Supplemental Discipline 2013

[chippa13 1844]

If only the league could be so hardline when it comes to dealing with offending players.

[Chadd 916]

On that point, we couldn't agree more.

[flip12 714]

A bit of a tangent, but go to the bigger rink. It would solve a lot of the injury/awkward play problems. I know it won't happen, especially after Vancouver's study for the Olympics.

[RadioGaGa 162]

The bigger rink discussion stops at fewer seats. No owner (or Global Conglomerate that operates buildings) is going to give up the couple hundred seats x 41 games it would take to do that.

Remember, its about making money...not the quality of the game.

Besides, bigger rink doesn't solve all issues...Staal got knee on kneed by Edler. That was on the big ice.

[TeamHonda401 54]

If the players mentality doesn't change, the bigger ice surface just increases the speed of collisions because it gives guys 20 strides to charge into a player instead of 5-10. They would be less frequent, but I think the magnitude would increase.

[flip12 714]

If the players mentality doesn't change, the bigger ice surface just increases the speed of collisions because it gives guys 20 strides to charge into a player instead of 5-10. They would be less frequent, but I think the magnitude would increase.

There is a freakish video or two of big big hits on international ice, I can recall one featuring Tuomo Ruutu in particular. I don't agree with the prediction that the magnitude would increase. My bet would be that the bigger space would yield more time (space=time) to see and be seen. It is hockey and there still will be big hits, but the game would be more skating, less grinding.

The bigger rink discussion stops at fewer seats. No owner (or Global Conglomerate that operates buildings) is going to give up the couple hundred seats x 41 games it would take to do that.

Remember, its about making money...not the quality of the game.

Besides, bigger rink doesn't solve all issues...Staal got knee on kneed by Edler. That was on the big ice.

Indeed, they counted 35K seats less just for the Olympic games, as reported in the link above. That was the number one reason I had in mind when saying, "I know it won't happen, but..."

I just watched that Edler-Staal. Very ugly play. (I'm feeling worse and worse for the Staal family...they're having a rough year for sure, man that sucks.) That's the first knee-on-knee I've seen where the recipient was nearly stationary. It was almost completely along the axis of the length versus the width of the rink, which makes it hard to relate to the difference in ice dimensions. I can see where there may be more knee-on-knee collisions if there's more cutting into the middle. That's what I thought that play was going to be. There will still be accidents and bone-head plays, I just think there would be less accidents and less incidence of concussions.

Again, in no way do I remotely think the big rink is a possibility. It's just what I wish would happen. Although, to be more thorough, I should watch some KHL games. Maybe I'm way off base.

[flip12 714]

Well, let me just say, I'm sorry. After looking at some of the incidents noted here, I think I was just flat out wrong about bigger ice fixing things. Mea culpa.

[Morten 2]

The last paragraph is spot on,

Quote:

"Paradoxically, despite more suspensions were handed out, reckless incidents did not seem to go down. The aggressors have come from both top teams and lower-ranked teams; some are moderately-skilled players and some top stars. In short, there seems no rhyme or reason or pattern emerging except that the lack of respect players talk about off ice continues to be demonstrated on ice regardless how punitive the Panel."

[wrangler 157]

If suspensions are of sufficient frequency, severity, and consistency, the play will change. Money, in this case, loss of pay during suspensions, always talks. The league has not shown the will to take the steps necessary to force the change. Perhaps they consider the cure worse than the disease; who knows?

[chippa13 1844]

I think Chadd keeps making a good point by reminding us that GMs continue to sign the offenders to decent paychecks and even though they lose 4-5-6 game checks a year the guys are still making a good enough living playing the style that GMs are paying them to.

[wrangler 157]

I agree that if a guy is hired to do a job in a particular way, he'll do it to keep his job. The penalties, fines and suspensions, have to be felt by the clubs in order to be effective. But since the clubs run the league. . .

[Chadd 916]

I agree that if a guy is hired to do a job in a particular way, he'll do it to keep his job. The penalties, fines and suspensions, have to be felt by the clubs in order to be effective. But since the clubs run the league. . .

Two things would stop those players from getting contracts in two years, at most.

Cumulative suspensions

Teams can't replace the suspended player on the roster (if it's a goalie, they lose a skater's roster spot)

[chippa13 1844]

I've always been a fan of suspensions affecting roster size. I also believe that suspensions should be organization wide, meaning a guy can't be sent down to the "A" to play on non-NHL game nights while suspended.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Teams can't replace the suspended player on the roster (if it's a goalie, they lose a skater's roster spot)

I was just going to add the same thoughts...

[Chadd 916]

I've always been a fan of suspensions affecting roster size. I also believe that suspensions should be organization wide, meaning a guy can't be sent down to the "A" to play on non-NHL game nights while suspended.

Agreed, the player should serve his suspension over the next game(s) at that level before they can be called up or sent down.