By: John Packett
Previously known as a league where players deliver some creative stickwork when the referee isn’t looking, the ECHL has reduced its average penalty minutes per game more than 21 per cent over the past four seasons.
The league average went from 31.4 minutes in 199596 to 24.7 this past season, according to information supplied by the ECHL office.
THN Archives“I give credit to the coaches,” said Andy Van Hellemond. the league’s senior vice-president of operations. “They’ve disciplined their players to the point where they realize penalties are going to be called and rules are going to be enforced.”
Van Hellemond, the former NHL referee who joined the ECHL three years ago, has worked closely with coaches and officials in an effort to cut out unnecessary and potentially harmful acts by players that have plagued the league in past years.
Outside of a couple of serious stick incidents early in the season, the ECHL had less of those kinds of major penalties during 1998-99.
Northland Hockey Gretzky Series“The players have responded,” Van Hellemond said. “I’ve had very few major incidents where guys needed to be suspended.
“That helps the decline in total minutes. We’re still playing rough and tough hockey. I think it’s a good place for the American League to send their good, young players to develop without having to worry about defending themselves nightly.”
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