Brian Burke blasts suggested rule change
Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke has lashed out at the idea of instituting a new rule that would allow coaches to challenge referee calls.
The general managers of the National Hockey League’s 30 teams will be discussing it at their annual fall meeting. Among the many talking points will be the proposal of a new rule called
the coach’s challenge.
Several NHL GMs have thrown support behind the idea, which was originally proposed by Florida Panthers GM Dale Tallon after a controversial goal cost his team a game.
The Toronto Maple Leafs were responsible for scoring the questionable goal, which gave them a 3-1 win over the Panthers. However, their GM does not support the notion of the coach’s challenge.
“Talking about a coaching challenge in response to one goal is like killing a house fly with a bazooka,” Burke told the Toronto
Star.
The goal was scored after forward Colton Orr of the Maple Leafs collided with Panthers goaltender Scott Clemmensen. Both players fell to the ice, and the puck bounced off Orr and went
into the net. On-ice officials allowed the goal to stand, but the coaches of both teams thought that a goaltender interference call should have been made.
Tallon made the proposal after the game, and Burke find that the entire concept is a massive over-reaction to one goal.
“All of a sudden, we’re talking about a rule change because of one goal,” Burke said. “Our group gets paid to not panic on rule changes and not overreact. This, to me, seems like an overreaction
of the highest magnitude.”
Leafs head coach Ron Wilson echoed Burke’s views on the coach’s challenge idea.
“I was the first one to admit that we got lucky on that one,” Wilson told TSN.ca. “Now we’re calling for (change). I’m not dissing Dale Tallon here, but every time something happens in
a game, we’re going to have a rule change?”
The proposal made by Tallon is based on a similar rule that currently exists in the National Football League. Coaches would be given a red towel that would throw out onto the ice if they
wanted to challenge a goal or non-goal call made by the referees or linesmen. If the challenge is unsuccessful, the team that initiated the challenge would lose a time-out as a result.
The general managers’ meeting will be held on Tuesday, 9 November in Toronto.
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