- IMG_1741.jpg © by Dustin Hall Photography
THIS IS A RANT. But rant’s can be fun, right? Be warned, it’s one that I’ve been repeating since the post-lockout era started. My Saturday, Hockey Night in Canada buddies, are sick of hearing it, so I thought I’d bounce it off of you guys, our faithful Last Word readers, and see what you think…
It is occasionally discussed by sports panelists, but most often gets lost in the whole “remove fighting from the NHL” campaign. I’m talking of course about the necessity of a fight after a big hit. Why does a player have to defend himself after throwing a big, clean, body check? The answer is; He shouldn’t have to! And I’m sick of seeing it! Body checking is supposed to be part of the game. We used to see big hits all the time. But now, in the “new” NHL, there seems to be an unwritten, light contact rule. It started post-lockout, and has gradually been getting worse.
That first season back, players were a little more hesitant. The game was faster, clutching and grabbing was gone, and everything seemed to be a penalty. I understand the reservation there. You’re not sure what’s what, and you don’t want to penalize your team. But when players started to figure out the new rules, player safety was the hot topic. And as you already know the most paramount topic of discussion was “Concussions”.
Once we learned more about concussions, and their long-term effects, it was a major issue in sports, and still is today. So the league started cracking down harder, and the players started “laying up” a little more. Not only that, but when there was/is a big hit, people automatically considered whether the player might be concussed. So players feel they’re doing the right thing by “protecting” their teammates.
The problem is, there is a big difference between a clean check, and a headshot. And with players not discriminating between the two, and taking the “law” into their own hands, eventually they are going to wipe body checking right out of the game! Seriously, who wants to have to fight every time they throw a hit?
Fighting is a necessary “evil” in order for players to be held accountable for dirty play. This wasn’t the case a few nights ago when it was the topic of a brief discussion I had with a buddy of mine. Luke Schenn went after David Clarkson for no good reason after a hit, wasting our time, and leaving him with a broken nose for his troubles. I’m a Leafs fan, but I was glad with the end result. I think it is rediculous what he, and most of the other players are doing, by “over-protecting” each other.
My solution, well, it’s an easy one. Lets go back to the way it was in the good ol’ days. Well, not completely. We go back to the old system, but with our newfound knowledge. What I mean by that is, the NHL (and Shanahan) have identified headshots as a problem, and put a system in place to punish, and ultimately lessen or remove them. Great, fantastic, excellent. It may take a while, but like clutching and grabbing, people will eventually get the message.
With the players’ safety in good hands, I think we could save the body check, and the big hit, by going back to the old ways, which is; After a hit, it’s up to the player that got hit, or the ref, to decide whether the hit was clean or not, and not the players’ teammates. I repeat, the player that got hit, possibly the ref, but not his teammates!
The only exception is if the player is badly hurt on the play, then by all means clear the benches! But if he’s not hurt, and he thinks the hit was really dirty, and he wants to drop the gloves with the guy to let him know, that’s fine. Or, if he wants to take the hit, and make him pay on the power play, that’s ok too. And finally, if the hit was clean (or he’s used to playing a contact sport), and he wants to get back up, continue the game, and maybe give the guy a ride later, that’s even better!
…and that is the last word.
