You may not like it, but the way the NHL viewed Zach Whitecloud’s hit on Matthew Knies Wednesday night in the Maple Leafs and Golden Knights game, you can’t penalize a hit that is perfectly legal. And, yes, sometimes bad things happen in a contact sport.
According to Rule 48, which governs headshots, the Golden Knights defenseman’s open ice hit on the Maple Leafs left winger was clean by the book. No targeting the head, and the head was not the principal point of contact. Whitecloud comes through the body, then makes contact with Knies’ head.
Now, if you want to discuss whether all headshots, regardless of intent and principal point of contact, should be banned, that’s absolutely a conversation worth having.
Here’s more:
(Don’t see the video? Click here.)
Get the latest news and trending stories right to your inbox by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or by visiting our forum.