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NHL Safety Issue: Checking From Behind

ByRyan Ritchie|

NHL safety issue conversations have been plentiful in recent years, one being the spike in hits from behind. The rise was an unfortunate consequence faced from the increase in game speed. It’s faster than ever, and making those split-second decisions is all that more important. But we’re all human and make mistakes, especially in those rare moments where we have to think and act quickly. NHL players are asked to endure this strenuous mental exercise day after day. While the hit from behind itself is sometimes unavoidable, a player needs to recognize when to let up on a hit.

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There’s a share of checking from behind penalties over the past with clear visual malicious intent, making it a hot-button NHL safety issue. But, in more cases than people want to admit, the blame can be put largely on the opposing player receiving the check. It’s a strange phenomena that has developed over the past decade as to why players insist on turning their back prior to contact. Players are faster and more elusive nowadays looking for ways to avoid checks, which is understandable. What is not understandable is why a player insists on making themselves voluntarily vulnerable to one of the most dangerous hits in the sport, in comparison to taking the hit and trapping the puck in your skates to protect it. That should be a NHL safety issue in itself.

NHL Safety Issue: Malicious Intent on Checks From Behind

The most recent case involved Tampa Bay’s D Nikita Nesterov with his hit on Dallas call-up Curtis McKenzie, who was assessed a two-game suspension for the check. As seen in the video below, Nesterov had decided to commit to the hit well before, even though McKenzie had his back turned to Nesterov prior to contact. This is an instance where you have to recognize McKenzie’s vulnerability to let up on the hit, and ride the player into the boards.

June 2013, Bruins defenseman takes a nasty hit from behind during the playoffs from Matt Cooke. A name all too familiar with malicious intent, Cooke saw the numbers the whole way and could have easily rode McQuaid into the boards. Both of these example may have been “accidental” on part of Nesterov and Cooke, but when the warning signs are there, you need to let up.

Now one of best cases of malicious intent in recent history came in 2010 when Montreal F Maxim Lapierre laid a nasty hit from behind in the danger zone of the boards at high speed. Yet another example of checking from behind, this one with intent to injure Sharks F Scott Nichol. These hits are inexcusable and do not belong in our game.

NHL Safety Issue: The New Phenomena of Turning Back at Last Second

During a game Friday evening, Maple Leafs F Nick Spaling was assessed a penalty for his hit on Nick Foligno. On the face surface, it looked nasty and deserving of a penalty in real-time. Looking back on the video, you could argue that Spaling should have let up on the hit. But this isn’t traffic law folks, and it would be naive of us to assume fault on the player making the hit 100% of the time. Nick Foligno is an aging veteran who should know better than to attempt a dipsy-doodle move on the boards turning his back to an engaging opposing player. The last second turn by Foligno is simply baffling. This is where old mind-set meets the new quicker game. There was a day when Foligno could pull off a move like that, because he had the extra split second to avoid the hit. Did he not see Nick Spaling right there? What makes an NHL player think, “Hmm.. Maybe I should turn my back to this 200+ pound man and take my chances with that instead of being a man and taking the check”.

Here’s another example from a few years ago in the playoffs, remembering it vividly from watching the game. Steve Bernier was assessed a game misconduct for this hit on the Kings D Rob Scuderi. While it was worthy of a minor penalty, there was no need for the game misconduct on the hit. Bernier was at fault for the fact that he was playing the body regardless of what happened. Scuderi takes major blame in this scenario because he picks up the puck behind the goal-line skating in the same direction as the puck whipping around the boards, and suddenly as Bernier is on top of him, decides to make a quick transition stop to turn the other direction. Steve Bernier actually lets up some on the hit, which is why he only deserved a minor on the play. Why do we keep blaming the player who makes the hit, when we’ve got bone-headed opposition players making baffling moves like that of Nick Foligno or Rob Scuderi.

No one likes to see a hit from behind ever in hockey. This article is in no way an argument in defense of checking from behind, but merely pointing out an ugly truth that is an NHL safety issue in itself. The league can only go so far and do so much to protect its players from injury. Part of the responsibility needs to fall upon the players themselves. This includes both the players making malicious contact, and the players putting themselves in vulnerable positions in this highly physical sport.

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