Officiating: Consistently Inconsistent – The NHL Referring Handbook

By: Clint Hagmaier (@CoachHagmeir2)

In 2004 the NHL endured work stoppage that promised fans, players, and management alike that upon return there would be a new NHL, and for the most part they were right. The game is not the same game some of us grew up watching, whether that be in the 70’s, 80’s or 90’s. The game has become fast, players have become stronger, the equipment improved, and management has had to learn how to producing a winning club under the salary cap. All improvements to a game that so desperately needed to step out of his own dark history and evolve into a modern era North American sports league. However, the one major area that was supposed to be fixed, which was the enforcement of the rules, wasn’t entirely fixed. Yes, the NHL referring has made some adjustments and any adjustment made after the lockout was going to be an improvement. But as my grandpa used to say, “you can polish a Yugo, but in the end all you got is a shiny Yugo.” For those of you too young to know what a Yugo is, it’s was a horrible car notorious for breaking down. Point being, the NHL officiating is a shinier version of its former self.

Before the NHL lockout of ’04 clutching, grabbing, hanging on to a player, stick work, and flat out buffoonery was confronted with a “Play on boys!” This led to the speed of gameplay slowing to the equivalent of paint drying. And let’s be honest North American sports already had one snail’s pace sport in baseball. The lockout forced a change and the biggest advocate was the Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux. Mr. Lemieux spent the majority of his career playing in the era of clutching and grabbing. Numerous goals Lemieux scored, were done so with an opponent hanging on to him like he was a rodeo bull. The now Pittsburgh Penguins owner envisioned an NHL where its stars would be able to showcase their talent without having to skate through a barrage of arms and sticks, as if they were in the mosh pit at a Disturbed concert. This vision became a reality when the league came back to work. In the first season of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) players struggled to make the adjustment to the new enforcement of rules. Player infractions such as holding, hooking, and slashing went up in numbers. This eventually forced players, especially defensemen to gain foot speed and better their skating ability, for they were no longer able to slow down opponents by grabbing onto them. After the adjustment period was over, fans and players alike found the enforcement of the rules to be a refreshing change and agreed that the game flow was better.

Jump ahead more than 10 years later the NHL officiating has regressed to its hold ways. If a player uses his free hand to impede another player or a player uses his stick as a weapon, then absolutely a penalty should be called. But many times these are infractions that are not being called, especially the latter. Either the refs really are blind mice or they are turning a blind eye to calls for one reason or another. One of those reason may be because they do not want to control the outcome of the game. Another theory is that the old monarchs in the NHL brass are asking the zebras to ignore more and “let the players play.” Now every so often when a terrible infraction is not called, it will get reviewed by the referee’s not so scary big brother, the NHL Department of Player Safety. Cross check a guy in the back while he’s on the ice numerous times over, cross check him in the back of the neck, hit him from behind and watch his face plant of the glass, and be sure to head hunter a guy long after he’s released the puck. These are penalties that many have gotten away with and have been sadly disciplined by the NHLPSD, if at all. Plays that could potentially injure a player or end his career have been brushed aside or at the most given a 1 game suspension (yeah that one refers to Dubinsky). The Department of Player Safety is an outright joke and the NHLPA should be insulted by it because it is not keeping players safe.

So this brings us to many questions. What’s the solution? How can the NHL management get the NHL to protect its multimillion dollar investments better? If the “faces of the NHL” (Crosby, Ovechkin, Benn, Kane, Towes, etc.) decided to not show for promoted events such as commercials and the All Star Game until the officiating was fixed, would that change the tune of the NHL brass? Will the NHLPA ever step in and stick up for their players? How badly does someone have to be injured before extreme disciplinary action is warranted? What would happen if whistles weren’t put away and penalties were called to the letter of the law? Would goal scoring go up? Would players and systems have to evolve?

So many questions NHL…. but you never seem to have answers. Just smoke and mirrors and it’s gotten old.

#Clint #Coach #Officiating #NHL #Ref