ÄNGELHOLM / Stockholm.
Swedish ice hockey history was written last night, and it was definitely not something to be proud of.
At 8 a.m. on Friday, a press release from the SHL’s operating room announced that three players — Brendan ShineminLuleå, Calle Clang, Rögle and Jesper Pettersson, Linköping – reported to the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation’s Disciplinary Board.
To my knowledge, it has never happened that multiple players on the same occasion, during the same round, have been reported for the same extremely ridiculous behavior.
Sitting by myself in Ängelholm on a Thursday evening, I was amazed at Calle Clang’s theatrical attempt to evict Emil Sylvegård.
The Malmö player shoved the Rögle goalkeeper, Klang threw himself and grabbed his face and we learned something new.
It looks like goalkeepers can get a pain in the mask.
I’ve seen the other situations in hindsight and both are from Luleå Brendan Shinnimin, who has a history that is far from flattering when it comes to this kind of ridiculous behavior which is in many ways the opposite of the proud man of steel in his shirt, and Linkoping’s Jesper Peterson… well -What do we call it?
silly? embarrassment? jaundiced?
Possibly Brynäs Anton “I feel sorry for the fans who have to put up with the bullshit” Rödin could also have been reported when he turned into a defenseless cockroach in Växjö after a minor collision with a Lakers player.
With their dystopian portrayal, the players not only embarrass themselves, but also the club they represent, the sport they represent and each of us enjoys ice hockey.
Last year, only one player was sentenced for filming during the entire season and Johanni Tervainen was ironically the “tough guy” for Lulio, before that, the SHL promised to take action against this kind of filth.
After lunch on Friday, three other players (who have just been mentioned), on a board, were given the same penalty.
Is it over and the problem is out of the world now?
meaningless.
On the reliability of sports
Sporting director Johann Hemlin and referee director Thomas Thorsbrink say they are working towards tougher penalties against cheaters and it looks like they won’t stop at a ridiculously low fine of 5,000 crowns, as in the last four cases.
I think it’s a good thing that the SHL is now making a serious effort to reduce this inconvenience and address it now that, before it’s too late, it may be our only chance to save ice hockey from sinking into the pathetic depths of international football.
It is in many ways related to the credibility of ice hockey and there are some concrete measures that need to be implemented immediately.
First of all, the term “optimization” should be removed from our vocabulary as it is merely a cosmetic paraphrase of this fraud.
More severe penalties have had a deterrent effect which is a very common opinion these days, I am generally skeptical of this philosophy, but I can still imagine that the penalty meter includes at least a suspension from matches.
In the past decade, ice hockey has gotten dramatically better at curbing the destructive elements of the game such as pinning, catching and rap, so the fact that portrayal tends to increase must be due to cultural changes, poor upbringing and moral decay.
I can think coaches, coaches, sports directors, whatever they’re called, should be able to show a little bit of courage by identifying their players more clearly and take their responsibility as an employer more seriously.
Which team will be the first to stop a player for inappropriate behavior?
Surely there are guidelines and rules about how players can and should behave in their workplace?
Let them play with the red clown hair
I also think that referees should be given (or given) greater powers to handle shooting on ice during a game.
Partly by allowing the game to continue if there is a suspicion that a player is shooting, but also by sending a shooting player directly into the penalty area without placing any fingers between them.
Of course, it will sometimes be wrong, but it’s not the whole world and certainly not worse than when wrong decisions are made about hooks, high clubs, or elbow interventions.
The only thing it should not lead to is more video reviews, because in Swedish ice hockey we crossed the line a long time ago.
Then there’s one last action that I don’t think we’ll ever see.
Let the player convicted of shooting play the following three games in a characteristic helmet with fluffy red clown hair on the side, who may flutter a little in the breeze, because he will imagine with desirable clarity how Swedish ice hockey sees these easy things – black snowball clouds.