Why Do The Rules Change In The Playoffs?

[authentic]

explains why I hate the broken stick and delay of game penalties, ha

And these ridiculous penalties. But you can hold onto someone for 20 seconds against the boards and cross check and slash to no end.

 

[authentic]

i actually agree with you here. Fans of other sports always comment about how much grey area there is in hockey officiating compared to other sports. You grab a football players cage, it get's called 99% of the time. You rough a QB after the pass, its called 99% of the time. The ball either hits the line or doesn't in tennis.

But a sport like hockey(and lacrosse) where you have many guys on the ice who are allowed to make physical contact with each other, and are all carrying big long sticks. Contact is going to happen all the time. That's why we can't have as many black and white calls in hockey. A stick will accidentally graze an opponent very often. By the rules, its slashing. That's why the ref has to now decide if the slash was hard enough to warrant a penalty.(grey area). Throw in the fact every ref will have a different opinion of what's hard enough and you get the inconsistency we have.

Essentially, I think the reasons are

A) The hockey world wouldn't support 20-30 penalties a game being called for 2-3 years until the culture changed and we could get back to 5-10 penalties a game(which is still probably too much for a lot of people)

b) it's too hard to watch 10 guys out there with 25 slashes,15 hooks, 10 cross checks per minute and at this speed, while trying to decide which ones are worth calling...and remain consistent in the eyes of thousands of different people.


Edit: Where i think the biggest issue is is game management. A ref will call something at one point, but not the exact same thing at another point if the score is a certain way. Or how they put away a whistle at the end of a game or in OT. Or makeup calls.

Basically i understand refs will miss stuff, and i understand every ref is different. I also understand the refs have to make judgements because it isn't black and white. I just wish refs were consistent in their own approach from game 1 of the season to game 15 of the playoffs, minute 1 of the game to minute 64 of the game in OT.

This is why half the time a player gets a penalty he looks flabbergasted.

 

[jbeck5]

This is why half the time a player gets a penalty he looks flabbergasted.

It's the stuff they see, and call/don't call.

I've seen a game where karlsson on a scoring chance gets tackled and sat on. Karlsson yelling at the ref and the ref right there says "no way" to karlssons pleading. 2 minutes later, after the whistle, someone slashes phaneuf, phaneuf wacks him back, and that same ref then takes phaneuf off for a slashing penalty.

Taking away a scoring chance from a top player illegally is ok, but 2 guys going at it means you gotta give a team a powerplay.

It's essentially game management. The ref thought phaneuf was getting too exuberant after whistles so took only him to try to "manage" him. But they don't call the game by the books when theres a good scoring chance. Same ref, same period. inconsistent officiating.

 

[NotYou]

It's not new but it makes the game worse. The league can let rough stuff go while still calling interference, holding, hooks and slashes. Not the refs fault for the most part

 

[Nino33]

Contrary to what you read on here, obstruction opens up offense.

It also protects players; offensive/skill players regularly put themselves in dangerous positions and need to be protected from being treated (hit) like they were for the first 100 years hockey existed

The only way you can call more of the interference safely is by banning hitting (which they're gradually getting to IMO)




There is less interference/slashing/etc nowadays than ever before...it is easier to be a skill player than ever before, you are more protected than ever - hockey used to be WAY MORE physical than it is now! with way more hitting, holding, hooking, slashing and interference (but far fewer "hits from behind" because players never/rarely allowed themselves to be in a position where they could be hit like that...now players do it multiple times every period!)

I've been watching the NHL playoffs for over 40 years, and modern hockey comes across as almost non-contact ringette and not professional ice hockey IMO

IMO if the rules were called "by the book" many more players would be getting hurt (especially the smaller/skilled players); hockey's still a contact game, and frequently big hits are legal by the rules (the mind reading "he targeted the head" is often used with big hits to find a fault, as otherwise the hitter did nothing wrong...a lot of the time the "targeting the head" is the hitee not protecting himself, leaning forward, the player just being smaller/shorter/etc); a lot of the rules about hitting (to make it "safer") are very recent rules

I think you have to be completely uninformed about the history of hockey to think that it's rougher/there's more interference now than there was



There's certainly a lot more "chip & chase" hockey
In the 70s this was called goon hockey because when you played such a style it involved tons of hitting/physical play, but now it involves chipping it off the extremely high glass (compared to the past) and then darting after it like a waterbug all-the-while believing "you can't hit me, as my back is to you/I'm to close to the boards" and everyone skates around as if the game was non-contact - this is the hockey being promoted as so skilled (a style that was called the least skilled hockey decades ago, and that essentially requires a non-contact game to be played)

There's less hitting, holding, hooking, interference, slashing, etc makes making "skilled plays" easier to make now now than it's ever been



That's my view, yours may be different, and that's totally OK

 

[Street Hawk]

Because they dont want the games to slow down and be pp after pp after pp.

The part of the playoffs that makes it more exciting is the intensity if you call every little ticky tac call the games slow down and the intensity lowers.

The refs have to walk that middle ground between "letting them play" and "by the rulebook, that's a penalty". And it's hard to do as players will constantly push the envelop of what is allowed, but if you call everything, the media and fans will get on the ref to disrupting the flow of the game. Can't win.

But, really, I think the emphasis of changing how the games are called comes down to the star players. Can you imagine if LeBron or Durant took a hard intentional foul each time they attacked the rim? Or DL being able to headlock Brady, Rodgers, Brees after a pass?

It's really going to take the likes of Sid, McDavid, Laine, Mathews, Seguin, Karlsson, etc. to band together and be more influential with the rules committee. Right now, all of that is run by the old school boys. Player safety is run by guys who played physical and on the edge. There's no Kariya, Francis, etc. types who won the Lady Byng.

 

[Nino33]

I guess my question then is, why did the NHL ever change from 2005/06/07?

The hockey was fine then.

Wasn't there problems with injuries? because they increased the speed of the game by calling more interference/etc

And also didn't the players and coaches/etc pretty much universally hate the constant penalties being called? They didn't like the radical change

And weren't thee many fans complaining about all the penalties being called? Maybe even more unhappy fans then compared to now (I think so)

These are the reasons why the NHL changed IMO (that's what I recall)



P.S. For me personally the NHL hasn't been "fine" since the 90s and all the efforts they're making "for the skilled players" make the game less physical/more like ringette and make me less and less interested

 

[Nino33]

The refs have to walk that middle ground between "letting them play" and "by the rulebook, that's a penalty". And it's hard to do as players will constantly push the envelop of what is allowed, but if you call everything, the media and fans will get on the ref to disrupting the flow of the game. Can't win.

I think the problem with calling everything is all powerplays are equal (a player off for 2 or 5 minutes) but all penalties are not equal (taking away a goalscoring chance as opposed to a nothing neutral zone play)

When you call so many penalties you often have a HUGE influence on the outcome of the game (as do a small number of "skilled players") - hockey has a 100 year history of not wanting the referee to have such an influence, and for a "team" to play and win and not a handful of superstars

It's really going to take the likes of Sid, McDavid, Laine, Mathews, Seguin, Karlsson, etc. to band together and be more influential with the rules committee. Right now, all of that is run by the old school boys. Player safety is run by guys who played physical and on the edge. There's no Kariya, Francis, etc. types who won the Lady Byng.

I think overall guys Sid, McDavid, Laine, Mathews, Seguin, Karlsson, etc. are actually "old school players" too and that the players who want/like the ringette style of hockey are very very few

IMO the reality that some fans don't seem to get is (by their actions, including how they play on the ice) the vast majority of players don't actually want the game so tightly called

 

[snowave]

I generally prefer to "let em play"... especially if it does not directly affect a play/scoring chance. Too much ticky tack crap during the regular season that would ruin the Playoffs if they called everything.

That being said, there have been (and usually are) some pretty blatant non calls during the post season that should not have happened. NHL needs to get some balls and not be afraid to do something with the extreme cases that go uncalled.

 

[madinsomniac]

Here is a question for you all... have you ever seen an ex star as a ref? No? Maybe cause they are all ahl washouts and never weres... good enough on their skates to ref or be a linesman but with no skill to play... they favor the underdogs and grunts. They like the dirty stuff cause its how they played in whatever low end league they were in.... gms run the rulemaking so they love it cause it allows teams that failed aquiring talent to be competitive. Its why hockey went from a rising sport to the fifth or sixth sport here in the states...

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

The refs have to walk that middle ground between "letting them play" and "by the rulebook, that's a penalty". And it's hard to do as players will constantly push the envelop of what is allowed, but if you call everything, the media and fans will get on the ref to disrupting the flow of the game. Can't win.

But, really, I think the emphasis of changing how the games are called comes down to the star players. Can you imagine if LeBron or Durant took a hard intentional foul each time they attacked the rim? Or DL being able to headlock Brady, Rodgers, Brees after a pass?

It's really going to take the likes of Sid, McDavid, Laine, Mathews, Seguin, Karlsson, etc. to band together and be more influential with the rules committee. Right now, all of that is run by the old school boys. Player safety is run by guys who played physical and on the edge. There's no Kariya, Francis, etc. types who won the Lady Byng.

This is a fair statement and I agree, but right now the league is the way it is, and the rules are called the way they are and people cant get mad about players playing to the current rules in place.

I'm all for rule changes to open up the game more and give the offensive style players more range to show case their skills.

 

[BigEezyE22]

Because they dont want the games to slow down and be pp after pp after pp.

The part of the playoffs that makes it more exciting is the intensity if you call every little ticky tac call the games slow down and the intensity lowers.

Clutch /grab /hook is in no way intense. It's a way to let the bums hang with the stars.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Clutch /grab /hook is in no way intense. It's a way to let the bums hang with the stars.

Its part of the game, every team has players that do It and every player does it.... until they fix it, as far as I'm concerned its fair game.

 

[soothsayer]

I'll never forget the scene that summed up the Ducks in these playoffs:

Getzlaf standing behind a ref, repeatedly slashing Lucic in the leg from around the ref; Draisaitl responded by giving Getzlaf a slash of his own. Draisaitl gets a penalty.

That pretty much sums up the Ducks.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

I'll never forget the scene that summed up the Ducks in these playoffs:

Getzlaf standing behind a ref, repeatedly slashing Lucic in the leg from around the ref; Draisaitl responded by giving Getzlaf a slash of his own. Draisaitl gets a penalty.

That pretty much sums up the Ducks.

That literally sums up most scrums... physical stuff happens and usually the ref says something like next one is gone

cant help draisaitl was the next one, maroon breaking his stick on the glass I think is a better distinction of the ducks playoffs.

Just give a poor team/fanbase like the oilers false hope that they could skate with a top team in the league and then turn it on when they need to and beat em no problem

 

[Zorf]

Refs don't want to be the deciding factors in playoff games, and that ramps up in later rounds.

The problem with the refs is that they need to set the tone of what they will accept and then stick to it throughout the game. If they don't call a slash in the first period, then don't call the same slash in the 3rd. Or vice versa.

If there's continuity in what is called from puck drop to final buzzer, then I'm ok with the rule book being thrown out for the most part because at least it's an even playing field and the players know what lines they can and cannot cross.


I think it's human nature for refs in all leagues to not make calls in playoffs, but in the NHL, it goes further than other pro sports, and I think that's because the NHL has a deep rooted sense of "that's how it's always been done" and is very slow to change. Change was forced upon the league in 2005 and they did their best but infractions are slowly creeping back in.

 

[Tuna99]

Call the headshots.

Especially the intentionally careless stuff, the elbows that swing at Karlsson's head that are disguised as finishing checks, the stick Crosby took to the head by OV which was 100% intentional - it's ridiculous what players are getting away with now.

I have to say I don't really complain about the reffing but they have seemed to stop calling intentional targetting of the head. stupid.

 

[Snatcher Demko]

The league is owned and managed by cowards. In every other sport, the intensity also ratchets up in the playoffs.

But only in hockey does it devolve into some XFL type of thuggery where the winner wins by taking out the other team's star players.

Refs can set the tone early in the game or early into a series. They simply choose not to. The rules are clear.

I've been watching the game since the mid-1980s, and I'm all for "tough" hockey but played within the rules. Finish checks, make big hits, but the spearing, slashing, and cheapshots need to go.

 

[caliamad]

I personally like fewer calls and to only call the important ones and those are the ones that deny a scoring change. Like tripping a guy who as the puck in the slot, or an intentional / unsafe brutal hit.

I think with stick infractions, you have to play the game a bit. If a guy takes a whack that could potentially break someone's hand, you got to call it, but if the guy is just giving the guy the business, then you give him some slack. If it escalates, you warn them.

I hate the automatic penalties, tapping a guy with the shield and his stick is in no way the same ball park as a guy taking a stick in the eye. Delay of game is also super bogus, but I remember how much worse it was people did that all the time, I'd prefer to treat it like an incing (don't let defensive players change lines).

But where do you try to enforce some standard? How about faceoffs, contact in front of the net, etc.

I think it is really a tough sport to call, because no one wants to see a special teams contest. Playoff hockey has always been and should continue to be played 5 on 5.

 

[Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk]

There has always been a fair bit of interference and obstruction in the playoffs. This game mode is meant for players to struggle to do anything to score a goal; whilst I'm not entirely opposed to the concept, I'd really prefer they call the hooks, the picks, the checks from behind and so on, as they did following the 2004ish lockout. Basically, while I am ecstatic that the Sens may brush the Pens aside in a week or two (3 wins needed to their four!) I'd rather the old Sens that flew up and down the ice dominating people nonstop.

It is what it is though, "parity" and all that slop.

(Don't get me started on parity...just don't, I could go on for days!)

 

[Hospy]

I dunno, I actually like it in the sense that it's another dimension of the game that changes depending on the referees that teams have to adapt to.

 

[CrashBartley]

Although the whistles are put away I like the hard nosed brand of hockey. What I don't like is the massive amount of embellishment taking place, there needs to be stiff fines and suspensions for this kind of stuff. Anyone gets tapped on the helmet and it looks like they've been shot, if the stick comes even close they flail back and a penalty is called. Start with the maximum fine for both player and coach, second offence is 1 game suspension for player and coach, third is 3 games for player and coach. That's really the stuff I want eliminated from playoff hockey, stiff fines and suspensions will take care of it easily.

The reason why there is embellishment is because the ref's let so much crap go. The only way to get a call is to look like you've been shot.
Call the games by the rules, and soon coach's and players will learn they can't hold, slash, impede etc.
And by not calling the rules, the level of play is brought down to the 3rd liners, rather than having them chase the skill players.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

I hate the holding on the dump and chase. It's so obvious.

 

[kingsholygrail]

But when they were calling a lot of penalties in a few games in the first round, people *****ed about it. "Slowing the game down." "Too much refpuck." "Boring pp/pk."

 

[Pestilence]

Because they dont want the games to slow down and be pp after pp after pp.

Or... maybe we would see less all kind of slashes etc. because you would actually get called for it?