from the CP at NHL.com,
Matt Duchene preferred to bite his tongue on the topic of penalties and fewer whistles these days. His stitched-up lip spoke loudly, though, courtesy of a recent cross-check that didn't result in a call or a power play.
"I have to be careful what I say here," the Colorado Avalanche forward said. "But I'm very opinionated on it. ... I don't know whether the standard has changed or not."
League-wide, penalties have dramatically dipped from a decade ago. In 2005-06, there was an average of 11.7 power-play opportunities per game for both teams, according to STATS. Last season, it hovered at 6.1 and so far this year, the number is 6.3.
Less fighting is a reason, obviously. But so is this: Players have simply adjusted to the way officials call holding, hooking, slashing and other penalties. Consider this: The average margin of victory this season is 2.05, the third-lowest average in league history (figures don't include games that went to a shootout or used to end in ties). It's been a long time since games have been this close — 1.92 in 1928-29 and 2.02 in '35-36.
So, yeah, careless penalties matter.
"Players are real smart, especially hockey-wise, that if you continue to get called for hooking, holding and interference, after a while you don't play," said Stephen Walkom, NHL director of officiating. "So you're seeing the results of that — the players fearing the officials are going to call it and the coaches telling players they can't take penalties because it will hurt them as a team. There's a ton of conformance, which is great."
continued plus a few more NHL topics...
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