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On Goalie Interference and Coddled 'Tenders |
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Follow Paul on Twitter: @PaulStewart22
I received several messages asking my opinion about the two Team USA goals in the World Junior Championships that were disallowed for goaltender interference upon coach's challenge by Team Canada in the semifinal game.
Ultimately, it's a judgement call by the referees viewing the replay at the scorer's table. IIHF standards tend to have a lower threshold than the NHL but goalie interference is, by nature, often pretty nebulous. It's going to be subjective, and very much in the eye of the beholder. Is the soup too salty or just right? Depends on the taster. Is it goalie interference as spelled out by league's rule book? By common sense? Depends on the official making the final decision.
We pay them to judge, so let them judge. From my own view, the two interference plays didn't really look like much. You can argue on the first that attacker was bumped (not much of one) by a defender. You could argue the goalie was impeded from having a fair opportunity at a save. I might disagree, but it's not my call to make. My quibble on the latter one was that, if the official loses sight of the puck with it beneath the goalie's pads, then blow the whistle. Otherwise, it's reasonable and logical for the attacking team to dig and jab and sweep at the puck until there is an actual whistle. It can be tough to do so without the goalie's pads being moved in the process.
That's hockey. I thought both goals just as easily could have stood. I don't think either were within in the actual intent for having the Rule. Why are there goalie interference rules? To prevent a goalie from being unfairly impeded from having a reasonable chance at a save. Keep the game safe and keep it fair: That's why rules exist. But under the letter of the IIHF law, it's justifiable to interpret both plays as interference. The Rule Book is an official's No. 1 shield.
Now, here's an even bigger question: Do we coddle goalies too much in today's game? I would say the answer is yes.
The goaltender's crease is not necessarily an absolute safe haven for goaltenders under the NHL Rule Book despite the blue paint that would suggest otherwise. The rules about goaltender interference are actually situational, and sometimes counterintuitive.
I understand why goalies get riled up about keeping attacking players out of the crease. I'm in favor of more stringently protecting goalies by more effectively dissuading opposing players from crashing into them in the crease.
However, it seems to me that goalies want to have their cake and eat it, too.
1) They like the heavy emphasis on shot-blocking in today's game, but only until one of their teammate accidentally deflects the puck on a partial block or when they unknowingly create a screen and the puck gets through. Then they stare daggers through their mask at the offending teammate. Most goalies have the good sense not to throw teammates under the bus publicly, but people who are not in the heat of battle on the ice may be surprised that it's hardly uncommon for players and their own goalie to periodically get more peeved with each other during a game than with the opposing goalie. Of course, all is forgotten afterwards, especially after a win.
2) Back when I played, goalies were fair game once they left the crease to play the puck. They could be physically checked off the puck or pinned to the boards the same as any other player. That factor was largely removed by subsequent rule changes. As far as the trapezoid goes, if a goalie is skilled at playing the puck, let him. There were actually more turnovers and goals when goalies could roam as they pleased.
3) Goalie equipment has sometimes between reduced in maximum size by changes in the NHL rule book, but it has not gone far enough in my view. It's still too big and more about blocking the puck -- more and more goalies these days are blockers not savers -- than about protection. First, we fix the goalie's equipment and we will see more goals without players crashing the net. Reduced the collisions at the net, and there are fewer goalie injuries. One feeds into the other.
All in all -- and I guess I won't be getting a Christmas card from the "Goalies' Union" this year, although I actually hold their importance to the team in the highest regard -- the tail is still wagging the dog. Goalies want it every which way and, of course, it's inevitably to suit themselves and make an admittedly tough job a little easier rather than doing what's good for the game and realizing that every other goalie will be in the same boat, too.
Ultimately, I think it should be an either/or choice. Goalies deserve either to get maximum protection in the crease (with the exception being a stray skate that in no way affects a goal) OR to keep the pads as is. If they want the crease all to themselves at all times, they should lose additional width on the pads and gloves. This can be done without compromising safety.
Incidentally, any goalie who talks about needing bigger pads for safety and yet decides to avoid wearing cut-resistant socks to protect their Achilles tendon, should re-think the issue. There is a hammer to wield within the rule book -- all players, including goalies, must be properly uniformed -- but it doesn't get enforced.
One final thought while I've already got the goalies ticked off at me (what else is new?): Back when I played, a team's number one goalie was expected to start in back-to-backs, three-in-fours, etc. and it wasn't considered some Herculean task. Nowadays, if a back-to-back isn't split between the two goalies, people want a Congressional investigation.
With all the extra padding, the kid-gloves treatment, advanced training methods and the undeniably superior conditioning of today's goalies, have we seen a reduction in goalie injuries? Not really. I am not a goaltending expert but I would venture a guess that the overuse of the butterfly has a good deal to do with it. On the flip side, I think goalies are plenty protected under the Rule book, and sometimes even excessively so for the good of the game.
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A 2018 inductee into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, Paul Stewart holds the distinction of
being the first U.S.-born citizen to make it to the NHL as both a player and referee. On March 15, 2003, he became the first American-born referee to officiate in 1,000 NHL games.
Blogger •Former NHL Referee • 
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