The problem with Colin Campbell’s NHL

Nazem Kadri, a dirty and undisciplined player, showed his true colours with his gratuitous and reckless crosscheck of the Wings' Luke Glendinning in the neck.  He got a season-ending four game suspension for his troubles.

His coach's reaction illustrates very well the problem with Colin Campbell's NHL, which he famously wrote is concerned with ' promoting hate'.

“He was going to cross-check the guy right in the arm,” said Babcock. “(Glendening) braced himself, it hit his shoulder pad and rode up. You’ve got to command your fair share of the ice if you’re going to play hard.

“I’ve got no problem with it. You can’t cross-check people in the head, but you’re allowed cross-check them in the meat of the arm though.”

I looked and looked on Google and for the life of me, I couldn't find the exception to the rule that states the meat of the arm is fair game for a crosschecking idiot like Nazem Kadri.

Here's what it actually states:

Rule 59 – Cross-checking 

59.1 Cross-checking - The action of using the shaft of the stick between the two hands to forcefully check an opponent. 

59.2 Minor Penalty - A minor penalty, at the discretion of the Referee based on the severity of the contact, shall be imposed on a player who “cross checks” an opponent. 

59.3 Major Penalty - A major penalty, at the discretion of the Referee based on the severity of the contact, shall be imposed on a player who “cross checks” an opponent (see 59.5). 

59.4 Match Penalty – The Referee, at his discretion, may assess a match penalty if, in his judgment, the player attempted to or deliberately injured his opponent by cross-checking. 

59.5 Game Misconduct Penalty - When a major penalty is assessed for cross-checking, an automatic game misconduct penalty shall be imposed on the offending player. 59.6 Fines and Suspensions - When a major penalty is imposed under this rule, an automatic fine of one hundred dollars ($100) shall also be imposed. 

If deemed appropriate, supplementary discipline can be applied by the Commissioner at his discretion (refer to Rule 28).

Nope, no 'meat of the arm' nowhere.

But most hockey fans would go along with Mike Babcock's interpretation, which is what he actually offered, was an interpretation, not what the rule actually states.  It's the NHL's interpretation too.  Any game you watch, there will be a hundred or more crosschecks every game, in the back and arms and shoulders of opponents.

We kind of consider it normal now, for players who "play hard", to slash and hack and crosscheck like heck, with no sanction unless a player goes ridiculously overboard.  We've been inured, co-opted.  Beaten into submission.  Cherryfied.  Kypreosimbecilized.

I've taken to reasoning with myself, that the crosschecks aren't that bad, considering the space-age protection and padding these guys wear, it's not like the olden days with leather and felt shoulder pads that barely covered half your upper body, if that.  Now they have all-over flak jackets, they can take a pounding and not be too bruised up the next morning.

But again, all this crosschecking is a way that the NHL favours untalented lumberers over nifty players who are trying to create goals and excitement for the fans.  And Colin Campbell and supposedly modern coaches like Mike Babcock see no problem with that.  The fourth-liners need a lifeline to keep up, or else they'll get blown out, we might see 7-6 games.  You know, goals might be scored.

[Edit]

Referring to Greg Pateryn:

“That kid had a blatant disrespect for (honor and respect),” Cooper said of the hit, according to Erik Erlendsson of The Tampa Tribune. “That was egregious what happened and there is no place for it.”

Yet:

“You’ve got to command your fair share of the ice if you’re going to play hard,” Babcock said Monday. “You can’t cross-check people in the head. You’re allowed to cross-check them in the meat of the arm though.”

So, which is it? An egregious event that showed blatant disrespect, or a player commanding his fair share of the ice by playing hard, and dishing out a trifling and allowable crosscheck in the meat of the arm?

I’m glad we have Colin Campbell in place to sort through this delicate situation and set things right.