The League has to resolve it's wildly inconsistent officiating.
Today was a perfect example of why. It was a miracle that there were no major injuries but the players were just out of control.
I think the tipping point was in the 3rd period where both Malkin and Crosby got penalties at the same time and you could practically see the officials' discontented sigh....
"Sorry Sid and Geno, but we have to."
They let so much go in that game that it just got out of hand and they tried rescuing it by handing out meaningless misconducts at the end of the game.
Nobody cares about hitting the showers a few minutes early in a 5-1 blowout, but you should never have let it get this far.
During one intermission they were saying that the league designated someone to count the number of slashes in a game and it was 70-80.
Thats insane.
But if you only call 1 or 2 of those then whats the incentive to stop?
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The League has to resolve it's wildly inconsistent officiating.
Today was a perfect example of why. It was a miracle that there were no major injuries but the players were just out of control.
I think the tipping point was in the 3rd period where both Malkin and Crosby got penalties at the same time and you could practically see the officials' discontented sigh....
"Sorry Sid and Geno, but we have to."
They let so much go in that game that it just got out of hand and they tried rescuing it by handing out meaningless misconducts at the end of the game.
Nobody cares about hitting the showers a few minutes early in a 5-1 blowout, but you should never have let it get this far.
During one intermission they were saying that the league designated someone to count the number of slashes in a game and it was 70-80.
Thats insane.
But if you only call 1 or 2 of those then whats the incentive to stop?
If they fined the players for every penalty, they could probably fine tune the game so that the total number of infractions is lower and more in line with the number they need to call to maintain control. Money is a powerful motivator.
The viciousness of the game still attracts a lot of fans, but if you called a penalty for every possible infraction, we would see 5 hour games with nothing but 3-on-3 hockey, since right now, barely a shift goes by without little hooks and slashes that could be called.
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If they fined the players for every penalty, they could probably fine tune the game so that the total number of infractions is lower and more in line with the number they need to call to maintain control. Money is a powerful motivator.
The viciousness of the game still attracts a lot of fans, but if you called a penalty for every possible infraction, we would see 5 hour games with nothing but 3-on-3 hockey, since right now, barely a shift goes by without little hooks and slashes that could be called.
And thats the issue, you cant call every penalty so you have to curb the behaviour by other means, but at the moment its getting out of control.
__________________ The Beatings Shall Continue Until Morale Improves!
This Post Has Been Distilled for the Eradication of Seemingly Incurable Sadness.
The World Ends when you're dead. Until then, you've got more punishment in store. - Flames Fans
If you thought this season would have a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention.
If they fined the players for every penalty, they could probably fine tune the game so that the total number of infractions is lower and more in line with the number they need to call to maintain control. Money is a powerful motivator.
The viciousness of the game still attracts a lot of fans, but if you called a penalty for every possible infraction, we would see 5 hour games with nothing but 3-on-3 hockey, since right now, barely a shift goes by without little hooks and slashes that could be called.
That's a chicken and egg problem. If you call every single thing, hockey players would stop doing that thing.
For example, before the "puck over glass" rule was implemented, it was happening 10+ times a game. Once it was implemented, it is now what you see today - the only times it actually happens is usually when a defenceman is under pressure, and screws up the clearing attempt.
If you called every single slash, players would stop slashing and just play hockey.
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Fans throwing towels at the players...gotta provide more of a tunnel.
The fans did throw towels but no towels came from the direction Malkin pretended to hit with a stick. Most likely the fan called him something.
And OOOO NOOO NOT TOWELS!!!! Guus that play to hurt each other wounded by towels. It shouldn't happen I know but the towels were not why Malkin was a dick.
He didn't do anything that should warrant discipline or be much of a talking point however he did act like a sore loser who let the crazy fans get into his head.
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That's a chicken and egg problem. If you call every single thing, hockey players would stop doing that thing.
For example, before the "puck over glass" rule was implemented, it was happening 10+ times a game. Once it was implemented, it is now what you see today - the only times it actually happens is usually when a defenceman is under pressure, and screws up the clearing attempt.
If you called every single slash, players would stop slashing and just play hockey.
I am just not sure the NHL would have the patience to go through the growing pains that it would take. Just look how often they try cracking down and then after a few months, it goes back to how it was. The NHL needs to keep most game down below 2.5 hours for television purposes, especially in the U.S. Calling every penalty would almost certainly lead to longer games and absurd scores for a while. It could also easily backfire because it really makes no difference to a lot of players if they take a penalty, especially if the other team is taking just as many. There would end up being no advantage or disadvantage.
That is why I would prefer to see every penalty fined, or perhaps suspending players after "x" number of infractions. You will need to make it hurt their bottom line if you want change.
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