Regier on draft, no-touch icing

[BlackRockBills]

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/story/361374.html

“As far as the draft, we’re happy with what we have,” Regier said Monday after the GM meeting. “It doesn’t mean we may not add or move something. I think positionally we’ll look at, I mean, we’ve got a lot of forwards. That gives us some flexibility. We’ll look at our defense and see if we can help there.”

One forward the Sabres have discussed internally about moving is right wing Maxim Afinogenov. External discussions have yet to blossom.

“From the trade standpoint and interest,” Regier said, “my conversations with different clubs is everyone is assessing their needs and assessing what they’re looking to do more positionally, as opposed to, ‘Will you move this guy or this guy?’ I think as we get closer to the draft that will pick up.”

Regier was firmly against the most talked-about aspect of the GM meetings, no-touch icing. Currently, a player must chase the puck behind the goal line in order for the officials to blow the whistle on icing. Some want the whistle to go as soon as the puck crosses the line. It’s a safety issue. Minnesota’s Kurtis Foster broke his leg along the end boards this season after he was bumped from behind during an icing chase.

Last month’s trip to the world championships, which had no-touch icing, convinced Regier to avoid it.

“I couldn’t believe the number of stoppages,” he said. “It doesn’t have a good look to it, either, quite honestly. The puck’s going down the ice, and everybody turns and stops to watch the puck go down the ice. They watch the official go down and pick it up and bring it all the way back.

[ddpderek]

Agree with him 100 percent No Touch Icing is pretty lame and does not belong in the NHL.

Now lets get rid of the instigator rule and Ill be happy.

[MauvaisSang]

I disagree with him completely on no-touch icing. Every league I've played in had no-touch icing, and there were still plenty of races for the puck. I'd be curious to see how many icings are beat out behind the goal line every year. It's not a lot. A few extra whistles are worth the injuries it would save.

[bduff54]

nah, not touch icing is the way to go.

i am sick of seeing guys get hurt for no reason.

[Iggy72]

I like no touch icing also, but I believe icing should be counted not in the neutral zone, but on your side of your own blue line. That way, attempted stretch passes aren't affected, but no one goes kamikaze to cover up a blown pass either .

Pax.
Iggy72

[ksl66]

I have never been a fan of the no-touch, I think it takes an element of the forecheck out of the game, not completely, but if D-men don't have to race back to touch the puck it will give them an advantage late in games. D-men use a lot of energy racing back to touch the puck and often take some ferocious hits by forwards who know they are not going to beat him to the puck, but still lay a shot on an unprotected d-men (think Kaleta). I can see the thought process behind moving away from the touch up icing, but these guys are professional athletes, not student athletes, their jobs are to lay their bodies on the line. I think in the long run defensemen would be fresher and the overall style of play would suffer if they instituted the no touch rule.

[ninecarpileup]

The NHL should just have Teppo hold a class for all defensemen. He could show them the art of jumping out of the way on a race for the puck! He was a master at it.

[ddpderek]

nah, not touch icing is the way to go.

i am sick of seeing guys get hurt for no reason.

You honestly should just watch Euro Hockey.

[Papaduke]

I like the icing rule that the player closest to the puck when it goes over the red line determines whether it is icing or not. Kinda like Lax.

[bduff54]

You honestly should just watch Euro Hockey.


why? Don cherry loves tough rugged hockey and he agrees with me.

i value his opinion more than ddpderek's.

[TRIPLE P]

How many injuries are a result of icing?

[ddpderek]

why? Don cherry loves tough rugged hockey and he agrees with me.

i value his opinion more than ddpderek's.

haha i love Cherry to but i cant agree with the man about everything.

It would slow the game down way to much. I think if they want to change anything they should make it a 20 game suspension if you push a guy hard from behind while going to touch up. Most of the time they get tangled up and some one falls its just part of the game.

When a guy steps on the ice he has to know theres a chance he could get hurt and just except that. This is hockey.

And i also said the Euro comment because your always one of the first to cry when something cheap happens. This is the NHL lets not make this game less gritty and tough and hell even cheap.

[bduff54]

How many injuries are a result of icing?

a fair bit, and when they happen they can be gruesome career ending injuries.

pat peak, mark tinordi, curtis foster.

all these guys had severs injuries attributed to nasty icing chases.

more importantly, how many times do we see an exciting race for the puck that the offensive guy wins? maybe once every ten games.

[bduff54]

haha i love Cherry to but i cant agree with the man about everything.

It would slow the game down way to much. I think if they want to change anything they should make it a 20 game suspension if you push a guy hard from behind while going to touch up. Most of the time they get tangled up and some one falls its just part of the game.

When a guy steps on the ice he has to know theres a chance he could get hurt and just except that. This is hockey.

And i also said the Euro comment because your always one of the first to cry when something cheap happens. This is the NHL lets not make this game less gritty and tough and hell even cheap.


why would it slow it down too much, when i watch the world cup or olympics i never hear complaints about it being too slow

[ddpderek]

why would it slow it down too much, when i watch the world cup or olympics i never hear complaints about it being too slow

There are a lot more whistles.

Also the world rinks are larger right ? Hence less chance of icing?

[bduff54]

There are a lot more whistles.

Also the world rinks are larger right ? Hence less chance of icing?

yeah they are bigger, but the world championships were played in canada this year, nobody noticed a diff.

[ddpderek]

I just dont think they need to keep making changes to the game

leave it alone