Blind hits and head shots

The NHL GM’s met to discuss game issues. One of the topics covered, as we’ve been told, is hits to the head. From what I understand, the conversation turned to blind hits quickly. At this stage, the NHL GM’s have put together a committee of 9 to investigate the hits, get more data on what is happening, and report back at the next meeting with suggestions on what to do…

So this has been the topic of discussion on everyone’s mind. How can we change, tweak or add rules to prevent these hits and sometimes devastating injuries. Here’s the thing, the rules they have put in place have directly been responsible for the increase in these mortifying hits. If you don’t believe me, well let’s look at some of the rules that have been changed post lock-out that contribute to this.

1- No Red Line

So the league decided that since they couldn’t go to a bigger ice surface, that if they removed the red line, it would open up the game and create faster plays to the net. But with no red line, you have guys coming across full speed, head down, getting blown out of their socks. Now, I’m not saying we should put the Red Line back, it has in fact created a quick more exciting game, but it hasn’t helped the injury cause.

2- Goalie Trapezoid

Someone somewhere came up with the idea of not letting the Goalies play the puck in the corners. Why, I have no clue. But they did, and put in the trapezoid area. So now, you have players coming at each other at full steam while the Goalie stands back and watches someone get their skull cracked in 2. In the past, when the puck went in the corner, Goalies could get in there and get the puck out before these 200+ lbs beast came barreling in at 20+ miles per hour….

3- The Instigator Rule

When putting this rule in place, the league has in essence said, if one of your players gets killed, you can’t jump the guy who did it or you’ll get suspended. People cheered this rule on. The biggest rule change in a long time. This rule would reduce the amount of fights and injuries caused by fights radically…. Well maybe, but what it’s done is given license to kill to the leagues goons. Before this rule, you knew not to go to hard on guys because you would face the consequences if you did. Now, oh well, I’ll destroy this guy in the board and if I don’t get a penalty, the other team will for trying to start a fight… come on… this was the stupidest rule to make the NHL rule book to date.


Another part of the problem, actually I think this is a big part of the problem, has nothing to do with rules at all. It has everything to do with the equipment players wear today. The helmets are completely inadequate for this kind of a contact sport, and the shoulder pads have become weapons of mass destruction. So why has there been so little talk about the equipment?

Here is what I suggest. Before changing any rules of any kind, I think the equipment needs to be re-evaluated. Change the helmets and the shoulder pads these guys wear. Give them better head protection, and softer pads. Right then and there, I would bet money you would reduce the amounts of serious head injuries by more than 60%. Let this ride, see how it affects the players and how they change their style of play to adapt to this. Once that has been done, if you are still unhappy with the results, then and only then should you look at changing the rules.

Now when it comes to the rules, I think that you can’t put the red line back in. We got used to a quicker game, this would slow it down too much and lose many of the precious few fans the league has. The other 2 listed above, well… get rid of them. Don’t put guys in a situation where they can get hurt and they won’t. Let the players police themselves and they will. The other thing I would do is add no touch icing. Players are getting better at this, but we still see injuries caused by guys racing for the puck.

All in all, we don’t need to reinvent the game here to make it safer. A few tweaks to the equipment and taking out some rules that should have never been instated in the first place would go a long way….




Leave me your comments and let me know what you think about the head shots and the GM meetings from this week