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Player Safety Part II: Being Part of the Problem or the Solution |
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Follow Paul on Twitter: @paulstewart22
Thank you, readers, who provided thought-provoking feedback on my recent blog about coaches' responsibility in promoting player safety rather than relying on "29-team Rule Book" excuse-mongering when one of their own players crosses the line.
On Friday, a reader PMed me the following question: "Stewy, as someone who played and refereed in the NHL, what do you think are some ways that players can be better coached to respect the safety of other players? Also do you think hockey parents also have some shared responsibility here in the formative years? Just as I hold my breath when my son gets hit recklessly, I also hold my breath for other people's sons but I sometimes feel like a too-significant minority are part of the problem. Do you agree?"
Yes, I agree wholeheartedly. I believe that hockey parents need to be part of the solution here, too, by reinforcing the right messages. The ability of officials to help keep the game safe would immensely improve if the accountability was treated as a shared responsibility from all corners of the game.
It bothers me to no end to have to state that the game has become so dangerous to those who play, I cringe when I see some of the hits.
I told my own son, Maxwell, after a game where he hit a player in a game where he was not penalized, that he deserved a penalty. I told him firmly that if he did that again ever, I would sit him down myself, never mind a penalty or a game misconduct.
"Be tough, son, but be careful" was my takeaway message to him.
In my entire playing career, I was hit only twice from behind. That tells you how much the game has changed for the worse. The retributions in my era on the rare occasions it did happen.... well, those were often pretty brutal, too.
With me, the first time it happened was at Penn in my senior year with a crosscheck from behind. I spent a week in the hospital with severe neck spasms, a cracked C-3 and a headache that just wouldn't quit. They put me on morphine until the spasms went away.
The guy who hit me, who hails from Toronto, was someone I just saw at my Penn reunion. It was a little curious how we avoided each other after the initial handshake. We looked each other over. No doubt he remembered that I asked him after I came back from the hospital why he hit me like that? He responded with a "Bleep you! I am not here to be friends with you."
OK. That was the wrong answer BUT he made it. We scrimmaged later that day and he came around the net with his head down. I got him good. They tell me he broke his clavicle, separated a shoulder or two and that he didn't play for a good six weeks. I left for my first pro contract in Binghamton a few days later.
In Binghamton, in a game vs The Johnstown Jets, their D man ran me into the end boards head first and knocked me silly, It took a few minutes to get me on my feet. In the meantime, our Trainer, Peter Millar who went on to work with Edmonton and LA as their trainer was on the ice to treat me. It took a bit to get me up. Peter said that we needed to get off the ice and get the game going.
I was a bit wobbly but I hadn't lost my sense of humor or my way of dealing with injury or illness, " I think I'll be OK Peter but how are the fans taking it?"
Regardless of era, if you are a tough guy and can check...hit them when the logo is what you see and not the big numbers. My advice to coaches and players who want people to finish their check, hit cleanly and then we will see how tough you really are.
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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 serves as director of hockey officiating for the ECAC.
Blogger •Former NHL Referee • 
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