Should the NHL change the rules for hits on defenseless players?

Monday night gave us the final game of the first round, a Game 7 matchup between the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers. The Devils gave the Rangers nothing to work with, and as a result took the game 4-0 and moved on to the second round.

But perhaps the biggest talking point from that game was Trouba’s thunderous hit on Timo Meier in the third period that left him on the ice in pain for quite some time, even causing Meier to leave the game for a little bit. It was reminiscent of a Scott Stevens hit, in that it wasn’t dirty by the standard of the NHL rulebook, but felt like it should be, and low and behold, a majority of Stevens’ biggest hits are now illegal in the NHL.

Which raises the question, should the NHL look into making a change in the rules towards hits on defenseless players like they do in other sports, or is there nothing wrong with this hit even with the head trauma it may have caused Meier? Frank Seravalli and Mike McKenna answered this question on Daily Faceoff Live.

Mike McKenna: I’m so torn. My head says no because I know what this can do to players and what its done to my friends, but my heart also says it’s hockey, and hitting is allowed, and you’re supposed to hit to separate the player from the puck. It is a crushing hit, but he separates the player from the puck.

I’m so split. I think my head says that these types of hits really shouldn’t be allowed because they know the damage that it can cause, but again, if you look at the handshake line, Trouba and Meier are both standing there shaking heads with one another, and I think Meier accepted his fate for having his head down while carrying the puck.

So, it’s a really wish-wash answer. I don’t know how you can legislate it out when checking is allowed, but I would like to see the head contact taken out of the game.

Frank Seravalli: Of course, you could take it out. You can’t hit a defenseless player like that. Someone that has their head down, you can’t do it.

Mike McKenna: What’s going to keep players from keeping their head down all the time though? It’s a fast game.

Frank Seravalli: But to what end is my question. What is the advantage to keeping that hit in the game? There is none. Because fans like violence?

Mike McKenna: Yeah exactly, it’s a blood sport. Why is fighting never going to leave the game?

Frank Seravalli: But just look at the poll! More people than not are saying they don’t want to see this anymore. Almost 54%, they’re saying “we’re tired of seeing players having their brains scrambled”. It’s preventing new kids from coming in, it’s preventing parents from wanting their kids to play this sport. It just seems unnecessary. And look, no snowflake here, I get the violence and the hard edge to the game, it’s why we love it. But we know too much now to allow this to continue.

And by the way, total complete aside, I thought it was absolutely disgusting that Timo Meier was on the bench and in uniform after that hit. That is an automatic concussion, you can see the way that he clutched his head immediately. There’s all the telltale signs. You can not tell me for millions of dollars that in the five or seven minutes since that hit took place, that you ruled that he doesn’t have a concussion. No chance on Earth.

Mike McKenna: Yeah he should have been shut down for the game. I agree.

Frank Seravalli: I don’t care that they’re winning the game or not. Get yourself in a suit, take a shower, leave, and go home.

You can watch the full episode here…