The video review system in the NHL has been under some scrutiny lately. Especially after the offside review took Trevor Zegras’s Michigan goal off the board against the Minnesota Wild last Wednesday night.
Video review was supposed to help the officials in the NHL as the game is fast and mistakes are made. But instead of using it as a tool, the officials use it as a crutch. Unlike what we see in the NFL, their officials allow plays to go on and make corrections later.
What was put in place to stop the egregious offside play from happening has gone in the complete opposite direction where now replay is determining millimeters on whether or not a player is offside.
Again the conversation starts with one play. Similar to why it was brought in. Matt Duchene was 20 feet offside and a goal counted. That is what the offside video review was for. Now the conversation is heading in the opposite direction.
Darren Dreger of TSN on Insider Trading noted there is talk about amongst NHL decision makers a time clause be added when it comes to offside review. If a team scores 20-30 seconds after the zone it is a good goal. While Dreger admits it will be a tough sell, the conversation has begun.
The NHL is about growing the game, but taking away highlight reel goals because of an entry that had no barring on the play 30 seconds prior is not the right call. If you watch the Zegras’ Michigan goal against the Wild, the entry was clocked at 29 seconds prior to the puck going in.
However, that “offside” entry was not the reason why the Wild had four forwards on the ice. They still have time to reset and play their defensive system. They just couldn’t clear the puck out of the zone. And it was a heads-up play by Zegras to use his skill to pull off another Michigan goal.
As much as the league wants to say it is about getting the call right. These types of goals cannot be taken off the board. Especially if you want casual fans coming back to tune into games.
This was the second time during the week that an offside challenge took back a goal with an entry that happened more than 20 seconds prior to the goal being scored.
During the Devils-Flames game last Tuesday evening, Yegor Sharangovich thought he had tied the game at 1-1 with a first-period goal. However, it was determined the play was offside due to a poor entry.
If you clocked the puck in the zone at the time of the “offside entry,” the puck was in the zone for 30 seconds. Calgary had time to set up and play defense and try to get the puck out of the zone. But alas, another goal was called back by the NHL offside video review system.
Former NHLer Ray Ferraro has been a big proponent of changing the offside review or getting rid of it entirely. Ferraro has stated on numerous occasions about plays being called back after the puck was in the zone for 40-60 seconds. As mentioned above what does an entry that happened 30 seconds ago have an effect on the goal being scored? It doesn’t.
There was a time when the NHL did not have any video review except for in the crease. That was another thing the league butchered. Along with goaltender interference.
However, since there is no going back as the genie is out of the bottle, it is time to modify the offside video review system. Obviously, if there is a coach’s challenge and it is wrong on an NHL offside review or any missed stoppage, it is a penalty. Now it is time to take it a step further and institute an entry clock once the puck crosses the line if the play is deemed offside at the point of entry.
Let’s see how many goals get called back now because of poor entries or how many coach’s challenges there are if there is a time clock on the point of entry.
The NHL needs to get back to seeing the celebration of goals and the focus being on the players, not the focus being on coaches looking at their video boards every time a goal is scored.