NHL Coaches Debate Replay Reviews for Penalties and Scrums

As the intensity of the NHL playoffs escalates, Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour believes it’s time to explore additional replay reviews to clarify the chaos that often surrounds penalty calls and post-whistle scrums. While he acknowledges the skill of NHL officials, he advocates for a mechanism that could help ensure the right calls are made during high-stakes games, especially as his team leads a second-round series against Philadelphia.

“You can’t get better officials. We have the best — I want to make sure everybody understands that — I know no one else could do a better job,” Brind’Amour stated. Yet, he argued that a quick review could prevent misjudgments on penalties, saying, “It’s just hard to see some of the penalties that are getting called. If you just took a quick peek, you’d go, ‘Oh wait a minute, that’s not what happened.’”

Current playoff statistics indicate that games are averaging 10.6 penalties and 25.1 penalty minutes, marking the highest average for penalties since 2009. This increase in infractions has raised questions about the officiating process, especially in light of the emotional and physical stakes involved in the pursuit of the Stanley Cup.

NHL officials currently have the authority to review certain major and match penalties, as well as double-minor high-sticking calls. However, Brind’Amour believes more comprehensive review mechanisms could enhance the game. He pointed to a specific incident in the first round against Ottawa, where Senators forward Ridly Greig was not penalized for delivering two sucker punches to Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker. Brind’Amour lamented that such actions often go unnoticed, leading to unfair situations on the ice.

“The only reason (Greig) did that was because he looked, no one’s watching, doesn’t get called for it, and we somehow ended up short on that,” Brind’Amour said. “That’s wrong. That’s not right. Just get it right.”

While the debate is ongoing, players like Buffalo Sabres forward Josh Dunne express concerns about how expanded reviews might complicate the game. “Some guy starts, another guy gets the penalty for it. It’s hard, it’s a hard line,” he noted, emphasizing the subjective nature of officiating in scrums. His coach, Lindy Ruff, shared a chuckle about the potential for more video reviews, suggesting that players might begin to “take acting lessons” to draw penalties.

Brind’Amour has previously pointed out the challenges of live officiating in hockey, highlighting that players often embellish to gain an advantage. Days after his comments, Hurricanes forward Jordan Martinook was penalized for high sticking in a situation where replays showed Flyers defenseman Nick Seeler exaggerating the contact to sell the call.

As the conversation continues, players like Colorado Avalanche forward Brock Nelson express a desire to maintain the game’s current flow, stating, “I don’t want to make too many adjustments or critiques to the game.” Meanwhile, Anaheim Ducks coach Joel Quenneville warned that additional rules could lead to unforeseen complications, advocating for a balance between accuracy and the natural pace of the game.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.