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One part of my work nowadays is to scour the Rule Books in many different leagues. Although I retired from the National Hockey League as an active referee in 2003, I keep up with the NHL Rule Book because there is an inevitable trickle down effect from the world's top league to other circuits.
One of the vaguest protocols within the current NHL Rule Book is the discipline procedure for players who get nabbed for repeated diving/embellishment. Rule 64.3 deals with potential fines and suspensions for serial divers.
Regardless if a minor penalty for diving / embellishment is called, Hockey Operations will review game videos and assess fines to players or goalkeepers who dive or embellish a fall or a reaction, or who feign injury. See also Rule 28 – Supplementary Discipline. The call on the ice by the Referee is totally independent of supplementary discipline.
The first such incident during the season will result in a warning letter being sent to the player or goalkeeper. The second such incident will result in a one thousand dollar ($1,000) fine. For a third such incident in the season, the player shall be suspended for one game, pending a telephone conversation with the Director of Hockey Operations. For subsequent violations in the same season, the player’s suspension shall double (i.e. first suspension – one game, second suspension – two games, third suspension – four games, etc.) See also Rule 28 – Supplementary Discipline.
I have highlighted the most relevant part of the rule as it pertains to the real-world way the NHL deals with divers. They don't deal with them at all! Has there been a player so much as fined (AKA, strike two) yet -- much less suspended (strike three) -- since the protocol was created? Not that I know about.
So that leads to another question. Are the videos of actual on-ice diving/embellishment calls being reviewed by the NHL? I am constantly reviewing video in my work. Are videos of dives/embellishment that were not penalized on the ice being reviewed? If so, have any letters or fines been issued to anyone as a result? Nope.
Unless one is to believe that there are no regular divers in the NHL, that leads to one irrefutable conclusion: The NHL is not serious about curtailing diving and embellishment and the protocol is simply ignored. Every team has its own divers, so they don't complain.
In the real-life NHL, the only risk to a diver is a two-minute penalty if the referee nabs him. That's it. Sit your two and be on your way.
During the first round of this year's Stanley Cup playoffs, New York Rangers forward Derek Dorsett got nabbed twice on embellishments. Were these ever reviewed for a potential fine and "two strikes" against him? Both were rather obvious embellishments. On the other hand, an embellishment call against Mats Zuccarello in the series may not have been worthy of an official strike against him upon later video review.
There was at least one other play in the series where Dorsett seemed to be embellishing but that one was not called on the ice. Well, that happens sometimes. Bigger question: Was video ever looked at on that one? There was just cause, because he had already been penalized on one embellishment earlier in the series.
For that matter, was there any video reviewed on at least dozen other embellishments by players on both sides -- Philadelphia and New York alike -- during that series? How about the other seven series in the first round?
To paraphrase Jerry Lee Lewis, there was a whole lot a divin' goin' on in Round One. The NHL usually acts when there is public controversy about enforcement, but the silence has been deafening on this important issue that drags down the quality and integrity of the game.
Does any of this come as a surprise? No.
As I noted in a previous blog, during the 2013-14 regular season, James Neal got nabbed three times for diving. Were these incidents ever reviewed for a warning letter on the first, a $1,000 fine for the second and a phone hearing with a potential one-game suspension for the third? I guess not, because the player got off the hook.
By the way, among the many vague aspects of how this rule is written and unenforced is the phrase "during the season". Let's pretend that warning letters and fines were actually being issued in the regular season to notify players of strike one and strike two. Does "during the season" mean the strikes pertain only during the regular season or do they carry over to the playoffs (AKA, the "postseason") as well? Would players with regular season strikes against them go back to zero because it's the playoffs?
It's a moot point, since the protocol is clearly never followed. It's also a mess and a blight on the sport. Players at other levels right on down to youth hockey see the NHL pros dive and embellish with no consequences other than a possible minor penalty.
The NHL's refusal to get serious about enforcement of supplementary discipline for divers makes life tougher on everyone else associated with the game.
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Paul Stewart holds the distinction of being the first U.S.-born citizen to make it to the NHL as both a player and referee. On March 15, 2003, he became the first American-born referee to officiate in 1,000 NHL games.
Today, Stewart is an officiating and league discipline consultant for the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and serves as director of hockey officiating for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).
The longtime referee heads Officiating by Stewart, a consulting, training and evaluation service for officials. Stewart also maintains a busy schedule as a public speaker, fund raiser and master-of-ceremonies for a host of private, corporate and public events. As a non-hockey venture, he is the owner of Lest We Forget.
Stewart is currently working with a co-author on an autobiography.
Blogger •Former NHL Referee • 
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