from Stan Fischler of the Hockey Journal,

Commissioner Gary Bettman should immediately put a stop to one of the most ridiculous off-ice practices, which is spreading across the NHL. That happens to be the issue of dressing room carpets, of all things.

More and more teams have oversized team logos on their rug. That is fine in theory, but the nuttiness, which started in Tampa several years ago, has it that nobodyis allowed to step on the logo.

Violators – usually unknowing media types – face a shouting down from trainers, p.r. people or the players themselves. What’s the fuss all about? Isn’t a rug to be walked on?

“It’s a respect thing,” says Blackhawks forward Adam Burish.

If that’s the case, hang the darn thing on the wall. And by the way, what about all the center-ice logos that players skate over endless times during a game? The commissioner should have the rug hung on the wall or the ceiling or – better still — have the silliness stopped once and for all.

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