By Hockey5
Published: September 21, 2011 PrintEmail
The rule changes were approved last spring without much fuss.
But you can bet there'll be a whole mess o' fuss when the referees start making the calls.
So what happens this season when an NHL player takes a shoulder to the noggin or a nasty tumble into the boards?
We can only guess, because the exact wording of a rule doesn't reveal much.
What matters is how the NHL chooses to apply it. The accepted "standard of enforcement" usually evolves after a good deal of trial, error, and debate.
But the bottom line is that some hits considered legal last season should be deemed illegal this season.
That's sure to result in angry fans, fuming GMs, and inevitable cries of "They're taking hitting out of the game!"
To help prepare you for all the outrage, here's a look at the amendments made to Rule 41 (boarding) and Rule 48 (hits to the head), and how those changes on paper might change the game on the ice:
The NHL's Head Shot Rules for 2011-12
Photo: Bruins' forward Marc Savard is wheeled from the ice after taking a hit to the head in March, 2010. His hockey career is likely over due to concussions (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images).Deciphering the NHL's New "Head Shot" Rules originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Monday, September 19th, 2011 at 09:20:38.Permalink | Comment | Email this
