Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Start Calling The Charging Penalty Again

05/05/2016 at 9:29pm EDT

from Kerry Fraser of TSN

The dangerous culture of hitting that we see on a nightly basis often begins with an upward explosive body motion designed to generate maximum (and often excessive) force through contact. When a player stiffens his legs from a flexed position, elevates his shoulder and then throws his full force upward, the increased velocity created is significant. By elevating in this manner, the upward motion greatly increases the risk for some degree of head contact.

A charging penalty used to be called whenever a player’s skates left the ice to deliver a check. Very seldom is that penalty called in the modern game. Detroit defenceman Niklas Kronwall and Washington blueliner Brooks Orpik are two examples of players who launch themselves upward to make that devastating hit, but the list is long and extensive. The fact is, most players are guilty of this dangerous phenomenon when they try to make a high-impact hit. We make excuses and offer a free pass to high, hard hits when the checker has at least one blade in contact with the ice at the instant of impact, just before both skates go completely airborne....

The first step in reducing the potential for head contact is to dial down the upward velocity by forcing hitters to keep their skates on the ice prior to, and completely through, impact. Failure to do so should result in a charging penalty.

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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.

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