Well, here’s an interesting suggestion.
Debate over late hits, hits to the head and the ensuing punishments is all over the internet this morning, especially considering the fact that the NHL general managers are meeting this morning to discuss this very fact. Elliotte Friedman from CBC Sports has a rundown of a number of proposed solutions to the problem, but this one takes the proverbial cake.
Make the equipment softer.
Per Rob DiMaio:
“I could feel the hits. These guys don’t feel anything. That gives players an extra feeling of power.”
The argument is that players are so protected nowadays that they seemingly don’t feel
the bone-jarring hits as much as they once did. Combine that with bigger and faster players and you have a NHL filled with guys who have no clue the damage they can put on opposing players.
I don’t think there’s any way the NHL will go in this direction, in fact they’re working to make the padding better and more protective.
Here’s a suggestion: Make hits to the head and illegal hits an automatic one-game suspension. Do it again and it’s 25 games.
That will keep the elbows down.