Kukla's Korner Hockey

Category: NHL-Officiating

Good Call, Bad Call, No Call

by Paul on 01/26/13 at 12:23 PM ET
Comments (3)

from Bruce Dowbiggin at the Globe and Mail,

You could see it in the face of Edmonton head coach Ralph Krueger on Thursday when his defenceman Ladislav Smid was called for closing his hand on the puck. There was also a faceoff interference called on the Oil, a goalie interference penalty along with an instigator call on Smid for provoking a fight while wearing a facemask. Check, check and check.

“That’s not the way it was called in the past,” Krueger’s tortured expression seemed to say.

Indeed it’s not something that was called in the second half of the 2011-12 season. There were many things that were not called as the L.A. Kings made their way from eighth seed to NHL champions. It’s a point a number of general managers made at the end of the season during their meetings with NHL Ops, the people responsible for refereeing.

Vancouver president and general manager Mike Gillis spoke for the group. “Guys have learned from the rules, and they’ve adapted,” said Gillis this summer. “I’m a fan of offensive hockey, and I think the league is too. If not, we should change the name of the game to ‘goalie.’ We have to keep scoring in the game. But right now, it’s not happening.

“I think that the entertainment value is born out of having momentum changes and offensive opportunities and penalties being called. That’s great hockey, and I think everyone here would share the opinion that the hockey in the last three or four years has been the best it’s ever been. So a retreat from that doesn’t seem to make any sense to me.”

more

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Video- You Make The Call

by Paul on 01/20/13 at 04:22 PM ET
Comments (1)

Is this goaltender interference? No penalty was called, just interference and the goal called off. Sabres also won, 5-2.

 

Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, NHL Talk, NHL Officiating, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Review Of The New Rules

by Paul on 01/18/13 at 06:34 PM ET
Comments (3)

via NHL.com (a look at some of the other rules too inlcuding video),

Rule 67 – Handling Puck implements a minor penalty for use of the gloved hand to "conceal" the puck or prevent an opponent from playing it. Rule 76 – Face-Off implements a minor penalty for a player taking a face-off using his hand to direct the puck.

Rule 67 - Handling Puck

67.2 Minor Penalty – Player

A player shall be permitted to catch the puck out of the air but must immediately place it or knock it down to the ice. If he catches it and skates with it, either to avoid a check or to gain a territorial advantage over his opponent, a minor penalty shall be assessed for "closing his hand on the puck."

New, approved wording in italics:

Any time a player places his hand over the puck while it is on the ice in order to conceal it from or prevent an opponent from playing the puck, a minor penalty shall be assessed for "closing his hand on the puck." When this is done in his own team's goal crease area, a penalty shot shall be assessed (67.4) or a goal awarded (67.5).

A minor penalty shall be imposed on a player who, while play is in progress, picks up the puck off the ice with his hand.

Rule 76 - Face-off

Continue Reading »

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Ref Without Work

by Paul on 10/26/12 at 06:00 PM ET
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from Robert Tychkowski of the Edmonton Sun,

When Mike Leggo goes to work, it means being jeered and taunted and endlessly second-guessed by critics so infuriated by his decisions they sometimes even resort to pelting him with garbage.

And he misses it dearly.

Maybe not those cups of beer hurled in anger from the 20th row, but he certainly longs for the action and adrenalin that has lit up his winters for as long as he can remember.

Until now.

"I miss the camaraderie and the game itself, being out there, having players mad at me, the frenetic pace of the game," the veteran NHL referee said. "Sweat in my eyes, trying to stay out of the way of the puck, getting good sight lines, I miss that challenge of it."

You're not alive until 16,000 people tell you that you suck.

continued

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  Tags: mike+leggo

What Will On-Ice Officials Do?

by Paul on 09/20/12 at 12:59 AM ET
Comments (1)

from Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal,

What will referees Stephen Walkom and Paul Devorski and longtime NHL linesmen Jay Sharrers do during the lockout, now entering its fourth full day?

NHL officials won’t be assigned to the American Hockey League unless they are younger and have dual NHL-AHL responsibilities.

Officials aren’t like NHL wingers Jordan Eberle and Jeff Skinner, who are going to the minors because they don’t have to clear waivers. And can’t hike off to Europe, like San Jose Sharks star Joe Thornton, who’s heading to Davos, Switzerland, to play.

Veteran NHL referees can earn up to $340,000 a year and linesmen earn about two-thirds of that during a typical season.

But they don’t get paid when there’s a lockout, although they can take out $5,000 in interest-free loans against their wages every month.

read on

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Naming The Divers

by Paul on 09/20/12 at 12:03 AM ET
Comments (6)

via Darren Dreger of TSN, 

Vancouver Canucks centre Ryan Kesler has been identified as an offender. While Kesler plays the game hard, he has been known to exaggerate contact to gain an advantage.

Chicago's Dan Carcillo has been caught on video on more than one occasion during his career trying to sell a penalty. Among his more noteworthy attempts was in a 2010 playoff game with the Philadelphia Flyers against the New Jersey Devils, where Carcillo pretended to have been struck in the face with a stick.

Superstars such as Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin have also drawn criticism for attempting to mislead referees, as he did in the playoffs last spring resulting in a penalty against Philadelphia's Matt Carle.

Everything from posting pictures of each culprit in every NHL dressing room to re-instituting a fine system, or simply tacking on an additional two-minute penalty to offset the original call is being discussed by hockey operations and will at some point be presented to all NHL general managers for further discussion.

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Afternoon Line

by Paul on 08/22/12 at 06:58 PM ET
Comments (10)

“They want to get [the list] out there.  They want the player to be caught, whether it’s on the ice by the referee or by us on video. They are all tired of diving. The object is to make them stop eventually and, by doing that, they can get it out there around the League, embarrass them. The referees will know it, too, so the divers don’t get the benefit of the doubt.”

-Colin Campbell on diving.  More on the topic from Dan Rosen of NHL.com.

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Today’s Rules Enforcement Talk

by Paul on 08/22/12 at 03:17 PM ET
Comments (6)

#NHL met today to discuss rules, namely obstruction. Looks like they’re going to tighten things up a bit for next season.

— George Popalis (@SNGeorgePopalis) August 22, 2012

Yzerman doesn’t see a problem: “Game can’t live up to the standard it was seven years ago, you gotta allow players to compete 1-on-1” #NHL

— George Popalis (@SNGeorgePopalis) August 22, 2012

Yzerman “systems have changed to combat a more wide open game, that prevents offense more than calling more penalties for interference #NHL

— George Popalis (@SNGeorgePopalis) August 22, 2012

Overall feel is that level of calling infractions has slipped. Especially with consistency late in games, OT or playoffs. #NHL

— George Popalis (@SNGeorgePopalis) August 22, 2012

Colin Campbell says the major area of concern in today’s meeting was hold-ups and interference on forechecking. #NHL

— George Popalis (@SNGeorgePopalis) August 22, 2012

added 3:39pm, Watch below as Colin Campbell gives a media briefing after today’s meetings…

Continue Reading »

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The Almost $8 Million Dollar Man

by Paul on 08/13/12 at 11:17 AM ET
Comments (13)

via Christopher Botta of SportsBusiness Journal (paid subscription),

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman received almost $8 million in salary and benefits during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011, according to the league’s most recent tax filing, up from a total compensation of $7.5 million the previous year.

added 9:50am, SBJ opened the link to all so you can continue reading if you desire…

Filed in: NHL Talk, Cheap Hits, NHL Business of Hockey, NHL Entry Draft, NHL Officiating, NHL Playoff Talk, NHL Prospects, Old School, NHL Media, Eye On the Media, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: gary+bettman

Swedish Ref Going Home

by Paul on 06/28/12 at 01:06 PM ET
Comments (0)

NEW YORK (June 28, 2012) – NHL referee Marcus Vinnerborg announced his retirement today, explaining that he and his family have decided to move back to their native country of Sweden.

“Two years ago I was given the opportunity by the NHL to live my dream of officiating professional hockey in North America. My family supported me and thoroughly enjoyed their experience living here,” said Vinnerborg. “It was a difficult choice, but we have decided as a family to move back to Sweden. I would like to thank Terry Gregson and the NHL for the incredible experience. I return to Europe a more educated official having had the opportunity to work with all of my colleagues and supervisors at the NHL.”

The first European-trained NHL official, Vinnerborg’s premier assignment saw the Dallas Stars play host to the Anaheim Ducks at American Airlines Center on Nov. 16, 2010. He refereed 40 total NHL games, calling his final contest on April 1, 2012, when the Ducks faced the Edmonton Oilers at Honda Center.

“I’d like to thank Marcus for his service and willingness to come to North America,” said Terry Gregson, NHL Senior Vice President and Director of Officiating. “We wish him and his family the best as they return to Sweden.”

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  Tags: marcus+vinnerborg

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