My Lack of Faith in the NHL Officiating

If you have read this blog before, you will probably know that I have many issues with the officiating and the higher ups with the NHL. But recently, it has been pushed to new limits.

Deryk Engelland, defenceman for the Pittsburgh Penguins was given a three game suspension for his forearm coming up after contact was made and looking like it struck the guys head. I honestly thought this hit was not a suspension, as I thought it was a clean hit, but this suspension seems justified if they are now going to start calling penalties for snowing the goalie. Yes, you read the second half of the last sentence right, a player got a penalty for snowing the goalie. If you were thinking "If that is a penalty, where the hell are all the other ones that should have been called?", trust me you are not alone. However, let's look at the facts on this play. This was in a game between Dallas and Philadelphia, when a player from the Stars snowed Philadelphia goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. Considering the fact that every player in every league has snowed a goalie, for one to be called a penalty is complete and utter bull shit. Also an interesting note on this, this got the same type of penalty that Milan Lucic got for steam rolling Ryan Miller, that's right you snow Sergei Bobrovsky, you will get the same penalty if you are Milan Lucic and you run Ryan Miller (Insert Picard Facepalm Here).

It is really frustrating to see the inconsistency that we saw in the past continue, we all thought that when they got rid of Colin Campbell and replaced him with Shanahan that there would be something that resembled a standard that would look respectable, however it has become just as diluted and confusing as it was before. I really didn't think it would need to be put into simpler words but apparently penalizing illegal hits is too much to comprehend. What instead we have are players who have been taught that if a guy is coming towards you and hitting him, is now a bigger offence than running a guy from behind who does not see you coming.

That is all I have for now, until next time, keep your stick on the ice.