The Elite league today announced their intentions for the new season - to clamp down on the clutching and grabbing with a zero tolerance policy. The referees will call every infraction from hooking to holding right by the book and like the NHL done last year the Elite league are hoping it will have a positive impact on the speed of the game and the scoring.

I personally think this is a good move. I do hope however that it wont go from one end of the scale all the way to the other though where we watch 80% of the game as a power play to one team or the other, that’s not what you want. But Jason Ruff said it himself that he was extremely unhappy last season because of the interference he had to fight through to play his game and that the referees where letting everything go.

But with a big ice surface over here and still so much clutching and grabbing going on to slow down players it just proved how much it needed to be changed so well done to the league for addressing it. The league will be holding a clinic for coaches to attend to find out exactly what changes will be brought in so that teams are not completely idol to the new rules come face-off in September.

Another great move putting someone in control of discipline, especially someone who does know the game like Kirkham. Hopefully though he will have the power to monitor the referee’s performances to make sure they are continuing to enforce the new changes for the entire season and be able to hold them accountable for sub-par performances.

It will all be very interesting to see in the first few weeks of the season as teams and players get used to the changes, I can certainly see a lot of bizarre looks towards the referee upon some penalty calls but in the long run this can only be a good thing.

Category: Elite League » |

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