TOO MUCH EMPHASIS ON HITTING FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE ARGUMENT

As I figured, the decision by Hockey Canada to ban body checking at the Peewee level as generated an incredible amount of opinion on both sides of the fence.

As usual, I am not going to take either side in this debate but I do have a strong opinion on it.

I do not favor the move to ban bodychecking; but I also don't think that makes me a neanderthal.

I will, simply, reiterate that if decision makers were serious about reducing injury they would reduce the size of the equipment worn by players.  I think the gear being worn is being used more as a weapon than as a form of protection.  Injuries seem to be occurring more often now than opposed to twenty years ago because players are bigger and faster.  And, I think that's because they have less fear by wearing as much as they do.  Less equipment makes kids smaller and will, consciously, have them moving slower.  They will also hit a little lighter and, hopefully, without the intent to hurt.

Which brings me to another topic, which I think is related.  And, that is coaching method.  I think there is far too much emphasis on body checking and trying to turn players into power forwards or physical defensemen.  Let's go back to 1990 and a look at the top ten scorers in the NHL:  Gretzky, Messier, Yzerman, Lemieux, Hull, Nicholls, Turgeon, LaFontaine, Coffey, Oates, and Sakic.  Of those ten, only Messier could be considered a power forward and I think a lot of people associated with hockey today would call players like Nicholls and Turgeon 'soft' or 'pansies'.  And, that's a problem as far as I'm concerned.  And, respect wasn't given to other naturally gifted playmakers in that era (Bellows, Richer, Gartner, Francis).

I think we need to get back to 1990 type of hockey.  The way to do this isn't by banning hitting; but rather by making hitting a little more difficult to achieve and taking some of the emphasis away from it all the while recognizing it's part of the game; but secondary.

I don't have an answer because I'm no expert.  But if there was a way to make the trap a little more difficult to execute or some way to eliminate the incredible amount of shot blocking we see (less equipment will also achieve that as guys won't be willing to get in front of shots) then the game would be a lot better.  I want to see Crosby, Ovechkin, Tavares, etc. making plays.  I don't want them hitting.

All I know is that hockey has become a sport of 'prevent'.  Prevent goals, prevent scoring chances, make the safe pass, don't get caught out of position.  When was the last time you saw a hockey team play in a way that is the opposite of these theories?  Of course, you would likely lose and the coach wouldn't be coaching very long so that's why the game is played the way it is.

I'm just glad Peyton Manning's coach doesn't discourage a 70 yard pass or that Cam Newton has been told to stop running, or that Chris Paul and Blake Griffin can't perform an alley-oop.  I'm glad Jose Bautista is allowed to swing for the fence every time he's up and that Aroldis Chapman can rear back and throw the ball as hard as he can every time he enters a game.

Just my way of saying let's leave hitting in the game, but let's not get carried away and make it the focal point of hockey.