Heads Up! - New Penalty In The NHL Next Season

[IPostedWhat]

TORONTO — The NHL's competition committee recommended that the league's referees will be given the power to hand out major penalties for hits to the head next season.

The 10-man group on Friday agreed on the new penalty during a meeting at the NHL's Toronto office on Friday and passed it along to the league's board of governors. The board meets next week in Los Angeles and must give final approval to the recommendation.

The specific wording of the new penalty wasn't disclosed but NHL executive and former player Brendan Shanahan says head hits will be subject to a major penalty and game misconduct, as well as supplemental discipline.

An official recommendation from the competition committee — which is comprised of players, general managers and Flyers owner Ed Snider — marks a bit of a breakthrough after years of discussion on the topic.

"In the end, we knew that we all wanted to get to the same place," said Shanahan, the NHL's vice president of hockey and business development. "We all had the same goal. That's why you have a committee like this — the sharing of information."

The competition committee was created as part of the collective bargaining agreement that ended the 2004-05 lockout.

When the 30 GMs proposed a penalty for blindside hits to the head in March, the union balked at its immediate enactment because it hadn't been discussed by the competition committee. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly countered by suggesting a rule could be put in place without the committee's blessing.

Part of Friday's discussion was about the role of the group.

"I think we're both happy where it ended up," said Mathieu Schneider, one of five players on the committee. "It's definitely an important part of our partnership with the NHL. We were all in agreement on that."

The players have long been in favor of penalty for hits to the head. The GMs were cool to the idea until a series of ugly incidents this season — notably the hit the Flyers' Mike Richards put on the Panthers' David Booth in October and the one Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke had on the Bruins' Marc Savard the night before the managers met in March.

Since then, it's been clear that some changes were needed.

"I think things have happened since the lockout, since the rule changes, that were probably unforeseen," said Schneider, who played for Phoenix last season. "That has made it necessary to change certain rules. The game is much faster, the collisions are taking place at higher speeds.

"This is why this has come about and why it needs to be addressed."

There were several different people involved in Friday's competition committee meeting — the 10 voting members, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, Daly, league disciplinarian Colin Campbell and Donald Fehr, who is working as an unpaid adviser for the NHLPA.

In addition to the proposed head shot penalty, the group also came to an agreement on new regulations for formfitting goalie equipment and gave a thumbs-up to the league's proposed Heritage Classic outdoor game in Calgary, Alberta, in February.

The Associated Press: Competition committee recommends head hit penalty

 

[scottflyers88]

i think everyone saw this coming. the thing i do not agree with that they also implemented for next season is the goalie equipment. it is form fitting. so if you are smaller you get smaller pads and if you are bigger you get bigger pads. so goalies who already have an advantage because they are 6 foot 5 will get to keep their pads and smaller goalies who are at a disadvantage get smaller pads. if a smaller goalie can still move around in the bigger pads then who cares. this just makes having a bigger goalie an even bigger advantage.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

It will be interesting to see the "final wording" on the head shot rule. I'm not saying I have the answer to the problem but always see potential problem's with calls made by refs discretion. As long as it's not like thee NBA where a hit to an average player is overlooked but the same hit made on a "superstar" is called. Bottom line is we will see.


As for the "form fitting pads" for goalies what is the wording on the change? As Scott said this could create some challenges as well.

Maybe once they sort it all out and know how the rule is written this can be debated in more detail.

Thanks for the info IPW and scott, interesting.

 

[TOX1]

Look who stealing some "me time" while on vacation! lol

Hey Steve, how's it going my friend??

 

[flyersfan4706]

Hey IPW, you're a loser baby. Why don't I kill you?

 

[scottflyers88]

It will be interesting to see the "final wording" on the head shot rule. I'm not saying I have the answer to the problem but always see potential problem's with calls made by refs discretion. As long as it's not like thee NBA where a hit to an average player is overlooked but the same hit made on a "superstar" is called. Bottom line is we will see.


As for the "form fitting pads" for goalies what is the wording on the change? As Scott said this could create some challenges as well.

Maybe once they sort it all out and know how the rule is written this can be debated in more detail.

Thanks for the info IPW and scott, interesting.

i do not think there is any certain wording. just regulations on the size of the pads based on the size of the goalie. i read an article on nhl.com a few months ago.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

Look who stealing some "me time" while on vacation! lol

Hey Steve, how's it going my friend??

Having a real good time Tox. Nice to be with the fam. Went out tonight for a nice steak dinner. The little guy is growing fast my friend. Cute as hell and a ball to be with.

He likes his grandpa too so that helps.

When I get back home I'll be around more often.

Take care bro and say Hi to T.

 

[IPostedWhat]

Hey IPW, you're a loser baby. Why don't I kill you?

Take a fucking number pal.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

Take a fucking number pal.

He has, 4706

 

[TOX1]

Having a real good time Tox. Nice to be with the fam. Went out tonight for a nice steak dinner. The little guy is growing fast my friend. Cute as hell and a ball to be with.

He likes his grandpa too so that helps.

When I get back home I'll be around more often.

Take care bro and say Hi to T.

Nice! Was it free too?? jk

Yeah....the little one's grow up too fast. That's why we have to keep em close...so we can watch em grow, right?

Okay Boss....enjoy the rest of your stay and we'll see ya round soon bro!!

Jack

 

[TOX1]

He has, 4706

LOL That's a +1 in the rep category!

 

[IPostedWhat]

Good one Boss.

How about you edit my thread title while you're on a roll?

It should be Heads not Head's. I don't know why but it bothers me and I don't have the privilege to edit it myself.

 

[Jimmy_the_Tongue]

Should we just call this the "Matt Cooke Rule"....

 

[scottflyers88]

what is the rule going to be called?

 

[puckhead]

what is the rule going to be called?

The Eric Lindros Mushed Melon Memorial Manefesto.

 

[HamiltonsDropped]

"Head's up"

I see what you did there

You clever little monkey.

 

[Eddie_Shack]

Something feels weird about this. I think it's because there is already the "intent to injure" rule in the rulebooks. If they wanted to, they could have been using that clause all along to punish hits to the head, which are pretty much by definition "intent to injure".

This feels less like "protect the players" and more like "Hmmm, I let this go on for too long, and now that the revolt is reaching critical mass I need to make an excuse for why I hadn't punished this thoroughly in the past AND make it look like I'm cracking down on it for the future, all packaged into one sweet press release".

 

[HamiltonsDropped]

does "form fitting goalie equipment" mean the Michelin Man in the XXXXXXXXL jersey is a thing of the past? (lookin' at you Giggy) Or is this more fluff-talk that won't really amount to much?

 

[scottflyers88]

from what i read online a while ago it means the goalie equipment is going to be based on your size. meaning a small goalie can not just put on the largest allowed pads. this is what makes no sense to me. 6 foot 5 200 pound goalies already have an advantage. now without letting smaller guys wear the same size pads, the advantage will be even bigger.

 

[TOX1]

The Eric Lindros Mushed Melon Memorial Manefesto.

.....the sequel.