Good News. A Headshot Rule….Next Year.

One of Goonblog’s biggest fans called me last night, and made an excellent point. To paraphrase, and cut out the profanity, Taz brought up the notion that the NHL GM’s shouldn’t need to come up with a new rule regarding head shots after the Matt Cooke pasting of Marc Savard, they simply need to get the on ice referees to call what they see properly. Cooke’s hit, in my opinion, could have/should have been called for an elbow, with intent to injure tagged on there for good measure. Cooke will not be suspended by the league, and the GM’s now apparently have a headshot rule in place for next season. Well, LA-DE-FRICKIN-DA! What a golden opportunity they squandered to make an example out of something that was clearly the type of hit they are talking about making illegal..next year. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. This is the same league that has a stupid fighting in the last five minutes rule that is only enforced when it’s not Wayne Gretzky sending his guy out, or Gino Malkin doing the dirty work.

Listen, I don’t want to be a homer on this, and to prove it, I will say there is equally no place in the NHL for the hit Michael Ryder administered on Saturday on the Island. We all know I am a big Bruins fan, but the hit Cooke put on Savard Sunday was dirty and totally uncalled for. I am all for finishing a check, but when a guy is prone like Savard was, there is no need to hit him like that. It speaks to a lack of respect the players have for one another these days, and it also speaks to the evolution of body checking as a whole.

Body checking used to be a tactic to separate a person form the puck, but now I think it is a predatory thing where players are trying to smash each other when they are vulnerable. I have zero problems with a guy crushing someone with their head down coming out of the zone, but I do take issue with a guy crushing another guy after he’s released a shot, and is prone. It isn’t what body checking is about, and is dangerous.

As far a as lack of response from the Bruins is concerned, I don’t think anyone saw it. I should hope Lucic didn’t, as he was on the ice when it happened, and seemed to go over to Cooke only after he saw Ryder racing in. I would hope the 4th lines would start next Thursday night, and the boys will settle it off the opening faceoff, but who can be sure these days? Either way, I am disappointed in the league for not suspending Cooke, and wish Marc Savard a speedy recovery.