Kill the Instigator
Five minutes – fighting, two minutes – instigating, and a misconduct. Sound too familiar?
Paul Kariya carries the puck into the neutral zone, gets mobbed by a defenseman, and was nearly decapitated in the process. Kevin Sawyer is sent over the boards, but what can he do? Sawyer can invite the perpetrator to dance, he will, however, likely end up putting his team in a short- handed position. The Ducks may go down a goal as well as lose their star player to a possible season-ending injury. Is this fair? Was justice served or how about simple entertainment? Why would Kariya try that move again? Herein lies the problem with professional hockey in this all too corporate motivated, family friendly, politically correct era in which we’re forced to live.
This would not take place 20 years ago. The defenseman in question would receive his payback quickly and painfully. Perhaps the before mentioned incident would have never occurred because someone would have thought twice about carrying out such an action (ahh, deterrence – the whole point, right?).
It can be said that the instigator rule takes away unnecessary violence from the ice, yet in actuality, it causes so much more. Why be careful with your stick if there isn’t anyone of which to be afraid? Give resident tough guys, or anyone else for that matter, the opportunity to handle these situations in a manner that will in all likelihood prevent future occurrences. Offer teams the chance to police themselves as they did in previous eras. Eliminate the instigator rule. This is my plea to the NHL and all other professional circuits that list this ridiculous two-minute penalty in their rulebooks.
One can remember the days when Stevie Yzerman was not afraid to glide into the neutral zone unafraid of a burly defenseman who may take liberties with the smaller, more agile winger. Why? Bob Probert. I can’t imagine any sober minded hockey player in the world that lists Darren McCarty or Kirk Maltby in his memory bank of players to be feared.
Anyone know why the instigator was put in place? It was a brilliant invention inspired by the anti-fighting party who suggested that it would not only eliminate enforcers from the game, but also curb violence all together. These great hockey-minded men failed to consider the real dirtiness and filthy play that encompasses this new-age speed and skill sport some call hockey. Of course, I’m referring to nasty stick-work. Maybe this great new rule should have been postponed a bit to break in the new Euro-era of North American hockey. This isn’t violence? Fighting is the all-dangerous cancer to hockey that brings the sport down? Think again.
Having an actual “hockey man” calling the shots would be a good start for the world’s most famous league. However, the National Hockey League employs a former basketball executive to run the show; a man that probably never witnessed a hockey game in person during his entire life before given the title of NHL commissioner. This gentleman was brought in on the premise of elevating the league’s exposure and beefing up the financial notebooks of its respective members. So far, I’ve counted one lockout and another strike/lockout is surely on the way, along with American television exposure down 30% on the country’s largest sporting network, as well as 15 or so teams that haven’t a chance in hell to compete because they are broke and must sell off their top talent every year to another five or so organizations in this wonderfully marketed league we call the NHL.
Does anyone find it ironic that the instigator rule actually allows for more violence and dirty play? The fact that the powers-that-be believes that trading their idea of violence (provoked fighting) for the truly heinous type (cheap shots and stick work) is beyond my comprehension. Far be it from me to condemn Bryan Marchment for a knee-on-knee attack or Chris Pronger for a crosscheck in the face as long as those evil “goons” aren’t allowed to run wild and unrestrained amidst the “real” hockey players, ones with speed and skill. Give me a break!
Paul Kariya skates swiftly and effortlessly into the neutral zone only to be cut down from a knee-on-knee hit from Bryan Marchment. Kevin Sawyer goes over the boards and races after Marchment. Sawyer grabs hold of the Shark D-man and proceeds to inflict his own brand of justice. After 45 seconds of wild haymaking, Marchment heads toward the penalty box bruised and bloodied, but most importantly, lesson in hand. He will now think twice about taking liberties on the smaller less aggressive Kariya. Sawyer receives five minutes for fighting along with Marchment. No instigator and no power play. Justice has been carried out the way it was always intended. That is, before a poorly guided committee and then a basketball man took over the reigns of the world’s greatest game.
Unfortunately, swift justice like this will never be allowed to occur again – but maybe it was never needed in the first place.
Look out!!! Here comes another crosscheck to someone’s face from Chris Pronger. Damn shame.
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