Quote:
Originally Posted by transplant99
Not to get into some deeper conversation or anything...
BUT
this is the entire problem with the way the "game is going".
People didnt like fighting so they instituted the instigator rule...it ruined an entire aspect of the game.
If this team wasnt so poor at the PK, you could dress someone to take care of this stuff but instead you cant because of the worry of giving one up shorthanded.
The cries were loud and long years ago, by many, that taking fighting out would lead to much more stickwork...we are clearly seeing it come to fruition.
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Hockey can be dirty in many subtle, and not so subtle ways.
Players will find ways to take out their frustrations on opponents that make them look bad...and I think we all agree that Johnny has the skill to do that. The frequent slashing of Johnny is obviously subtle enough to be disregarded by the refs. And I agree there must be a way to make it stop, or we may lose him.
The most not so subtle, or blatant example of this was Team Canada's Clarke's two handed slash on the Russian team's Kharlamov, which broke his ankle and changed the outcome of the series.
I think the best players are always going to be vulnerable, and there must be ways put in place to protect them. The first step I think is for the the Flames and NHL to immediately alert, and reprimand in some cases, the referees in overlooking the slashes on Johnny.