Ban checking behind the goal line?

[Haute hockeymom]

Ban checking behind the goal line to increase player safety?

[Cdale]

Ban checking behind the goal line to increase player safety?

I agree to a degree. Ban the hits that occur when the puck is dumped in and 2 kids race in balls out with one kid ending up being plastered to boards...and god forbid he makes a quick turn, then he's in head 1st. You have to allow physical contact back there, maybe after the players are established? Something like that to prevent that area being a 'safe' area for the danglers. It's an idea.

[knights58]

There is already a rule against checking from behind. ENFORCE THE RULE. One strategy of hockey is dump and chase...hit the defender with the puck and cause a turnover. You can never take the danger out of hockey..or football for that matter...but you can make it safer by enforcing the rules that are in place. All the best to Jablonski and his family.

[puckulence]

Couple things I would like to add to this discussion. First, coaches need to do their part in practice of teaching kids what is an acceptable check and how to safely deliver it. Coaches also need to instruct their players on how to protect themselves from other players that are going to hit them.

Now the more out in left field idea. If a players blantenly checks a person from behind it should be a major penalty and that comes with a 1 game suspension automaticaly. (Now if the player turns on the checking player that is a different story. Give him the 2 and 10 same as usual. So this would be the gray area where it is the refs opinion.) The second time a player gets a major checking from behind penalty increase the suspension time. And it keeps increasing each time.

Now if their major penalty causes injury the other player and they have to miss time it should be an automatic match penalty.

A little radical but it would tighten the screws on the most dangerous play in hockey.