A new year should bring new ideas. And Detroit coach Scotty Bowman has a noteworthy one.
It may have been incubating for some time, but it hatched after Chicago’s Chris Chelios high-sticked Red Wings star Sergei Fedorov recently without a penalty.
Bowman plans to lobby the NHL to consider keeping a player who uses his stick as a weapon for slashing, cross-checking and high-sticking for the full two minutes of the penalty. It would have to be served out regardless of whether a goal was scored.
The NHL may go for it as one way to pump up the offenses.
Even though coach Darryl Sutter believes Bowman and the Red Wings are trying to mess with the Blackhawks in the Chelios case, a common infraction that didn’t deserve NHL review for a suspension and eventually was thrown out for lack of evidence, Sutter sees the merit in Bowman’s suggestion and may support such legislation.
“I’m not sure where you would draw the line,” Sutter said. “What’s an elbow to the head? But it’s a good thought by Scotty and something the league should consider.”
