Oh man we usually agree on most things but I couldn't disagree with you more here. There's no room in the game for cross-checking. Some time over the last few years it's somehow become an acceptable method of defending. It used to be a "front of the net is fair game" type of deal. Now? It's all over the ice. Players are no longer seeking to separate a man from the puck with a clean check or through proper body positioning. They're almost all resorting to cross-checking. I can't stand it, and what makes it even worse is it's SO easy to call based on the motion of an offender's arms, yet refs refuse to call it.
I for one am thrilled they're cracking down on this.
I just think the plays they're using as examples for penalties are ridiculous.
Example 1 - Josh Anderson takes two decent cross checks in a corner battle, that shouldn't be penalized. Then he takes a third, and looks like he has a delayed reaction fall to embellish trying to draw a call. Should not be a penalty.
Example 2 - Kucherov. If this caught him in the perfect spot to break a rib, and he didn't have a rib injury prior, then ok this is a bad hit. Still this play happens hundreds if not thousands of times a year without a broken rib. It has to catch you perfectly with a decent amount of force. Same with any hit.
Example 3 - McDavid tries to dangle through two defensemen, gets stood up with a crosscheck shove to the chest, and is knocked to his ass. This is hockey. Man up and battle through it. Are they supposed to just let the best player in the world embarrass them without hitting him? Absolutely ridiculous if they'd call this a penalty now.
Example 4 - Marchand gives a weak little crosscheck shove that almost looks like it hits the guys hip, not his side. This also should not be a penalty.
Example 5 - Kadri blatant dive. Knows the cross check is coming. Waits for it and flops to the ice. We've seen him and countless other players do this countless times. Embarrassing if they call this a penalty now.
Example 6 - Same blatant dive as Kadri. Gives a little cross check himself. Knows he's gonna get one back from his teammate right there. Takes a light cross check to one of the most protected areas on his body, the upper shoulder pads, and flops to the ice crumbled up in a fetal position like he was shot. Then when he sees no penalty called he jumps up like he's fine.
Players have been diving on these cross checks the exact same way the last two examples did for a while now. They often back up into the defenseman in from of the net, knowing the cross check is coming so they can dive to the ice. Watch how many dives we're gonna see now with this rule. Kadri is gonna spend more time flopping to the ice than he does toe dragging.
