Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon has been in the middle of a firestorm of controversy following his ejection in Tuesday night’s loss against the Edmonton Oilers.
The situation has been well documented by now. It’s been part of just about every discussion among fans and pundits. And soon, it will also be part of the discussion at the NHL level.
One of the murkiest areas of the NHL rule book has been the topic of goalie interference. The rules aren’t crystal clear, leaving plenty of room for interpretation among on-ice officials and the situation room.
That situation has made it virtually impossible for players and coaches to gauge what play is acceptable and not. Tuesday’s incident only adds more fuel to the fire. It was evident that MacKinnon did not intend to bowl over Connor Ingram. While Darnell Nurse didn’t level MacKinnon into his own goalie, it’s plausible that without the contact, the entire ordeal could have been avoided.
However, video-review officials did not see it that way. They wanted to make an example out of someone, and, well, it seems that the axe just happened to fall on MacKinnon.
The play certainly warranted a penalty. It should have been a two-minute minor. The officials on the ice only called the major penalty so they could review it. That opened the door for the video officials to determine MacKinnon’s transgression.
And that’s where the problem lies. Even the on-ice officials were unclear about what the call should have been. That’s the problem of failing to have clear rules. The NHL will need to look into using language and setting parameters that make goalie interference crystal clear.
NHL could implement IIHF rules
During the Olympics, NHLers player under IIHF rules. Those rules are much clearer regarding goalie interference. In short, if a player is in the blue paint, that could be called as goalie interference.
It might not be the smartest rule, but at least players and coaches know what to expect. Unfortunately, that’s not the case in the NHL. That’s why implementing a rule similar to the IIHF’s regulations might provide further clarity.
But there’s a fat chance the NHL will adopt such a broad-sweeping rule.
Ultimately, Nathan MacKinnon’s ordeal might just end up becoming the linchpin that triggers a rule change. It won’t be easy. But the best thing the league can do at this point is offer a clear-cut regulation that everyone can visualize.