Insider Claims NHL is a League Full of Crybabies
The NHL's officiating has been a hot topic of conversation throughout this year's playoffs. Is the league becoming too soft?
Top Insider Thinks the NHL is for Crybabies
Hockey is widely regarded as one of the toughest sports, both in terms of difficulty and physical strength required to play. A league once known for big hits and fights in every game is now shifting towards speed and skill, and it's been clear throughout this year's playoffs.
Many calls throughout the first round of this year's playoffs have been criticized for being too soft or too strict, leading to many players and coaches calling out officials directly. Is this trend becoming too common in the NHL? Eric Duhatschek of the Athletic certainly thinks so.
Whatever happened to the old idea that when you lost a game in the playoffs, you needed to look in the mirror and try to be better next time out? That's an old-timey sports euphemism for the act of taking personal responsibility for the consequences of one's actions. But it doesn't happen nearly enough anymore.
Nowadays, you mostly get coaches and players trying to deflect the responsibility elsewhere. The underlying message is the fault isn't internal. It's external. It's the missed calls and illegal actions by the other team that are ultimately preventing our squad from being at its best.
Clearly, Duhatschek feels strongly about the trend we're currently seeing. Although it feels like the shift to a less physical, more skilled league is inevitable, perhaps the complaining towards officials will simmer down.
The Athletic - Is the league turning into a bunch of crybabies?
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 24 | 233 ANSWERS Insider Claims NHL is a League Full of Crybabies Do you agree? | ||
| Yes | 135 | 57.9 % |
| No | 98 | 42.1 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Mikko Rantanen | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
| Jake Debrusk | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Dylan Guenther | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Ivan Barbashev | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Jack Eichel | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Brock Nelson | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Valeri Nichushkin | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Clayton Keller | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Anthony Cirelli | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Jonathan Drouin | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Roman Josi | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Kirill Marchenko | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Kyle Palmieri | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Sebastian Aho | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Matt Duchene | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Samuel Girard | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Claude Giroux | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Oliver Kylington | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Anton Lundell | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Jonathan Marchessault | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Complete stats | ||||
| STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Jets | 20 | 17 | 3 | - | 34 | |
Wild | 19 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 29 | |
Hurricanes | 19 | 14 | 5 | - | 28 | |
Devils | 22 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 28 | |
Capitals | 19 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 27 | |
Golden Knights | 20 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 26 | |
Maple Leafs | 20 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 26 | |
Rangers | 18 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 25 | |
Panthers | 20 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 25 | |
Flames | 20 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 25 | |
| Conference | Cumulative | ||||||