12/21/24
April 19, 2006
Bettman: Refs will make calls, or else: Commissioner Gary Bettman says officials who don't call penalties as warranted during the NHL playoffs will soon find themselves watching the post-season from the sidelines.
posted by wingnut4life to hockey at 07:48 PM - 17 comments
Wow, I'm actually applauding a move made by this guy; although it was a bit of a no-brainer. Obviously the refs should continue to make the calls. I am cautiously optimistic, though: I agree with Chris McMurty when he says that the calls, while plentiful, have been nowhere near consistent enough. But I recognize that this is a long process, and I look forward to the NHL two or three years down the road when both players and refs know exactly what they can and can't do.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 07:59 PM on April 19, 2006
this is really nice ive been sick of refs not making calls and costing teams games and even championship. i relly agree with this guy.
posted by soccerstud3675 at 10:20 PM on April 19, 2006
A hooking is a hooking. I just hope that they call both teams. Not as in the past where one is called and the other team is ignored.
posted by TAZ29 at 10:20 PM on April 19, 2006
I just hope the refs still let them play hockey. I don't want to see 20 penalties called every game because a ref thinks he needs to call some penalties to keep his job. If it is a penalty though, absolutely call it. Just don't think because there have only been 4 penalties all game that you need call something/anything to meet some sort of quota.
posted by njsk8r20 at 10:35 PM on April 19, 2006
One can hope they do make the calls !!!GO RED WINGS!!!
posted by sirtt22 at 10:45 PM on April 19, 2006
after 20 years of reffing i love the" new rules"or as we say the old rules being enforced. i do not have much faith that the playoffs will be called the same way. each year i was working i would get the first 2 rounds then be benched.it was something i got quite used too. thier reason was always the deeper the games were intom the playoff the further into your pocket your whistle had to go, and i could not ever agree to this idea. the thought that u don't want the ref deciding a game never sat well with me. is it not the player who hooks,trips, slashes etc breaking the rules that is putting his team at a diadvantage not the person enforcing the rule.i believe we will have to wait a few tears for the old boys club to retire from reffing before we see the playoff called the same as the regular season and more consistincy as well. but i do give a hand to bettman for the statement hopefully he sticks by it. one last point for all those who want to yell at me saying they like the old playoff hockey i say great form a league a make your rule book reflect that. do not put rules in the book that you do not want enforced. also i dare anyone to show me in the rule book where a penality in the first minute of the first game of the season is not still a penality in game 7 quadriple overtime. once i read this maybe i'll change my opinion.
posted by patch606 at 11:23 PM on April 19, 2006
What???
posted by chrisly13 at 01:34 AM on April 20, 2006
The new rules are great, and I suspect they're no small part of why fans came back to the game so easily. I truly hope they stick to them, and I actually expect that they will.
posted by chicobangs at 01:56 AM on April 20, 2006
Ron Maclean hates them. He thinks we're on the road to no contact hockey in the offensive zones. I worry about that a little, some nights it does look like guys like Jagr and Gionta just putting the puck on a tee in the slot. It's a little... Pussyish. But I can't complain about the faster play, the better way they've called icings and the no red line. But I do think there should be more contact with the puck carrier in the offensive zones. I've seen penalties this year that wouldn't be called in the women's world championships. If the Stanley Cup final winning goal is a power play goal on a neutral zone hook where the victim doesn't even lose a stride - I think it's going to be pretty embarrassing. Not to mention laughable.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 07:54 AM on April 20, 2006
I agree with njsk8r... I really hope they don't feel the need to "make" penalties because they haven't called any. Call the obstruction, but they've definitely got to lighten up on the boarding and charging, especially in the playoffs. So many times this reguar season it's seemed the two-ref system has one ref feeling like he just isn't carrying his weight so he makes a crappy call. I'd rather see a no-call than a bad call. And i can't stand when barely-penalties dominate the game and ruin the flow.
posted by SummersEve at 08:00 AM on April 20, 2006
SummersEve - welcome to SpoFi. You have yet to swear, abuse grammar, or call someone out in leet. Plus you seem to like hockey. It's official - you make the cut.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 08:58 AM on April 20, 2006
I was fishing with 86 last weekend, and he reminded me of a call that was automatic in the first two months of the season; the open-ice obstruction by defenseman who impede a fore-checker's progress. That call is no longer being made. Why is that?
posted by garfield at 10:17 AM on April 20, 2006
I'd give the referee-ing a solid B for the year, its definitely improved the game. One thing that still drives me nuts though is the 2 referee system -- esp when the ref way on the other side of the ice makes a weak call on a play that the ref in the immediate area correctly passed on -- they've either got to get rid of that 2nd ref or develop a system were 1 can wave off a weak call by the other
posted by hb74147 at 11:42 AM on April 20, 2006
Ron Maclean hates them. He thinks we're on the road to no contact hockey in the offensive zones. I worry about that a little, some nights it does look like guys like Jagr and Gionta just putting the puck on a tee in the slot. It's a little... Pussyish. That's the huge grey area right now. The defence aren't entirely sure how much they're allowed to do, and the officials aren't entirely sure how much they're supposed to call. It's nowhere near perfect yet. Like I said, give it a couple years. Then we should see more defensive movement (there's a lot of standing still right now), smarter bodychecking (no relying on holding/clutching/grabbing), and more aggressive defence in general (you can't wait for the skater to come to you any more, you have to attack his position).
posted by DrJohnEvans at 12:11 PM on April 20, 2006
it seems some people like the new rules since it is thier chance to be part of the game. last time i checked a ref. was just apart of the rink. same as a football ref. is apart of the field. so chill out and no stupid calls. if something is border line let it go. they aren't paying by the call or do they?
posted by TAZ29 at 06:27 PM on April 21, 2006
Well so far, the refs have been calling penalties, and I haven't seen a bad call yet.
posted by njsk8r20 at 08:11 PM on April 21, 2006
I really do hope that this will be the case. I'm sick of seeing teams getting screwed in the playoffs because of poor officiating. If it's a penalty in the regular season, than it should be a penalty in the playoffs.