'll tell you now, "Polite checks" don't always separate a player from the puck.

SEC Scotty
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by SEC Scotty » Wed Sep 04, 2019 3:35 pm

Smart players don’t put themselves in vulnerable positions. Coaches should put a little more practice time into Teaching players this. Especially d-men on retrievals.

I like physical hockey, but you don’t always need to put a player through the glass to separate him from the puck. You cut across the middle get ready to be hit.

WestMetro
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by WestMetro » Wed Sep 04, 2019 7:10 pm

I think we are slowly but surely moving to Olympic rules. Like it or not. How long it will take is anybody’s guess . Big adjustment for me , compared to Section 7 50 years ago

Agree that several weird situations/strategies have cemented themselves in the meantime . Both individual , and seemingly coached in some cases. Especially noticeable last season.

Would support an additional new penalty for some of these cases . They disrespect the game .

SCBlueLiner
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by SCBlueLiner » Thu Sep 05, 2019 9:40 am

Watched that video, shaking my head.

Agree with all the points above how responsibility is being taken off the offensive player to not put themselves in a bad position and to keep your head up. Agree that checking should be started at younger ages so players learn the proper way to do things before they get bigger, stronger, faster, at an age with great disparity in size amongst players who are a mixture of pre and in the midst of hitting puberty.

Count how many times while watching the video the commentator says "minimize contact". Minimize contact, minimize contact, over and over again. Checking hasn't been taken out of the game per the rules, but checking is effectively gone. The examples of "acceptable" checking they use were nothing more than light bumping. Forget about finishing a check, they explicitly say that is no longer allowed, can't take your man out of the play anymore, which is really messed up because you hear 100 times a night watching an NHL game about "guys working hard, winning battles in the corners and along the wall, FINISHING THEIR CHECKS." This season is going to be a seismic change if officiating is going to be this, for lack of better term, tight. It's going to be a parade of penalties and a game of special teams, no flow to the game at all.

I liked how they emphasized "stick on puck" defending. Even thought at the beginning of the video that there won't be much change as you defend a player stick on ice, stick on stick, stick on puck, and finish through the body. But then they started with the minimize contact, minimize contact and "finishing" became "intimidating". So pretty much any good hard check is going to be deemed "intimidating" and meant to "punish" the other player. I can see it right now, only bumping is going to be allowed. Funny thing is, taking the contact out of the game is going to make the game even faster and increased speed is going to mean increased chances for concussions when the inevitable accidental collisions occur at those higher speeds.

I'm all for taking the ugly and dangerous stuff out of the game. I see this as having swung the pendulum way too far in the opposite direction though.

PuckNA
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by PuckNA » Thu Sep 05, 2019 1:35 pm

Agree, the ugly stuff needs to come out, but they are amputating the game, trying to find a quick fix.

Some examples, the "no icing rule" on PK it's no more to generate creativity: it's to generate scoring/opportunities, removal of checking at younger ages: give kids a chance to score with no fear of contact, NEW body contact rules: allows kids to skate around with less chance to be stopped and play pond hockey (more goals). It's looking for Olympic type play... just my HO....

Section 8 guy
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by Section 8 guy » Thu Sep 05, 2019 11:12 pm

I’m probably in the minority but I think the changes are positive and just hope they stick with them and get the change in play they are looking for. There is nothing exciting about grinding physical play. A skil game is way more exciting and it’s an entertainment business.

I also disagree with the NHL related comments above. The NHL has finally figured it out, gotten rid of clutch and grab and fighting and the NHL game has never been better or more exciting.

Of course that’s just my opinion. I could be wrong.

That guy for that thing
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by That guy for that thing » Fri Sep 06, 2019 7:48 am

Section 8 guy wrote:
Thu Sep 05, 2019 11:12 pm
I’m probably in the minority but I think the changes are positive and just hope they stick with them and get the change in play they are looking for. There is nothing exciting about grinding physical play. A skil game is way more exciting and it’s an entertainment business.

I also disagree with the NHL related comments above. The NHL has finally figured it out, gotten rid of clutch and grab and fighting and the NHL game has never been better or more exciting.

Of course that’s just my opinion. I could be wrong.
I think skilled players can still be just as skilled and fast in a physical hockey game. Look at Dustin Byfuglien. He is fast and decently skilled. He is very physical, yet isn't a goon. He is, what I believe, what the NHL should be going towards, but I see the new USA Hockey rules trying to eliminate any big stand up hits. They are specifically targeting intimidation. I think that intimidation is needed in hockey, so the small little hacks cant get away with being a small little hack. Everyone here knows that there is far too much small stuff that people get away with that can't be called, otherwise it would be a constant line in the box. That's what big clean hits are for.

I agree that we need an emphasis on dangerous situation recognition, seeing numbers, and players reaching for the puck along the boards, but just because a kid has his head down is not a reason to not play the body.

Slap Shot
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by Slap Shot » Fri Sep 06, 2019 8:51 am

They need to get players back to learning how to play with their back to the wall and not facing it. I don't agree that players are intentionally facing the wall to draw a penalty because they're putting themselves at risk for serious injury if their opponent doesn't let up. I think it's more a lack of situational awareness. Gophers teams the first dozen years under Lucia never played facing the wall. Toward the end they did it way too much including on the PP and they became far less electric and dynamic with that style. This comes down to training and coaching and as much as "avoiding contact" or whatever is the initiative here they could do a lot more to reduce risk to injury without having to remove contact from the game.

PuckNA
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by PuckNA » Fri Sep 06, 2019 9:01 am

That guy for that thing wrote:
Fri Sep 06, 2019 7:48 am
... They are specifically targeting intimidation. I think that intimidation is needed in hockey, so the small little hacks cant get away with being a small little hack. Everyone here knows that there is far too much small stuff that people get away with that can't be called, otherwise it would be a constant line in the box. That's what big clean hits are for.

I agree that we need an emphasis on dangerous situation recognition, seeing numbers, and players reaching for the puck along the boards, but just because a kid has his head down is not a reason to not play the body.
Agree, intimidation comes in many packages, a fast guy can be intimidating, super skilled guy is intimidating, a guy that will sit you on your ass... intimidating. If I can make you play on the other side of my zone because you don't want to play against me, or you don't want to go in the corner with me, or stand unimpeded in front of my net, that's a huge part of a game for the defense. I am in no way advocating for all blow up hits, or cheap shots in any way, but not being able to finish a check is horse$hit... so we just play keep away and dish at the last second with no fear of taking a hit? What kind of crap is that... I may be wrong but it did help a few teams win the "Cup"...

That guy for that thing
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by That guy for that thing » Fri Sep 06, 2019 9:11 am

PuckNA wrote:
Fri Sep 06, 2019 9:01 am
That guy for that thing wrote:
Fri Sep 06, 2019 7:48 am
... They are specifically targeting intimidation. I think that intimidation is needed in hockey, so the small little hacks cant get away with being a small little hack. Everyone here knows that there is far too much small stuff that people get away with that can't be called, otherwise it would be a constant line in the box. That's what big clean hits are for.

I agree that we need an emphasis on dangerous situation recognition, seeing numbers, and players reaching for the puck along the boards, but just because a kid has his head down is not a reason to not play the body.
Agree, intimidation comes in many packages, a fast guy can be intimidating, super skilled guy is intimidating, a guy that will sit you on your ass... intimidating. If I can make you play on the other side of my zone because you don't want to play against me, or you don't want to go in the corner with me, or stand unimpeded in front of my net, that's a huge part of a game for the defense. I am in no way advocating for all blow up hits, or cheap shots in any way, but not being able to finish a check is horse$hit... so we just play keep away and dish at the last second with no fear of taking a hit? What kind of crap is that... I may be wrong but it did help a few teams win the "Cup"...
Oh definitely. The cliche Defense wins Cups, doesn't just mean defensive zone shutdowns, but the physical play is part of defense. Like you said, forcing someone to play on the other side of the ice because they don't want to play on your side, makes it so much easier to play defense, you can gameplan to play only on that side of the ice.

SCBlueLiner
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by SCBlueLiner » Fri Sep 06, 2019 9:35 am

Section 8 guy wrote:
Thu Sep 05, 2019 11:12 pm
I’m probably in the minority but I think the changes are positive and just hope they stick with them and get the change in play they are looking for. There is nothing exciting about grinding physical play. A skil game is way more exciting and it’s an entertainment business.

I also disagree with the NHL related comments above. The NHL has finally figured it out, gotten rid of clutch and grab and fighting and the NHL game has never been better or more exciting.

Of course that’s just my opinion. I could be wrong.
Finishing a check is not in the same category as clutch/grab and fighting. As stated in other posts, finishing your check is a staple of good defensive play. It's not dirty, but USA Hockey is now making it that way.

I also disagree about the NHL being more exciting these days. The NHL is at its best when it has the right combination of speed, skill, physicality and, yes, violence. The NHL regular season is skewing more and more to a non-contact league but when it comes playoff time physical play still wins out and that's why playoff hockey is the best. Boston and St. Louis played in the SCF last year, both teams had that combination of speed, skill, and heavy physical play.

Yoopskater
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by Yoopskater » Fri Sep 06, 2019 3:07 pm

I think they are looking far long term, considering CTE, concussions etc. A lot of people think football will not exist in 50 years. If they can avoid that spiral and preserve the game for another lifetime... But, boy it will be painful in the near term. Most of those ‘unacceptable’ hits looked perfectly acceptable to most of us.

WestMetro
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by WestMetro » Fri Sep 06, 2019 3:40 pm

One thing refs have to crack down on is a light bump followed by 10 second bear hug from behind on the boards , becoming more common by both by D and forecheckers .

This may be a byproduct of kids being hesitant to finish a clean check from a different approachable legal angle , and from the kid receiving the bump maybe looking for a penalty .

With Refs no longer calling frozen puck , they bark at kids to separate and keep play going , but these bear hug clutches can go on for a long long time . Especially bad last season

ndirishfighting
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by ndirishfighting » Fri Sep 06, 2019 8:42 pm

So what is the new rule?

Why is this in High School and not youth?
They’re kids NOT PROFESSIONALS
It’s just a game!

WarmUpTheBus
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by WarmUpTheBus » Mon Sep 09, 2019 11:08 am

SCBlueLiner wrote:
Fri Sep 06, 2019 9:35 am
Section 8 guy wrote:
Thu Sep 05, 2019 11:12 pm
I’m probably in the minority but I think the changes are positive and just hope they stick with them and get the change in play they are looking for. There is nothing exciting about grinding physical play. A skil game is way more exciting and it’s an entertainment business.

I also disagree with the NHL related comments above. The NHL has finally figured it out, gotten rid of clutch and grab and fighting and the NHL game has never been better or more exciting.

Of course that’s just my opinion. I could be wrong.
Finishing a check is not in the same category as clutch/grab and fighting. As stated in other posts, finishing your check is a staple of good defensive play. It's not dirty, but USA Hockey is now making it that way.

I also disagree about the NHL being more exciting these days. The NHL is at its best when it has the right combination of speed, skill, physicality and, yes, violence. The NHL regular season is skewing more and more to a non-contact league but when it comes playoff time physical play still wins out and that's why playoff hockey is the best. Boston and St. Louis played in the SCF last year, both teams had that combination of speed, skill, and heavy physical play.
Finish the check doesn't mean go out of your way to check a player who has already moved the puck and take yourself out of position. That is not a staple of good defensive play.

PuckNA
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by PuckNA » Mon Sep 09, 2019 11:28 am

I didn't see anyone say anything about going out of your way to "finish a check". Finishing should be as a part of the play, many times if you dont "finsh" and let that guy go free.. you are out of the play..

Difference in taking yourself out of the play... sometimes it happens, but most times you are now at an advantage over the guy who you just hit in most cases, even if it's a second or two or a foot or two.

My $0.02

That guy for that thing
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by That guy for that thing » Mon Sep 09, 2019 12:52 pm

PuckNA wrote:
Mon Sep 09, 2019 11:28 am
I didn't see anyone say anything about going out of your way to "finish a check". Finishing should be as a part of the play, many times if you dont "finsh" and let that guy go free.. you are out of the play..

Difference in taking yourself out of the play... sometimes it happens, but most times you are now at an advantage over the guy who you just hit in most cases, even if it's a second or two or a foot or two.

My $0.02
At the 8:20 mark of the video, they explicitly say "The Concept of 'finishing a check' is an unacceptable action as it is one that is meant to intimidate or punish the opponent with no intent to gain possession of the puck."

What this reads to me is that unless you can pick up the puck immediately after the hit you cant go hit the player, because otherwise, it intimidates the player, and we can't have that in a contact sport.

WarmUpTheBus
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by WarmUpTheBus » Mon Sep 09, 2019 11:42 pm

That guy for that thing wrote:
Mon Sep 09, 2019 12:52 pm
PuckNA wrote:
Mon Sep 09, 2019 11:28 am
I didn't see anyone say anything about going out of your way to "finish a check". Finishing should be as a part of the play, many times if you dont "finsh" and let that guy go free.. you are out of the play..

Difference in taking yourself out of the play... sometimes it happens, but most times you are now at an advantage over the guy who you just hit in most cases, even if it's a second or two or a foot or two.

My $0.02
At the 8:20 mark of the video, they explicitly say "The Concept of 'finishing a check' is an unacceptable action as it is one that is meant to intimidate or punish the opponent with no intent to gain possession of the puck."

What this reads to me is that unless you can pick up the puck immediately after the hit you cant go hit the player, because otherwise, it intimidates the player, and we can't have that in a contact sport.
Hitting a person who doesn’t have the puck certainly can be intimidating. It’s also illegal.

Section 8 guy
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Re: New Body Contact Rules

Post by Section 8 guy » Tue Sep 10, 2019 1:01 am

I think what they are trying to accomplish is to restore the notion that the purpose of checking in hockey is simply to separate the player from the puck in order to gain possession of it yourself. It isn't necessary to have a high impact hit to accomplish that. Coincidentally, the game is better (IMHO) and faster when played that way and there are fewer injuries to skill players when the game is played that way as well so they stay on the ice. Plus, as mentioned earlier, it probably significantly reduces the likelihood of the game being materially altered long term by liability issues as well. There's lots to like about all of those things.

To the points that have been made about the need for the big hit to be part of the game as a way for the game to police itself. Give me a break. The same weak argument was made for years about fighting. Fighting is down significantly at all levels and the impact of the game not being able to "police itself" is non existent. If the game is called consistently and correctly there is no need for self policing. This will be no different.

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