Hitting from behind?

By Jon Gabrielle, The Hockey Writers

I don’t claim to be an expert on this topic, and in fact, as a boy growing up, playing and watching this great game, I was always a bit confused when it came to the penalty called, “boarding.”

It seems I’ve played in, coached, and watched thousands of games where players are constantly getting crushed along the boards. Usually these hits go on without much fanfare let alone penalties. For the most part they seem to be considered a great and necessary part of hard-hitting hockey.

But a few years back, “hitting from behind” was borne out of the GM meetings and from that day forward we’ve had a new call to deal with.

And with it came sundry opinions. From pundits to bloggers; to ex-players and respected media types, there are as many views of this issue as there are replays. From “we need to get rid of these dangerous hits altogether” to, “the players need to respect each other”…all the way to, “players need to learn how to go into the boards…to slow down and take a peek over their shoulder.” These have all been suggested to cure the ills of this dreaded development.

According to Bill Watters and his group out of Toronto’s 640 radio, James Neal is not a dirty player and would never intentionally try and injure a player. Watter’s the former Leaf G.M., turned talk show host, said, “James Neal would not lie!”

Neal fighting for puck. (photo by/Dallas Stars)

Some have even suggested, “that if they just call boarding” the way it is written in the rule book, all this “hitting from behind” stuff will cease and desist.

Surely, there’s got to be some merit to these differing points of view on seemingly the same incidents?

Thursday night from the cozy confines of the American Airlines Center’s press box, I saw Dallas’ James Neal hit two players along the far boards. At first glance I thought I was watching any aggressive play by an attacking forechecker in the offensive zone. Evidently, I could not have been more wrong!

Now granted, most press boxes have better views of incoming flights than small details on the ice, but I imagine that’s why we have plenty of monitors and replays at our disposal.

Immediately after the hit, the Blue Jacket’s Derek Dorsett, turned, backed away from the glass, and wobbled two feet before collapsing to the ice. He was unfortunately concussed when his face, pointing toward the glass while looking at the puck between his feet, kissed the hard plastic plexi-glass.

“Dallas penalty, number 18, five minutes for boarding and a game-misconduct,” the referee bellowed.

Do I sound confused?

I’m left wondering, where was this “epidemic” when guys like “terrible” Ted Lindsay, Gordie Howe, Johhny Bucyk and Eddie Shack were playing the game? Did it not exist? Did they police it themselves? Were those old geezers so slow that their full speed hits along the wall became merely a nuisance…is that why they could play that old style, helmet-less?

By the way, I am all for protecting players and eliminating unnecessary “violence” in the sport.

So I was left to ponder how I could have misinterpreted what I perceived to be the normal “goings on” in an otherwise routine hockey game? A play in fact that will cost the accused, James Neal, a 2 game suspension, thanks to Colin Campbell and his NHL penal tribunal. All done replete with videos and conference calls while hundreds of miles apart. Justice has it’s way of finding you, and doling out sentences swiftly in this “new & improved” NHL.

Thanks to technology I did exactly what Mr. Campbell and his board of investigators did from their offices in New York, sauf mine is in Dallas. I watched the video of the hit, over and over and over again.

This time I got a much better view of the incident on my computer screen, as did the executives in New York.

And upon further review…I am as confused as ever!

Obviously as the debate rages on, one thing remains clear. I am no expert.