Paul Stewart: Penalty Shots: NHL Refs Need Collective Re-Education

I know you will not agree with me, but I would like to see the ref totally removed from calling penalty shots or not. The NHL can really make a successful transition from the Shoot-out if they would make a change to allow a coach to take a penalty shot in place of a 2 minute PP. I would like to see the league change to say, on an even strength situation, the team awarded the PP can take a penalty-shot instead of the man advantage. The only rule is that the player who had the infraction occur to him can take the penalty shot.
The fans can enjoy the one-on-one with it being a part of the game.

Yes, thanks to your penalty shot blog a few weeks ago I knew as soon as I started reading this one that somewhere down the page would be a list of 5 requirements coming!
I think any true hockey fan loves to learn the rules and know as many as they can.
Love the behind the scene stories, too.

Since I am going to start refereeing for money any week now, I can chalk part of watching tonight's Blues -Hawks game up to "work training". This sport is the best. After a long day of work in the middle of the week, nothing gets me fired up like a Hawks rivalry game. Hopefully I get a similar charge out of refereeing games. Anyways, thanks for another write up.

I know you will not agree with me, but I would like to see the ref totally removed from calling penalty shots or not. The NHL can really make a successful transition from the Shoot-out if they would make a change to allow a coach to take a penalty shot in place of a 2 minute PP. I would like to see the league change to say, on an even strength situation, the team awarded the PP can take a penalty-shot instead of the man advantage. The only rule is that the player who had the infraction occur to him can take the penalty shot. The fans can enjoy the one-on-one with it being a part of the game.
- powerenforcer

Considering that the average power play conversion % is around 17.5% and the penalty shot conversion % is around 33%, I don't think there would ever be a situation where a coach would elect to take a power play over a penalty shot. You would essentially be doing away with all non 5v5 play.

I know you will not agree with me, but I would like to see the ref totally removed from calling penalty shots or not. The NHL can really make a successful transition from the Shoot-out if they would make a change to allow a coach to take a penalty shot in place of a 2 minute PP. I would like to see the league change to say, on an even strength situation, the team awarded the PP can take a penalty-shot instead of the man advantage. The only rule is that the player who had the infraction occur to him can take the penalty shot.
The fans can enjoy the one-on-one with it being a part of the game.
- powerenforcer

You obviously meant "would" have to take the shot, right? That would be interesting and exciting for sure.

You obviously meant "would" have to take the shot, right? That would be interesting and exciting for sure.
- masterson

Good catch, yes that is what I meant.

Considering that the average power play conversion % is around 17.5% and the penalty shot conversion % is around 33%, I don't think there would ever be a situation where a coach would elect to take a power play over a penalty shot. You would essentially be doing away with all non 5v5 play.
- tkecanuck341

Not really. A team with a 1 goal lead late in the game may decide to take the 2 min PP to kill some time off the clock. Also, the key being the player who has the infraction against them has to take the penalty shot. You may not want someone taking a penalty shot vs the PP.

The Tanev hook on Perron in the 3rd period of the Vancouver vs Pittsburgh game tonight is a perfect example of this... Sad.