Quote:
Originally Posted by Enoch Root
There are no circumstances of kicking, anywhere on the ice, or at any point in the game. The only rule that needs to be in place for kicking is that it should be a major or a match penalty, if you kick at another player.
As for the blade along the ice, you are left with the same problem of requiring video review to determine if and when the blade left the ice. No one lifts the blade on purpose to score, it doesn't require that subjectivity, nor that nuance to the rule.
Skates should be like knees and shin pads and butts and chins - if it goes off yours and in, good for you.
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If you allow all kicking of the puck in the net sooner or later you're going to see another Malarchuk-style incident. Nobody wants that. I don't mind kicking the puck in if the blade is along the ice, or very close to the ice, or whatever. But if the puck is in the air and the player has their stick tied up and they try to soccer-style the puck into the net it's going to get very ugly eventually. The NHL doesn't need scoring so badly that stuff like that should be allowed. The current rule isn't even that bad but I'd be fine with some tweaking of that rule, just not a free for all. A goal like Coleman's last spring should have been a no-brainer counted goal.