In the wake of the hockey injuries to Jack Jablonski and Jenna Privette, the Minnesota State High School League has made changes effective immediately in an effort to make the sport safer. Here are some notes from the release sent out by the MSHSL over the weekend:
The penalties for three infractions of the rules have been significantly increased in an effort to thwart players from making dangerous hits on the ice.
Checking from behind, which formerly called for a two-minute minor penalty plus a 10-minute misconduct penalty, will now become a five-minute major penalty plus a 10-minute misconduct penalty. The existing also states that any check from behind that is deemed “flagrant or causes the player to crash headfirst into the boards or goal frame” will continue be a game disqualification. The disqualified player cannot re-enter that game and cannot play in the next scheduled game either.
Boarding, defined as a “check, cross-check, elbow, charge or trip” that sends an opponent “violently into the boards” now becomes an automatic major penalty — five minutes — instead of the option of either a two-minute minor penalty or a five-minute major penalty. The existing rule that also states that any boarding check that “causes the player to crash headfirst into the boards” may qualify for a game disqualification. The disqualified player cannot re-enter that game and cannot play in the next scheduled game either.
Contact to the head also now becomes an automatic major penalty — five minutes — instead of the option of either a two-minute minor penalty or a five-minute major penalty. The rule states, “No player shall make contact with an opposing player’s head or neck area in any manner.” Officials still have the option of assessing a disqualification penalty if warranted, and in that case the disqualified player cannot re-enter that game and cannot play in the next scheduled game either.
The coaches need to accept the stiffer penalties and need to instruct their players the proper and legal ways of making contact with opponents. The officials need to make the calls and when the calls are made, they need to be supported by not only the coaches, but also by the players and the fans.
“Hockey is a great game, and when it is played the way it should be played, it should be a safe game,” said Craig Perry, League associate director who oversees hockey. “The advisory committee’s recommendations and our Board’s support of the action continue our efforts to protect the kids on the ice, efforts that have been in place for a number of years.
The full release can be found on www.mshsl.org .
