Fallout from the Chara Hit: Does the NHL Need Reform?

Pacioretty, just seconds after the collision (vancouversun.com)

On Tuesday evening, many NHL fans saw one of the most devastating collisions all season.  With just 15.8 seconds remaining in the second period, Bruins Defenseman Zdeno Chara slammed rival Canadiens winger Max Pacioretty into the boards, leaving Pacioretty motionless on the ice.  Chara was issued a 5 minute major and a game misconduct while Pacioretty was quickly rushed to the hospital.  Fortunately, Pacioretty seems to be in stable condition, diagnosed with a severe concussion and a small fracture in his fourth cervical vertebra. It is uncertain how long he will be in the hospital, although it is very likely he is out for the remainder of the 2011 season, or longer.  


Chara was not suspended or fined by the league for his hit, and surprisingly, that's the right decision.  The thing is, while Chara's hit was a big one (and the two do have a history), it wasn't a violent hit.  Chara isn't a dirty player (physical, yes but not dirty).  The two players were fighting to get position on the puck when Chara got one last shove in before Pacioretty met the plexiglass.  The interference call and even the game misconduct were the correct calls, but nothing more should, or will, come of it.  


The incident, however, is hardly the only one the league has seen lately.  On January 5th, a high hit to the head left one of the games biggest stars, Sidney Crosby, out indefinitely.  Last year, Florida's David Booth was hospitalized after a scary open-ice hit from Flyers center Mike Richards.  Similarly, Penguins Matt Cooke knocked Boston's Mark Savaard out.  These hits, among others, prompted the league to install "Rule 48", officially banning hits to the head.  Yet the surprising thing is, while hits to the head are down, concussions are actually up since Rule 48 was put in place.



With the NHL GMs meetings set to go in Boca Raton next week, the question is, is the league going to do anything about it?  More importantly, should they?  The GMs have shown time and time again they are not trying to make a knee-jerk reaction over one recent incident.  The reality is, hockey is a dangerous sport.  Speed, strength and big hits are all just a part of the game.  As Maple Leaf's GM Brian Burke put it: "We are a contact sport, and we are going to have injuries and we are going to have concussions, Our job is to make it as safe as we can without changing the fabric of the game." When each rule change has the potential to severely change the game fan's love, you have to be careful.  The GM's realize they can't go around making new rules for every specific on-ice incident.  The evidence leads most to believe there won't be any significant mid-season rule change, a la Rule 48, And we likely wont see any major change at all.  However, if anything does happen, it is likely to be in 2012 when the current CBA expires.  


While some minor changes may be beneficial, (ie adding padding to the areas by the bench Pacioretty hit), let's just hope the league doesn't overreact to a few incidents and change the game we love, forever.