NHL Discipline Still Marred by Inconsistency -- NHL FanHouse

Read this article. Great evidence and it relates to the Wild as well as the NHL in general.

Over the last ten months or so, numerous incidents have called into question the NHL's ability to hold any sort of consistent line on supplementary discipline. It's reached a point of frustration, and it's nearly impossible to predict how hard the hammer will drop on Cooke for his hit.

almost 2 years ago nathaneide 3 comments 0 recs |

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I have an issue with the inconsistency of NHL discipline. I think we all do. I would love a system that is spelled out, set in stone. However, I would also accept the different punishments if, after every supplementary discline action or non-action, the NHL would answer questions about it.

What makes this different from this? Did you consider this prior incident while considering this current incident? Why did this guy get suspended, and this guy didn’t? There should be open meetings, or at least someone taking minutes of the meetings and the media (at least) should have access to those notes.

Hockey Wilderness

by BReynolds on Mar 8, 2010 2:33 PM CST reply actions

I think part of the problem is that it’s not entirely clear who holds responsibility, and when hockey operations can get involved without creating friction with the officiating union. Everybody focused on the controversy of Ron McLean pissing off Vancover and getting them to boycott HNIC, but the most interesting part of this was Campbell talking about his reasoning for how he handles things. (Watch the youtube vids)

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/MacLean+sorry+criticism+Canuck+Alex+Burrows/2456459/story.html

Of interest me me was:

- Letting the officiating union work things out on their own with hockey operations providing only suggestions not directions.

- His reasoning for handing out a fine vs a suspension on the Burrows/Strotini incident had to do with him seeing the footage late and not wanting to leave a team disadvantaged. My read on this is if you’re going to commit a suspendabe offense, do it on the first night of a back-to-back and you’ll get a pass.

by SpaethCo on Mar 8, 2010 3:45 PM CST up reply actions

Obviously, Colin Campbell has a magical flowchart of actions begetting punishments, where consequences are determined by some great mysterious formula involving the square root of intentions divided by an exponent of past records, completely unfathomable by us mere mortals….

Full and public documentation of judgements would be nice. Ain’t gonna hold my breath, though.

by ShelBel on Mar 8, 2010 3:24 PM CST reply actions