Calling these infractions is a penalty itself!

You have seen it countless times during a National Hockey League game...or maybe you haven't! The Phantom Hook and it's irritating effect on players, coaches and fans is an epidemic that seems to get worse and worse with each passing week of hockey in the NHL. Now when the league made an effort to clamp down on the clutching and grabbing, I think we all understood and painfully got used the new rules. Sure it slowed the game down, creating a 25% increase in 5 on 3's but it seemed to be consistent at it's best of times.

But now the whole hooking issue is getting a bit out of hand if you ask me. It's one thing when a player wraps his stick around someone, or yanks someone down while on a breakaway. But now the rule seems to even include the slightest of hooking gestures and even dare I say touching the curve of your stick to jersey. Basically, reach out with the stick, and you win a one way ticket to the sin bin...ridiculous. And when the commentators are running back and forth on the replay tapes to find out where the potential penalty may be, you just might have a problem with the way this penalty is called. I mean, what about the whacks, slashes and high sticks that can be heard without seeing them getting missed time and time again, and don't get me started again on the whole head shot issue again...can someone say Tomas Kaberle.

And while we are on the topic of penalty problems with the NHL, what about the tried and true puck over the glass for a nice delay of game. What a garbage rule! How many times has your favourite team been turning to fire the puck out of their zone when killing a 5 on 4 and have the puck just clear the side glass for a well earned 5 on 3 disadvantage. The clear sign of this penalty being an issue was last year when watching a Canucks game I witnessed Bryan Allen fire a puck all the way down the ice and over the end boards resulting in a delay of game. How about allowing the referee to use some discretion when calling this penalty. If a player turns backwards and launches it out of play for a stoppage sure call a penalty, but what about just limiting line changes on all other instances and treat it like an icing?

I guess that idea is too simple and the fact that it just may work may be too complex for the competition committee. So PUCKOFF NHL and take a look at these two penalties and reassess how and when we should see players doing the penalty march. Sure, scoring is good, but making the game look stupid is far worse.