The hybrid-icing experiment was undertaken to cut down on serious injuries like the potentially career-ending one Carolina defenseman Joni Pitkanen suffered in April. But despite being intended to keep the players safer, the experiment isn’t being met with overwhelming enthusiasm.
“I hate it,” said the Capitals’ Jason Chimera, per CSN Washington’s Chuck Gormley.
Gormley notes that Chimera isn’t alone in his opinion among teammates, many of whom think the rule will be voted down by the NHLPA following the preseason and, thus, not implemented for the regular season.
That would seem to support a report from TSN’s Darren Dreger:
The PA intends on gathering feedback from players starting next week, but no decision has been made by the players as to how the intel will be gathered.
While it’s too soon to predict how the players will act on the matter in the days ahead, there’s reason to believe they will opt to stay with status quo and reject hybrid icing.
While hybrid icing was created with good intentions, some have complained that it’s too confusing and would prefer a more black-and-white rule.
Related: Devs GM Lamoriello dislikes hybrid icing: ‘It’s another judgement call’