Comments on: Ducks GM Bob Murray: “We have to start diving”

By: prov1x

prov1x — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 01:51:05 +0000

He obviously isn’t watching the same series I am. Ducks are incredibly dirty. The stuff going on behind the play is unreal. Perry and Getzlaf are playing the punk roles pretty good. And what they are doing to Hornqvist would get people arrested off the ice. I’m guessing the Preds are in their heads. Playoff hockey…..head games are part of it. Wednesday night’s game should be something to watch.

By: rjmanpuck

rjmanpuck — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 00:23:13 +0000

The league is “hungry” to make calls because they are rewarding players with speed and skill. I don’t see how you can say the NHL is “rewarding divers?” Refs don’t get the call right every time( in any sport), but the switch to the 4-man ref system and stiffer penalties/fines for divers seems progressive to me in terms of curbing diving.

By: gnazarov

gnazarov — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 19:55:02 +0000

I don’t think Mr. Murray should be saying this at all, his frustration obviously got the best of him and his comments didn’t come off extremely well. However, in his defense, the reffing in this Ducks-Preds series has just been God awful. And diving in the NHL has become an epidemic of recent years. It’s disgusting. So there is some truth to what he’s saying.

By: stakex

stakex — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 06:56:58 +0000

I know this is just the usual playoffs BSing from the coach… but hes not all wrong. Diving as a whole has become a huge thing in the NHL, especially with the league hungry to make all the calls it possibly can.

If the NHL cared about integrity, it would start punishing divers instead of rewarding them (as well as punishing refs for “make up calls”, or “make it intresting” calls to try and even up games… but thats another topic). Instead Bettman is perfectly happy to let the refing in the NHL turn into an out right joke in a near pointless effort to increase scoring.

By: icu84bs

icu84bs — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 06:36:43 +0000

Some are born whiners, others winners. Murray belongs to the first group.

By: rjmanpuck

rjmanpuck — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 00:59:00 +0000

Murray’s comment is pretty standard playoff-type behavior from GMs trying to get an edge. It’s a close series, he might have a point if the series was 3-0 at this point but its 2-1 and it’s a 4/5 match-up. I think the refs in hockey have done a good job not biting on dives, especially after the whistle when there’s pushing and shoving. They rarely just take 1 in the scrums unless a player does something egregious after the whistle. Diving has no place in hockey–it’s what separates the sport from basketball and soccer where diving has literally become part of the game. I commend the NHL for making diving “lists” and fines to protect the traditional competitive spirit of the sport. Refs shouldn’t hold back on making diving calls, its embarrassing for players to receive one and it also sets the tone for the rest of the game or even the series. I know Murray just wants to bring the diving issue to the forefront for the NHL and its officials, but it’s a bad reflection of our sport when he advocates for diving. Luckily he’s not the coach and stays up in the box most of the time. I can’t see Carlyle making a statement like this.