Kukla's Korner Hockey
Category: NHL-Talk
Talking Puck Over The Glass And Missed Infractions
by Paul on 05/17/13 at 04:04 PM ET
Comments (1)
from Kerry Fraser of TSN,
Every other rule in the book allows for referee discretion to determine the existence of an infraction, along with the varying degrees at the referee's disposal to implement the final assessment ranging from a minor, double minor, major or match penalty. Aside from determining if the puck is deflected, the referee's discretion is nonexistent when it come to Rule 63.2 — Delaying the Game; Puck over the glass!
We have seen more than one playoff game determined when a player accidentally put the puck over the glass to incur a penalty. It matters not if the puck was rolling and unsettled or the ice was bad and contributed to the flight of the puck. It's the only rule that I can honestly say is simply 'Black and White'!It was very disconcerting for me to see obvious infractions that went uncalled in deciding games and particularly Game 7's that were played in the previous round. These 'discretionary calls' ranged from body slams to majors for elbowing, cross-checks from behind or a major cross-check infraction to the face (minor called), attempted slew-foot, goalkeeper retaliation with a blocker strike to an opponent's head, charging, and boarding. The referee 'discretion' implemented at times pretty much ran the gambit with a "let them play" mentality.
While I'm not suggesting that this poor standard of enforcement is in any way acceptable, it further demonstrates the absurdity of the puck over glass rule as it now exists.
Filed in: NHL Teams, NHL Talk, NHL Officiating, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Video- Lawyer For Derek Boogaard’s Family Discusses Lawsuit Against The NHL
by Paul on 05/13/13 at 11:53 AM ET
Comments (0)
via CBC,
Filed in: NHL Teams, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, NHL Talk, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: derek+boogaard
NHL Hit With Wrongful-Death Lawsuit By Family Of Derek Boogaard
by Paul on 05/12/13 at 06:27 PM ET
Comments (5)
from John Branch of the New York Times,
The family of the Derek Boogaard filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the National Hockey League.
It contends that the N.H.L. is responsible for the physical trauma and brain damage that Boogaard sustained during six seasons as one of the league’s top enforcers, and for the addiction to prescription painkillers that marked his final two years.
Boogaard was under contract with the Rangers when he was found dead of an accidental overdose of prescription painkillers and alcohol on May 13, 2011. He was 28. He was posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or C.T.E., a brain disease caused by repeated blows to the head.
“To distill this to one sentence,” said William Gibbs, a lawyer for the Boogaards, “you take a young man, you subject him to trauma, you give him pills for that trauma, he becomes addicted to those pills, you promise to treat him for that addiction, and you fail.”
The N.H.L., through a spokesman, declined to comment Sunday.
Filed in: NHL Talk, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: derek+boogaard
The Latest On The NHL Participating In The Sochi Olympics
by Paul on 05/10/13 at 08:57 AM ET
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from Szymon Szemberg of IIHF.com,
When an Olympic ice hockey event is planned, there are many stakeholders involved. So at Friday’s meeting in downtown Stockholm there were representatives from the IOC, Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, the National Olympic Committees, IIHF, IIHF Member National Associations, the NHL, and the NHL Players’ Association.
IIHF President René Fasel opened the meeting with the following encouraging words:
“We are working hard to putting together the last pieces to ensure NHL players’ participation in Sochi. We have some issues left, but I, as always, remain optimistic.”
Fasel did not mention a date for when a final agreement with the NHL/NHLPA needs be reached, but NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly echoed the optimism:
“We are proceeding under the assumption that the NHL will participate in Sochi. We are still working on important issues with the IIHF and the IOC, and subject to our board of governors’ consideration and approval, it remains the objective that Sochi will be the fifth consecutive Olympics with NHL participation and where the NHL shuts down for the duration of the Olympic tournament.”
Filed in: NHL Talk, Non-NHL Hockey, International Hockey, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Video- Blaming The Refs
by Paul on 05/09/13 at 12:33 PM ET
Comments (5)
The Top 10 Playoff rants directed af the refs, TSN style.
Filed in: NHL Teams, NHL Talk, NHL Officiating, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Measuring Fan Loyalty
by Paul on 05/07/13 at 03:59 PM ET
Comments (3)
from Robert Passikoff of Forbes,
The National Hockey League hasn’t treated fans all that well – at least not when it comes to managing to get teams out on the ice as regularly as fans might desire.
There was the strike back in ’92. Then the lockout of ’94. Another lockout in 2004-05. Oh, and then there was this season’s 2012-13 lockout. Pity the poor hockey fan. If, as Woody Allen suggested, that 80% of life is just showing up, there hasn’t been much life in the league for NHL fans this season.
The newest lockout began last September after the League and Players’ Association couldn’t agree about a lot of stuff. There’s lots of discussion about what and who caused the lockout. But it shortened the season which was scheduled to begin on October 11th,by about 42%, signifying the cancellation of 510 regular season games and the 2013 NHL Winter Classic. So way short of Mr. Allen’s recommendation. But a lot better than 2004, when the entire season was cancelled.
In spite of the significantly shortened season (or perhaps because of it), there are more loyalty ties this year than in preceding years. According to fans in the teams’ own DMAs, the current 2013 NHL top-5 and bottom-5 team loyalty rankings are as follows (numbers in parentheses indicate last season’s standings):
Filed in: NHL Teams, NHL Talk, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Stay Away From The Head
by Paul on 05/06/13 at 12:31 PM ET
Comments (15)
from Nicholas J. Cotsonika of Yahoo,
You know the NHL has been cracking down on hits to the head for three years now. If you still don’t know where the line is, if you still don’t think the penalties are consistent, if it all seems too nuanced and complicated, then make it simple:
Don’t put your fate in Shanahan’s hands.
Continue to play the physical hockey we love, but don’t try to obliterate your opponent. Stay low. Keep your skates on the ice. Keep your elbows in and shoulders down. Explode through the torso and separate the man from the puck.
And stay away from the freaking head.
Never mind not hurting your opponent. Don’t hurt yourself and your team.
Filed in: NHL Teams, NHL Talk, | KK Hockey | Permalink
It’s Not The ‘Old Days’ Anymore
by Paul on 05/04/13 at 09:29 AM ET
Comments (0)
from Cam Cole of the Vancouver Sun,
Then again, in the old days, nobody even realized players’ brains could be damaged. They were made of sterner stuff then. Smelling salts would fix any temporary discombobulation, and out they went for another shift.
But we actually do know a little more now. Not everything there is to know, but enough to be sure of two things:
1. The dramatic increase in the size and speed of players, the degree to which violent hits are celebrated by fans and prized by coaches, the number of players being concussed, and the looming pandemic of sports lawsuits that are certain to arise from leagues’ failures to recognize and protect players’ brains have all combined to put sports — and hockey among the front-runners — in a very dangerous, vulnerable position.
2. Hockey’s rule book needs to be significantly rewritten, again, to reflect the damage that modern weaponry, if you accept the analogy, can wreak upon the victims of what used to be legal contact in the days when the hip-check would have been the highlight-reel hit (if there’d been highlight reels).
Friday’s ruling by the NHL’s department of player safety — a two-game banishment of Ottawa’s Eric Gryba for a “clean” hit (by the old definitions) that left Montreal’s Lars Eller lying unconscious in a pool of his own blood — was another small step toward recognizing that the world has changed, and the law must change with it.
Filed in: NHL Teams, NHL Talk, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Political Party Donations From NHL Owners
by Paul on 05/03/13 at 12:36 PM ET
Comments (7)
from SportsBusiness Daily,
NHL team owners "provided more than $3 million to politicians, PACs and independent expenditure groups during the 2012 election cycle," according to Sunlight Foundation data cited by Louis Serino in a special to PHILLY.com.
Owners contributed "more than three times as much" to Republicans, as more than $2.7M of the contributions went to "conservative causes compared to $680,000 to Democratic causes." Five teams -- the Flyers, Lightning, Wild, Blue Jackets and Sabres -- gave "exclusively to conservative campaigns."
continued and much more detail in the story at Philly.com on May 1st.
Filed in: NHL Teams, NHL Talk, NHL Business of Hockey, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Compensation For On Ice Officials In The Playoffs
by Paul on 05/01/13 at 02:40 PM ET
Comments (0)
from Kerry Fraser of TSN,
Mr. Fraser, I was wondering - If the winning team all get Stanley Cup rings and bonuses, do on ice officials get anything for being in the Final?
While no 'bling' is specifically presented for Stanley Cup Finals selection, the thrill of accomplishment and lifelong memories associated with working the Cup Final remain a lasting reward for Officials who reach this pinnacle in their career. In the past few years the Officials that work the Finals receive an etched crystal trophy as a memento of the year and series they participated and playoff bonus compensation has increased considerably over recent Collective Bargaining Agreements.
It has been a longstanding tradition that once a Ref or Linesman is selected to work in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time he is presented with a Stanley Cup ring at a Special Awards evening held in September during the Officials training camp.
Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Officiating, | KK Hockey | Permalink
About Kukla's Korner Hockey
Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.
From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.
Email Paul anytime at pk@kuklaskorner.com
