Coaches Challenge

[Ravin]

So much talk about coaches challenge flag this season more so then any other year I can remember. I get the missed calls by the refs, but it really does seem like this is the season everyone is throwing out the "need" for the challenge.

So yay or nay on the challenge?


I'm not sure if I want it. Where are they going to cut the challenge off? Can you call it on a penalty, an offside, a goal, a penalty that should have been called? The game has gone all these years without it, I don't see much of a point for it now.

[Fappin Raptor]

Hockey is a "non-stop" sport with stops in play varying from seconds to minutes. Do we stop the play in progress for a challenge or wait who knows how long for the next whistle? If we wait until the next whistle that happens say 5 minutes from the incident, do we reset the game clock? It works in football with all the stoppages.

I say nay. Goal review technology should be all we need.

[Ravin]

The time thing is my main concern as well. Even if football when a challenge is called and the ruling is overturned, the game clock doesn't get set back. Are you going to let a coach throw a flag for an offside call, which 3 minutes later (no whistle, just continued play) a goal is scored and then when they see the call is overturned, reset back 3 minutes, erase all the stats in that time, and play more?

I would rather a 3rd off ice official that has a bunch of monitors and is able to make calls that refs in the action can't make. Throwing a flag should only be allowed for goals really. Things like goalie interference would help from this, as a slowed down play could show a ref what actually happened in the play, and make goalies and players more accountable for the space they are in.

My big concern is, remember the last time the NHL went reply happy? It was with that foot in the crease bullshit, and that just ruined the game. I don't want a coach throwing a flag for a cheap time out (NHL only has 1, so are you going to take the TO away if the ruling stands?) and I wouldn't want a coach to use it just to kill momentum.