More than a quarter of the way through the NHL season, few players have had as big an impact on the league as Brendan Shanahan.
Shanahan, who was drafted in 1987 by the Devils, spent 21 years in the NHL with New Jersey, St. Louis, Hartford, Detroit and the New York Rangers. An eight−timeall−star, he won three Stanley Cups with the Red Wings and retired in 2009 with 656 goals, the most among active players at the time. Shanahan left the league having scored more than 600 goals and recorded over 2,000 penalty minutes, the only player in NHL history to do both.
Considering his familiarity with the penalty box, it's hardly a surprise that Shanahan succeeded Colin Campbell as the NHL's head disciplinarian before the start of the 2011−2012 season. His insistence on following the NHL rules by the book has led to more suspensions for illegal hits so far this season, and for that reason, Shanahan has made a greater contribution to the league this fall than any active player.
The first guilty man this season was Minnesota Wild center Pierre−MarcBouchard, who was hit with a two−game suspension for an egregious high−sticking violation on Columbus left winger Matt Calvert on Oct. 8. Agitated by Calvert's jostling before a faceoff late in the second period, Bouchard caught him in the face with his stick, a direct violation of rule 60.1 of the NHL rulebook which prohibits "any [non−accidental] contact to an opponent above the height of the shoulders."
That two−game penalty, however, was only a slap on the wrist compared to the longest suspension of Shanahan's reign, which came in a Sept. 23 preseason game between, once again, Minnesota and Columbus. With the Wild forwards making a rush up the ice, Blue Jackets defender James Wisniewski blindsided Minnesota's Cal Clutterbuck with a vicious hit to the head, knocking the big right winger to the ice.
Since the hit came so early in the preseason, the incident gave Shanahan a great opportunity to exercise his disciplinarian muscle and show players that there would be serious consequences for reckless and potentially dangerous plays. Wisniewski received a 12−game suspension, which included the Blue Jackets' eight remaining preseason contests as well as their first four regular season games.
In a safety video on the NHL website, Shanahan referenced rule 48.1 — a restriction on any hit "where the head is targeted and the principal point of contact is not permitted." The same video shows Wisniewski's hit on Clutterbuck from several different angles with commentary from Shanahan himself.
These safety videos — which the league has posted on its website after every suspension — have been extremely effective in deterring reckless and illegal contact. Not long ago, Shanahan announced that concussions were down 50 percent this season, a clear indication that his proactive policies have been working.
But more importantly, Shanahan's diligence has led the NHL out of a time when suspensions and fines seemed to be handed down more arbitrarily. Now, each disciplinary decision made by Shanahan is accompanied by comprehensive description and explanation. Even in cases where illegal hits did not bring about suspensions, the league's safety czar has explained why he felt each incident did not warrant additional discipline.
Of course, some fans have felt that Shanahan came down too hard on some players — such as the three−game suspension that he issued to Montreal Canadiens' left winger Max Pacioretty for a supposed illegal check to the head of Pittsburgh Penguins defender Kris Letang — they should appreciate Shanahan's transparency in creating each video and explaining his interpretation of the NHL rulebook and the degree to which players should be punished for particularly egregious offenses.
From Shanahan's work so far this season, it's clear that he is committed to judging these instances consistently and always in the interest of player safety. As a former player who suffered many knocks over the years and is well−respected throughout the sport, Shanahan is able to objectively evaluate illegal hits and determine what punishment they warrant.
Research has shown that the effects of contact sports like hockey or football can end the lives of players early. The NHL — and Shanahan in particular — are working to make hockey safer without removing the inherent intensity of the sport.
