Interesting and informative. Welcome aboard. Look forward to reading more.

definitely enjoyed your first two blogs!

I was wondering what your take is on the goalies restricted area? Should the NHL get rid of it and if they do should they stop protecting the goalies from any contact?

Paul Stewart: McCloud, Lapierre and Why I Hate the Instigator Rule
- Paul Stewart

Shanahan is doing a great job of policing these games with suspensions....oh wait

definitely enjoyed your first two blogs!

I was wondering what your take is on the goalies restricted area? Should the NHL get rid of it and if they do should they stop protecting the goalies from any contact?
- waitforawhistle

Another rule that changed since I played. Used to be that goalies were fair game outside the crease, so long as it was a legal check (not interference, etc). I will discuss the change in this rule over the years in a blog later this month. I don't think it should be open season on goalies but there are some guys who embellish on the rules.

excellent blog Paul. Well said.

and agreed.. sometimes.. you just got to let the boys go and sort it out themselves.

nice read paul, its nice to have another voicefrom the "other side" of hockey

Awesome blog.

That was a great read!! And agree!

I'd also be curious about your views on embellishment.
It feels as if it's been called very differently...

That was an excellent read, sir.

Thank you!
- ggunky

ditto!

could you get in contact with the Damien Cox of the Toronto Star... and arrange to publish the article each time he publishes and anti-fighting piece?

excellent blog Paul. Well said.

and agreed.. sometimes.. you just got to let the boys go and sort it out themselves.
- Dozzer

wouldn't it be great if the refs knew when and when not to allow this?

What a great read. I always respected your refereeing and knew that you wouldn't kill the game with borderline calls. When I saw that you where the ref for the game, I knew that I would be entertained and that you'd let the players play. Too bad that the NHL wouldn't have let you train the new officials and maybe the game would become more entertaining and actually attract more fans. Today's league is nothing but stupid borderline calls and they go out of their way to tamp down the emotion in the games. If they ever get their way and outlaw fighting, I will never watch another game. We don't need soccer on skates.

Nice write up and I am looking forward to more sharing of personal insight. Politically correct really stinks, yet the current younger generation professes to like "keeping it real". Go figure.

I'd appreciate your perspective, either here or at a later date, on the face-washing and scrums that seem to result after every frozen puck in the crease during the playoffs.

I'm 51, and remember the 6 team league. This summer, I watched some replays of SC finals from the 50s and 60s on the NHL network, and remembered what I saw growing up, when the goalie froze the puck, the players stopped, skated over to the face off circle, and restarted the game. No pushing, shoving, face washing, slashing, etc. And these were the greats of the game, Howe, Hull, Richard, et al.

Would it fix things to throw the first face washer in the box, as well as anyone who comes after, to cut down on the crap around the nets, especially during the playoffs? A little 3 on 3 might clean up everyone's act.

Great read. Thanks for writing it. Welcome aboard!