Rutherford calls out NHL on abuse of star players

[Laggin70]

http://www.thehockeynews.com/playoffs/article/penguins-expect-crosby-abuse-to-continue-but-they-re-growing-tired-of-it

Instead of pushing the NHL toward fast, skilled hockey. The Canadian hockey yinzers still want there old style of hockey.

If you allow the "stars" to be abused without any penalty. Then get rid of the instigator penalty and allow the players to police themselves.

Asking the refs to call the same penalties the first day of season to game 7 of the finals, is unrealistic. It will never happen.

Click to read more...

 

[tarheelhockey]

People will demonize JR for saying this, just like they demonized Mario for drawing attention to obstruction during Dead Puck.

 

[DaveG]

He's not wrong. I said it yesterday in the officiating thread but it feels like ever since the hits on Savard and the hit on Crosby at the Winter Classic, that the league has subtly pushed for all the interference and obstruction to work their way back in to the game. I'm sure it's all in the name of "player safety", and they're not necessarily wrong about that, but it's really damaged the product on the ice.

 

[Ziggyjoe21]

He's not wrong. What other league would let it's star player get attacked to the head without penalty?
You'd get a suspension for even sneezing close to Tom Brady or LeBron.

Paul Kariya is bitter with the league for that same reason.

 

[The Macho King]

He's not wrong. I said it yesterday in the officiating thread but it feels like ever since the hits on Savard and the hit on Crosby at the Winter Classic, that the league has subtly pushed for all the interference and obstruction to work their way back in to the game. I'm sure it's all in the name of "player safety", and they're not necessarily wrong about that, but it's really damaged the product on the ice.

I guess my question is how would have obstruction/interference prevented either of those hits, and how many dirty hits are actually prevented due to obstruction? I know that's the claim (slower game = safer game), but a) there are a lot of other ways to slow the game down than obstruction that aren't as frustrating, and b) there are also ways to make the game safer that aren't as frustrating.

Start treating head contact like high sticking, for one. Start severely punishing dirty hits. Look at equipment changes. All of this would not hurt the quality of the product on the ice, but would to some degree limit injuries/hold accountable players who injure.

Instead we make it so the game is about as fast as running through mud.

 

[SprDaVE]

The same guy that called up Sestito and in his first game back to the NHL he injured a goaltender in a must win game for the opponent? The same Sestito that injured Enstrom for the season and was suspended for 4 games? Interesting.

Maybe he should lead by example and not employ these sort of players?

 

[NCRanger]

Seem to remember the "star player" getting away with slashing a guy's finger off and getting another in the groin.

Call it both ways...

That "star player" also clearly interfered with a high elbow, directly leading to the first goal last night, after the "star player's" team was given a two man advantage on what was an extremely marginal call.

Also that "star player's" team seemed to win an inconclusive offside challenge.

And more, that "star player's" team broadcasters are always whining about calls they ALWAYS get, not to mention making sick jokes about people like Hobey Baker.

 

[Sky04]

Crosby was concussed and could've been out of the entire playoffs in the 2nd round - I don't care if it wasn't intentional, start suspending players and they'll adapt. Get it through the their heads (pun intended) that anything that could possibly result in contact with the head will be punished.

Players know they can get away with it if they just tread the line - time to start moving that line back. You can play hockey without the crosschecks and full on blindside hits.

 

[Laggin70]

The same guy that called up Sestito and in his first game back to the NHL he injured a goaltender in a must win game for the opponent? The same Sestito that injured Enstrom for the season and was suspended for 4 games? Interesting.

That is what he is saying. At some point enough is enough. Sesito hitting Enstrom was unfortunate.

Everyone forgets, if Buff answers the bell that doesn't happen. Be mad at Fluff for letting his teammate get hurt.

 

[Fandlauer]

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[The Macho King]

The same guy that called up Sestito and in his first game back to the NHL he injured a goaltender in a must win game for the opponent? The same Sestito that injured Enstrom for the season and was suspended for 4 games? Interesting.

Maybe he should lead by example and not employ these sort of players?

Who cares about the source - he's right. The way referring is happening in this league is making the product worse, both in watchability and also in the long-term health of its players. And it's crazy because the solution is right there: CALL THE DAMN PENALTIES!

 

[Shockmaster]

Seem to remember the "star player" getting away with slashing a guy's finger off and getting another in the groin.

Call it both ways...

That "star player" also clearly interfered with a high elbow, directly leading to the first goal last night, after the "star player's" team was given a two man advantage on what was an extremely marginal call.

Also that "star player's" team seemed to win an inconclusive offside challenge.

And more, that "star player's" team broadcasters are always whining about calls they ALWAYS get, not to mention making sick jokes about people like Hobey Baker.

The difference is that nobody cares who Marc Methot is.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

That is what he is saying. At some point enough is enough. Sesito hitting Enstrom was unfortunate.

Everyone forgets, if Buff answers the bell that doesn't happen. Be mad at Fluff for letting his teammate get hurt.

If we called up Peluso for that game, and he injured Malkin, you would be calling for heads, and rightfully so.

I'm in favour of a fine to the organization when that happens, especially with the garbage quotes after the game justifying that garbage hit.

 

[Fugazy]

He's not wrong. I said it yesterday in the officiating thread but it feels like ever since the hits on Savard and the hit on Crosby at the Winter Classic, that the league has subtly pushed for all the interference and obstruction to work their way back in to the game. I'm sure it's all in the name of "player safety", and they're not necessarily wrong about that, but it's really damaged the product on the ice.

Completely agree with this.

 

[The Noot]

The difference is that nobody cares who Marc Methot is.

... and?
Both are players with the same rights and needs in terms of protection, playing under the same CBA.

The last thing this league needs is the sports equivalent to classism.

 

[tarheelhockey]

People will demonize JR for saying this, just like they demonized Mario for drawing attention to obstruction during Dead Puck.

Less than a page in and it's already happening.

"Yeah but what about when Rutherford's team..."

 

[SmellOfVictory]

Asking the refs to call the same penalties the first day of season to game 7 of the finals, is unrealistic. It will never happen.

Why not? They did a pretty decent job in 05/06. All they need is to put out a mandate to the refs. That's it.

 

[Channelcat]

And so he should. The game is a whole lot better when the stars arent injured.

 

[Fordy]

it has never had anything to do with "player safety" and "slowing down the game". obstruction is back because a significant and powerful portion of the NHL and the hockey world at large want the game to be that way

 

[Fordy]

The same guy that called up Sestito and in his first game back to the NHL he injured a goaltender in a must win game for the opponent? The same Sestito that injured Enstrom for the season and was suspended for 4 games? Interesting.

Maybe he should lead by example and not employ these sort of players?

the pens did do that and they were abused even harder and lost. there is nothing to be gained by the pens martyring themselves as much as you'd like that

maybe everyone should just make the obvious ****ing decision and purge this mentality from the league instead of handing out position to former players and tough guys

 

[Fordy]

Seem to remember the "star player" getting away with slashing a guy's finger off and getting another in the groin.

Call it both ways...

That "star player" also clearly interfered with a high elbow, directly leading to the first goal last night, after the "star player's" team was given a two man advantage on what was an extremely marginal call.

Also that "star player's" team seemed to win an inconclusive offside challenge.

And more, that "star player's" team broadcasters are always whining about calls they ALWAYS get, not to mention making sick jokes about people like Hobey Baker.

stop whining about **** that has nothing to do with this issue.

 

[snipes]

The amount of obstruction that goes on in the NHL is a joke

 

[tarheelhockey]

it has never had anything to do with "player safety" and "slowing down the game". obstruction is back because a significant and powerful portion of the NHL and the hockey world at large want the game to be that way

I honestly don't think it's as deliberate as all that. A lot of key decision makers are simply careless or incompetent at running the league from a safety and quality-control standpoint. They don't see the writing on the wall until it's much too late. We've seen this repeatedly with various rule changes over the years.

 

[davemess]

There are some basic things they could introduce that would help reduce some of this stuff (specially the head contact).

Anytime you Cross Check somebody in the neck or head you get 5 games. Then 10, then 20, then 30 then 40 each time you do it after that.

Put the responsibility onto the hitting player for the point of contact of the hits. If the player being hit turns or leans or anything it doesn't matter, you as the hitting player have to responsible for ensuring you don't hit the other guys head. Will force guys to slow down a little as they go for hits and ensure they get their bodies down into a half crouch position before the hits (so shoulder into centre of the chest). Will also stop player exploding up into the hits as those are the ones that seem to cause the concussions. And keep those elbows down.

Same responsibility rule is applied to boarding. Your opponent stops at the last minute or changes direction slightly you cannot put him into the boards head first. Again its your responsibility to ensure you are in control enough of yourself to be able to avoid making that hit.

 

[Romang67]

Less than a page in and it's already happening.

"Yeah but what about when Rutherford's team..."

I think Rutherford is right. I also think Rutherford is a huge hypocrite who, through player and coach employment, is exacerbating the problem. The two aren't mutually exclusive.