Rutherford: proposal 'step in right direction'

While some will say the NHL's general managers didn't take a strong enough stand on eliminating hits to the head this week, the Canes' Jim Rutherford said a proposal offered today is a "step in the right direction."

The GMs, after video presentations and much discussion, after going through reams of information, recommended today that a rules change be made to curtail blindside hits to the head.

The proposal read: "A lateral, back pressure or blindside hit to an opponent where the
head is targeted and or the principal point of contact is not
permitted. A violation of the above will result in a minor or major penalty and shall be reviewed for possible supplemental discipline."

"When we reviewed these severe hits, most came from the lateral side or what's better known as the blindside," Rutherford said today after returning from the meetings in Boca Raton, Fla. "Players will have to adapt to this rules change and I think they will.

"Some would ask what about hits to the head when the player is coming straight on? In that case, the hittee who is carrying the puck or passing the puck will need to be conscious of his surroundings and protect himself. But the hitter still is responsible for his actions. If there is high-sticking or elbowing or an intent to injure, we have rules to deal with that."

The recommendation will be sent to the NHL and NHLPA competition committee. The NHL board of governors then must give it final approval.

Rutherford served on a small committee of GMs that studied the issue and passed along information and recommendations to the larger group at the meetings this week. The Canes have had several players miss games -- and in the case of defenseman David Tanabe, retire -- because of concussions.

Last season, center Brandon Sutter suffered a serious concussion and missed eight games after taking a shoulder to the head from Doug Weight of the New York Islanders. Sutter was leaning forward with his head down, and in a vulnerable position, when Weight slammed into him from the side.

No penalty was called and Weight was not later suspended by the league for the hit. And Rutherford said the new rules proposal may not make such a hit illegal.

"It's a good question. There will be a fine line, a gray area, in how one ref interprets it and how another ref interprets it," he said. "There will always be those hits that are close one way or the other. Based on the rules today, there should not have been a penalty called.

"But don't be mislead. A player can still be hit. But it is those hits where a player has a free shot on a guy and has him lined up and hits him from the blindside with a shoulder to the head ... those are what we want out of the game."

The Ontario Hockey League has a zero-tolerance policy on hits to the head. But Rutherford said Scotty Bowman and others spoke out against adopting the junior league's policy in the NHL.

"Scotty Bowman said it had taken hitting out of the game in that league and taken away from the game," Rutherford said. "Other NHL people who have seen OHL games say the same thing."