Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour has spoken out about the need for increased video review in the NHL – and he's not wrong, writes Adam Proteau.
Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour made an excellent point earlier this week about how NHL referees can get some assistance during games.
The former star player and current Canes coach took time to discuss the sucker punch Ottawa Senators left winger Ridly Greig laid on Carolina defenseman Sean Walker in Game 4 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series.
Greig's punch was not penalized during the game, although he has a hearing with NHL Player Safety scheduled for Monday.
That spoke to Brind'Amour's (and this writer's) long-held desire to use video replay in getting penalties called correctly.
"That just goes to my point that we've been having for eight years on what needs to be done – review the penalties," Brind'Amour said while feigning a microphone drop for dramatic effect. "It is impossible to referee our sport live. It really is. Everything's happening so fast, now you're getting embellishment everywhere… but if you had a guy in the review that said 'woah-woah-woah, that's embellishment,' it'd be out of the game.
Whether or not you're a Hurricanes fan, you have to appreciate Brind'Amour's refreshing candor.
The game is too fast. NHL referees do need help.
There's a clear need for an eye-in-the-sky official who can serve as insurance for getting calls right. Using video review while giving another official the option to buzz down to the on-ice officials and getting the calls correct is something the league can achieve.
Look at other sports to see examples of technology being used to get calls right. MLB's implementation of the automated balls and strikes system has improved the games and made life easier on officials who can do the job properly.
With Brind'Amour's thoughts on the subject, you can't accuse calls for increased use of technology of being a media creation. Numerous hockey people this writer has spoken to over the years say exactly what Brind'Amour said – the speed of the game means that on-ice officials will miss calls and may have to guess in rare cases, and there's a viable option out there that can cut down on erroneous calls and help on-ice officials get most of their calls right.
No officiating system is perfect. But at this point in the NHL's evolution, we absolutely do need more video review. When Brind'Amour – one of the game's best coaches, and a pretty phenomenal player in his own right – speaks out frankly and strongly in favor of increased video review, you need to listen to him.
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