A Warning Track for the Rink?
- Thread starter Bozo Texino
- Start date
I think it would be nice if there was a line about 4 feet from the boards that was noticable. It could also double as a definitive line behind which contact from behind was an automatic boarding penalty.
This has been gaining some momentum for the last few years. I think it definitely has some merits, particularly at the amateur / youth levels. If they can make this prevalent at the arenas used by youth programs it will create better awareness of the danger areas. At the very least it should make it easier for refs to call the game on boarding calls. I'm more in favor of a stripe a foot or two off the boards. It's the hits when the player is away from the boards that are more problematic since there is more opportunity for head first impact with the boards.
Overall, it's a relatively cheap way to try something to make the game safer.
Overall, it's a relatively cheap way to try something to make the game safer.
I'm experiencing a bit of Deja-Vu here.
There is absolutely no drawback to putting this line in at the youth/minor/junior levels.
At the pro-level, I don't see much use for it. A pro player knows where he is on the ice (unless you're Zdeno Chara and hitting Max Pacioretti).
There is absolutely no drawback to putting this line in at the youth/minor/junior levels.
At the pro-level, I don't see much use for it. A pro player knows where he is on the ice (unless you're Zdeno Chara and hitting Max Pacioretti).
I'm actually failing to see how it would benefit the skater. I mean, most accidents happen because a guy is pushed/tripped/checked into the boards where knowing where you are on the ice is not even a factor.
You know what would be better than this - actually teaching kids to skate with their head up and not looking at the ice.
You know what would be better than this - actually teaching kids to skate with their head up and not looking at the ice.
FL4WL3SS said:
Well, if a skater is heading towards the boards to retrieve a puck, he's going to be looking at the puck - he won't have his head up. It may be good for him to know how far away from the boards he is to properly protect himself if he feels contact.
I'll second this.TheShynessClinic said:
I think it's a tremendous idea. It's simple and inexpensive and literally wouldn't hurt the league to implement it. I don't see how you can fret about head injuries and then pass on at least trying this out.
The only drawback would be that it does nothing but lets people think they are doing something, so people stop focusing on other things that might really work.
And we have bingo. The problem in this scenario is the hitter and he's generally not looking down, at least not significantly so, when bodying someone up.TheStoryofYourRedRightAnkle said:
It's not a tremendous idea. It's a reach that this will even have any impact. It's worth trying, but in the end I think it'll be useless. I don't want more kids looking down at the ice when skating, they need to be looking up. That's how they will know where they are on the ice.DourDoerr said:
I've played hockey all if my life and I can't think of a time where this would have benefited me. Including the two instances where I was knocked out hitting my head on the boards. In both instances I knew exactly where I was and just got hit the wrong way and there was nothing I could do about it.
Calling it tremendous is a bit hyperbolic.
Additionally, even if the skater recognizes that he's in the "warning track zone", then what? How does his behavior change? If the puck is there he's still going after it.
Yeah that's where I'm at. I could see it as useful in the lower levels as kids develop but if you're in the NHL, you know pretty much exactly where you are on the ice 99% of the time.
IIRC when I asked those of you who played at Fenway if it helped most of you hadn't even noticed it. Now in fairness it was a decent amount of time after the game so the line may have been a bit faded but...
And I also worry that we'll wind up with people looking down at the line instead of keeping their heads up which will result in more heads going into boards. Unintended consequences and all that.
And I also worry that we'll wind up with people looking down at the line instead of keeping their heads up which will result in more heads going into boards. Unintended consequences and all that.
I think the only benefit would be that the guy going after the puck would be reminded to take a peak over his shoulder/take an angle to the puck. I have to imagine that everyone knows this already anyways, though. I mean, even as a pee wee you know you're near the boards. I guess the constant reminder thing could be helpful, but I'm not thinking we will see much of an impact.
I am confused, if the player is skating at a puck and watching it against / near the boards wont they, ya know, be staring at the boards? Unless they have a depth perception issue, Im pretty sure they could see the boards coming no? Its not like in baseball when the players are staring away from the wall at the flyball.