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What a Week: Inductions, Meetings and Challenges

By Darren Eliot
November 13, 2009

Over the past week or so, much has happened both on and off the ice. For posterity, congratulations to this year’s Hall of Fame inductees, Brett Hull, Brian Leetch, Luc Robitaille, Steve Yzerman and Lou Lamoriello in the Builder category. All have made such stunning contributions to the game that their special night was long ago easy to predict.

All won the coveted Stanley Cup with Yzerman indelibly linked to the image of the Detroit Red Wings finally ascending to the championship, his on- and off-ice growth and maturity seemingly mirroring that of the team he joined as a fresh-faced 18-year old. Hull is likewise linked to the Dallas Stars’ victory in 1999 – he of the game-winning goal under a veil of controversy (Was he or wasn’t he in the crease and did it matter due to “the memo”?). Leetch will always be that smooth skating rearguard electrifying Rangers fans as they ended the “curse” by winning the Cup in 1994.

Later in the week, the league moved from celebration serious as GMs met and discussed, among other issues, what to do about headshots. The game has evolved with regard to spacing (players closer together in support mode) and speed and size and style (more disciplined backchecking) meaning more high speed collisions are inevitable. The good news is that they are going to form a seven-person panel and hope to report to the GMs again in March.

The current sentiment is shifting away from the hardliners due to violent hits, such as the one delivered by Mike Richards on David Booth that resulted in injury even though they are technically legal. The focus is on hits where a player with the puck is unsuspecting, unaware and or unprepared to brace for a bodycheck. That means the hitter must adjust and not deliver a blow to the head – just as the league took a firm stance on hits from behind. It is a change in the culture, but a necessary one. The game is better than it has ever been and hitting is an important element of the game. That won’t change by protecting players in situations where they are vulnerable and can’t protect themselves.

On the ice, I found the Calgary Flames' situation intriguing. Coach Brent Sutter was first forthright in his assessment that his captain, Jarome Iginla, had to be better. When the Flames continued to struggle, Sutter widened his wrath to include Curtis Glencross. Then Sutter moved it from words in the media to work on the ice. The proverbial “bag skate”, where the coach skates his team mercilessly to “get their attention”.

Well, consider Sutter’s tactics spot on. It is a coach’s job to know what buttons to push and when and also know the players well enough to know the appropriate touch – a swift kick or reinforcement. The Flames have reeled off four straight wins in very convincing fashion. Leading the way? Iginla. He had goals in all four and for his efforts the NHL named him the first star of the week. Talk about a response. Iginla’s immediate output is telling given Sutter’s challenge. But, Iginla is that type of leader – willing to take the criticism and capable of doing something about it.

Former NHL goaltender Darren Eliot is in his fifth season as Versus analyst and fourth as Versus.com contributor.