Steps before the hit has always IIRC just been a rule of thumb or evidence pointing at the real issue, which is accelerating into a hit. If you are gliding, you are decelerating. Skating before the glide/hit is a little irrelevant to me - how else was Tkachuk supposed to get into the play? Is he just supposed to stand and wait for people to skate into him?
It's somewhat of an appeal to authority, but both the on-ice officials (with a non-call) and the NHL DOPS (who put out an express statement) said the hits were all legal. And with all of the controversy around concussions, head shots, etc. you'd think they'd go after Tkachuk if they could. He's not in their good books (remember that rinky dink suspension for poking his stick at the Wing who was dummying Hamonic in the corridor?) so it's not like they are out to protect him.
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