Yes I'm kind of shocked and offended at some of the things I've seen this year in the playoffs.
No, I'm not some hand-wringing Roy McMurtry 'skirt' who wants to see the game emasculated. But neither do I like to see the cross checks to the face, head shots, punches and face washes after the whistle (especially once the linesmen have arrived to ensure your safety) and bullying in general.
The two referee system is, as Chris Nilan proclaimed again yesterday on the
Milt Melchnick show, broken. It cannot work. Refereeing is a subjective
personal thing, inflected with style, it's not just a skating rulebook. No two refs would (or could) call a game alike. They're
human. And they make mistakes. But that is what the player safety and discipline end of things is for. To spot and punish egregious fouls that have happened, whether the referees caught them or not. But
please, go back to one referee.
Since Zdeno Chara's campaign of violent revenge (4 separate incidents including the final attack) against Max Pacioretty culminated in that near-tragic assault at the Bell Centre and the NHL gave him a free pass, many have taken issue with violence and the NHL's confused and confusing and often inconsistent application of their rules (quite frankly often ignoring common sense). Double standards and preferential treatment(s) tarnish the league's process.
For those who see these playoffs as the hockey equivalent of Armageddon, calm down. Yes they have been pretty wild but if you can't remember what Boston did (and got away with) last year your memories are short indeed. The NHL licensed a return to bully-mugging hockey and the Bruins beat up the Canucks and took the Stanley Cup. Teams noticed. Anaheim won a few years back doing the same thing. Chicago with Byfuglien doing his thing also snatched a cup with a mix of talent and brutishness. This is not without precedent nor are they the worst examples.
Anybody over 40 can surely remember the Philadelphia Flyers of the 1970's and their carnival of carnage. How about the Canadiens-Bruins or Canadiens-Nordiques battles of the '80's? My personal favourite member of the Canadiens is John Ferguson. Why? Because he was the league heavyweight champion (at 190 pounds) and protected Beliveau and Cournoyer as well as others. He wasn't a goon, he was a 'policeman.' There's a big difference. He protected superstars and or 'gentle' players like Bobby Rousseau and J.C. Tremblay.
There is a big difference between frantic, frenetic physical play and boarding from behind and head shots. None of it is new. Our tolerance is thankfully lower now. BUT: one of the biggest problems in hockey today is the instigator rule which continues to enable punks from Holmstrom to Clutterbuck. Rescind that foolish rule and a lot of the garbage will disappear as the players can police the game better than the league and its referees. A single fight often calms the waters and metes out justice, something the NHL brass continues to have incredible difficulties with.
The playoffs this year have proven that.
If things boil over, throw the book at them. Sooner or later they'll get the message. But there must be consistency and one law for all. Chara included.
Now, how about ten games for Torres?
