Paul Stewart: Bad Coaching on How to Give/Receive Hits

well said and agree 100%.

I think the White hit on Opik was way worse than the one on Orlov. White made contact almost exclusively to Opik's head against the glass and he skates.

Paul, please prove to me that there is no fix in the NHL? Are you watching the Chi/StL series? Blues targeting Crow, Hitch cries that the refs are calling games in Chicago's favor, and now they are "missing" late hits and cheap shots. Finally, they purposely target Shaw until he loses it.

Be a man, and tell the truth, unlike the cowardly commissioner of the NHL.

That refereeing at the end of the Kings/Sharks game was hot garbage. It's time to kill the "bury the whistle" mantra when teams committing penalties get an advantage by committing fouls. Martin Jones straight up tripped a kings player.

The refs should be done for the post-season after that menagerie of a performance.

The shoulder to shoulder hit that White threw? Come on...

I agree 100%. I think there was some youth league in B.C. that actually removed body checking; how are these kids going to know how to give/take a hit when they make it to the CHL/NCAA/etc. when they've never been taught how to do it against players who've known for years.

I also blame the ESPN-like media. Just like slam dunks and "posterizing" players make the highlights in basketball, the huge hits make the hockey highlights. No one shows highlights of a really effective sealing off board hit, even though it could be a fantastic defensive play, so all the kids want to make the highlights that they see and emulate those hits.

I think the White hit on Opik was way worse than the one on Orlov. White made contact almost exclusively to Opik's head against the glass and he skates.

It was a clean shoulder to shoulder. And "Opik" has been the dirtiest player in the series up to that point. How the refs constantly allow him to interfere is beyond me.

I think the White hit on Opik was way worse than the one on Orlov. White made contact almost exclusively to Opik's head against the glass and he skates.
- Wetbandit1

I absolutely hate Philly, but are you kidding? That was a clean hit. Dude, injuries happen in contact sports -- noone wants to see it, but it happens. It happens on clean plays, like the one from White. You can't take all of the injuries out of the sport no matter how much you want to clean up hitting.

I absolutely hate Philly, but are you kidding? That was a clean hit. Dude, injuries happen in contact sports -- noone wants to see it, but it happens. It happens on clean plays, like the one from White. You can't take all of the injuries out of the sport no matter how much you want to clean up hitting.
- mehetmet

This. The injuries to Orpik, Couturier, and Laughton were all clean hits that ended up badly. It happens in hockey.

"Around the entire hockey world, players no longer know or care how to give or receive hits."

I have been saying this for a few years. When I was playing as a kid when you put a shoulder into a player with both hands on your stick it was a penalty, you see that now. If you shoved a guy it could be a penalty. If you used your forearm to hit a guy that was a penalty. You drove with your shoulder or hips. You watched their belly button to line them up because he can not head fake you, the legs cannot deek you into a direction it is the oiint of the body that does not lie. But now you see more and more legs coming out, forearms, shoves and cross check instead of hits.

This. The injuries to Orpik, Couturier, and Laughton were all clean hits that ended up badly. It happens in hockey.
- jmatchett383

The last one was a bit of line being crossed. They were battling for position so no hits can be made. The last second when contact is made with a shove was a dangerous and irresponsible play. It was uneccessary and because Carlson knew Laughton was going to get around him at that point.

The last one was a bit of line being crossed. They were battling for position so no hits can be made. The last second when contact is made with a shove was a dangerous and irresponsible play. It was uneccessary and because Carlson knew Laughton was going to get around him at that point.
- BluemanGuruu

It's dangerous, but I've seen that type of hit happen before. Laughton was off balance and Carlson had separated him from the puck already, but we see players ride each other off into the boards ("finish your check") often enough.

It sucks, and I'm not happy Laughton got hurt, but I didn't think Carlson broke any rule more than most physical defenders do.

There was no line being crossed when Laughton got hit. It was a hockey play that ended badly for Laughton. Just because someone got hurt does not mean it was illegal.

I think the refs have made their fair share of iffy calls in the Flyers/Caps series, but I think the no call on Coots, Laughton, Orpik and Wilson hits are correct. I am glad there was no over reaction to the end results.

Hey Stewy - Why hasn't the Officials Union come out and make an statement on the Shaw incident, like taking part of the responsibility of NOT controlling a game and letting a player lose his temper? If Brouwer would have mugged Shaw in a dark alley, he would be arrested for assault. How did 4 men ans 8 eyes miss calling that? It is time they step up admit their fault in the situation.