For anyone who is new to getting into hockey, trying to keep up with all the rules can be extremely daunting. Like what does offside or icing mean? And it can be really challenging to ask these questions when you’re sitting next to a season veteran of the game, you don’t want to look like you’re wearing a dunce cap while watching the match.
However, one thing can unite new viewers and longtime watchers of the game, what the hell is goalie interference?
Now, I have been watching NHL games since I was about 5 years old. I would put on all my road hockey goalie equipment and mimic Roberto Luongo. And there’s even times where me, a 16-year watcher of the league, has no idea what’s going on.
Even the referees will be huddled up like a group of high school girls discussing gossip sometimes and spend upwards of 10 minutes reviewing a play because they don’t know either.
Sometimes an identical play will be called differently, or not at all. Let’s take the play where the goalie interference meme really took off. In 2017, a non-call allowed a Ducks goal in Game 5 despite contact between former Canuck and one of the most hated players around the league, Ryan Kesler and Oiler’s goalie, Cam Talbot. Sounds relatively harmless, right? If you look at the video, Kesler is lying on top of, and holding Talbots pad with one of his hands.
This is textbook goalie interference. By the NHL rulebook, “goalie interference occurs when an attacking player impairs a goalkeeper’s ability to move freely within the crease or defend their goal.” and yet it went without being called.
The problem isn’t that there are missed calls; you’re always going to have those. It is how wildly inconsistent they are. It’s absolutely maddening.
Imagine you’re Trying to convince your friend to get in the hockey. You sit down for an action-packed sports evening. You got the snacks, maybe a couple cold ones sitting around, and you’re both excited.
However, imagine how your friend is going to feel if he has to sit through multiple goalie interference and offside reviews that take forever. Maybe one of them is even so confusing that you can’t even explain it to him. How embarrassing is that to you, and what lasting impression will this game leave on your friend. You think he’s really going to want to further pursue watching hockey after that mind boggling snore fest?
Your friend leaves utterly befuddled that anyone would waste their time with that, and you feel like a chump for putting him through it.
That’s a night to forget.
To summarize, the NHL needs to work on cleaner, faster reviews. This not only keeps down the blood pressure of longtime fans, but it would also encourage new fans to not get bored or frustrated with watching the craziest sport on Earth.