John Jaeckel: Hawks-Rangers Thoughts

Was a good game last night. See ya guys for round 2 in a couple days.

It was an entertaining game. We got shutout and still get a point. We had chances and didn't convert. It's better than some of the games where we didn't generate many chances at all.

Thanks danger. I really hope to see you guys again in June.

Can a coaches challenge not be used to determine if an opposing team had too many men on the ice?

The replay clearly shows the linesman calling the play onside. Get rid of the stupid challenges, respect the refs and play hockey. Call the dangerous crap the gets players hurt and play. Or the teams need to take care of it themselves. Damn the win. This ain't the jackass nfl.

GO HOCKS! I thought they played well. Hats off.

I know it has been mentioned before but there should be a box painted on the ice around the benches for to many men on the ice calls. This would not only help the refs but also eliminate the gray area of the call.

I know it has been mentioned before but there should be a box painted on the ice around the benches for to many men on the ice calls. This would not only help the refs but also eliminate the gray area of the call.
- waitforawhistle

Good idea

The replay clearly shows the linesman calling the play onside. Get rid of the stupid challenges, respect the refs and play hockey. Call the dangerous crap the gets players hurt and play. Or the teams need to take care of it themselves. Damn the win. This ain't the jackass nfl.

GO HOCKS! I thought they played well. Hats off.
- hocktock

Offside is not a judgement call. It is or it ain't. And the linesmen need help. Game is too fast and the guys are too big for a linesman to get things right even most of the time. They need help and last night they got it. Legit overturn of the goal. Simple as that. By a nose hair doesn't matter. Now the too many men, that's another story.

It's funny that the NHL has gone in the direction of reducing the size of the goalies gear, they couldn't even get that right or done in time, instead of holding NHL refs to a different standard. Amazes me that the NHL acts so powerless when it comes to the refs on the ice. You talk about dysfunctional

I would love this, and it would be the first time the 2 meet in the finals...

It's funny that the NHL has gone in the direction of reducing the size of the goalies gear, they couldn't even get that right or done in time, instead of holding NHL refs to a different standard. Amazes me that the NHL acts so powerless when it comes to the refs on the ice. You talk about dysfunctional
- BetweenTheDots

Its refs in every sport man. Plays happen so quickly that it's just impossible to make everybody happy.

Its refs in every sport man. Plays happen so quickly that it's just impossible to make everybody happy.
- rangerdanger94

It's one thing to miss a call it's another thing to let a call go. In essence your letting the other team cheat. And I'm not saying we lost last night because of the refs, I see this in every game blatant penalties not called and yes even my Hawks committing these infractions. Hard to miss the boarding call last night. Not like we would if scored on the PP but common man.

That "too many men" penalty HAD to be called last night. That's plain awful to have a great game end like that.

The Refs started the season calling every tiny infraction. Especially the stick and interference fouls. It's already very noticeable how much that's change in a couple of month.

It's one thing to miss a call it's another thing to let a call go. In essence your letting the other team cheat. And I'm not saying we lost last night because of the refs, I see this in every game blatant penalties not called and yes even my Hawks committing these infractions. Hard to miss the boarding call last night. Not like we would if scored on the PP but common man.
- BetweenTheDots

Your right in that we wouldn't have scored anyway...but at least give our guys a chance to practice passing around the perimeter. It would also give Keith a chance to practice his drop passes and for Darling to make at least two breakaway saves.

Read the cap may stay the same for next year. With Darling's play, does stan trade crow to be able to resign Panarin?

JJ, I take a lot of heat for discussing this matter but it stinks and is terrible. Ever since the Blues rebuild was complete I watched my team dominate some games and should have blown out the games but the refs hid the whistles until they could call some on the Blues and seemingly keep the game competitive. It does not happen every night but it does happen. I have seen it watching games where I do not have a pony in the game and I have been disgusted.

The Habs vs Devils game where Price uses his blocker. Right to stand up for himself, wrong how he does it and if you read the rule there is not inbetween it is a match penalty. We saw it with Crawford in last year's play offs. There is nothing in the rule b ook but match penalty. The same with slew foots which tend to be called two minute minors when called. I have noticed a huge uptick in slew foots in front the net. This is going to lead a player becoming a vegetable or dead, especially one who does not properly wear his helmet.

The player safety board is a joke. Players do not respect each other. The hits from behind often are difficult as I often find myself heated in the moment and then the replay shows a sudden turn.

But a lot of things that are not hits are happening, as if kids have stopped learning how to hit. Using your hands to shove, forearm, or cross check are not legal hits, yet it happens all the time in the corners. I like crease battles and used to expect being slashed, cross check and hacked when I went to the front of the net if I were doing it right. But there is a line wen you get more than one full cross check to the back irepeatedly in a short duration that has to be called.


I have heard the game would get bogged down with power plays. I think the players would adapt or not be olaying in the NHL.

I am tired of watching officiating that makes no sense. It is mind boggling that it happens with such frequency.

Last night I watched Hall lay a hit on Tarasenko. Tarasenko shoves him and Hall flies. Tarasenko gets called for a cross check. He never cross checked him. Player grabs a player with both hands and it is called hooking??

One of the refs needs to be in a box inbetween the penalty boxes. The refs continue to get in the way. Besides if the ref is stationary they will see more things at ice level than with their head bobbing, up and down the ice. Something must change.

Its refs in every sport man. Plays happen so quickly that it's just impossible to make everybody happy.
- rangerdanger94

It's not about making people happy, it's about having rules and applying them. One day you might be happy the next angry but then you can't argue about it.

The reason in sports it is not called imho is it is more about entertainment than the game itself.

Can a coaches challenge not be used to determine if an opposing team had too many men on the ice?
- Bender92

That's the thing the challenge is fairly useless in a lot of ways.

It's one thing to miss a call it's another thing to let a call go. In essence your letting the other team cheat. And I'm not saying we lost last night because of the refs, I see this in every game blatant penalties not called and yes even my Hawks committing these infractions. Hard to miss the boarding call last night. Not like we would if scored on the PP but common man.
- BetweenTheDots

Meh I'll start caring when I see you complaining about the refs being inconsistent after giving the Hawks favorable calls over the other team. Then I'll know you seriously care about refereeing inconsistencies rather than just looking for something to complain about after things don't go your way.

a thread just for powerenforcer.

Lost in all this is the Hawks have scored 1 or fewer regulation goals in 7 of their last 10 games.

Good write-up JJ.

Any word from your sources on what might happen next year if the cap stays flat?

It looks like Panarin would not get his bonuses this year if the season ended today. Darling looks like he could be a legitimate #1. Does Kruger (high-paying contract in hand) get taken in the expansion draft?

a thread just for powerenforcer.

Lost in all this is the Hawks have scored 1 or fewer regulation goals in 7 of their last 10 games.
- kwolf68

It's alluded to in the blog. So there are really two issues, getting healthy, THEN what can the FO do to solve the problem that is only made worse right now by injuries, not caused by the injuries.

Good write-up JJ.

Any word from your sources on what might happen next year if the cap stays flat?

It looks like Panarin would not get his bonuses this year if the season ended today. Darling looks like he could be a legitimate #1. Does Kruger (high-paying contract in hand) get taken in the expansion draft?
- DMChi2010

Haven't heard anything.

Some group with more knowledge and time than I needs to put together a petition with supporting video and send to the nhl, nhlpa, owners, ref union, player safety, etc, etc. Something has to give.