Tough Call

Why do head shots continue to run rampant in the NHL? Because they only punish just enough to say they’re doing “something”. See why the Larsson suspension is a token gesture that won’t help the problem at hand.

Why do I think some checks are dirty and some that look awfully similar are clean? Also the importance of players accepting when they’ve been beaten.

Is the NHL right to focus on the entertainment more than the hockey when it comes to the safety of its most valuable assets: the players? Also the Dube hit on Kotkaniemi.

Why are NHL players forced to take matters into their own hands so often? What makes a hit legal? Who should have to be held accountable and what is “the Code”?

Tyler Myers received a match penalty for his hit to Joel Armia, but will the NHL’s Department of Player Safety suspend? Why they should and how blindside hits should be dealt with moving forward.

Recapping the week of January 11-17, 2020. How to deal with the recent trend of leg trips, the continued fight against crosschecking, and is it time to make a rule change for powerplays interrupted by the end of a period?

Wayne Simmonds fought Ben Chiarot on opening night and it was everything a hockey fight should be. The question is, should hockey fighting be at all?

Who is Josh, the man behind Tough Call anyway? What’s his point? Also, why the head contact penalty does more harm than good, how can I get mentioned on the Podcast? Find it all here. Let’s go!

Running up the score, and the Schneider and Wimmer suspensions.

The Benn OT penalty, the Perry “spear”, and the Point embellishment. Also, are that Dallas Stars being unfairly targeted by the officials? Find out here!

All the hits and incidents from Games 1-3 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. Benn, Pavelski, Paquette...who deserves the benefit of the doubt?

The Killorn suspension, the Goodrow Crosscheck, and what was Kucherov thinking with his slash on Pageau??

Reaves hit on Motte, Pelech hit on Farabee, Perry butt-ending, and what it means to be “predatory”.

If anyone ever blames the victim in a hockey boarding incident, point them here.

The Ritchie and Paquette boardings, why is it bad to launch? (and why do I even have to answer that), and more!

The Kotkaniemi boarding major, the Niskanen, Myers, and Kucherov crosschecks, and the Couturier grease move after Montreal’s empty net goal.

An in depth look at how the NHL prioritizes hitting over safety, and the Fentenberg, Foligno, Dubois, Eckman-Larsson, and Tom Wilson boardings in Round 2 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Talking about the goal video review process, Tom Wilson doing some elbowing, and why is spearing called slashing so much?

The Svechnikov Injury, is Chara to blame? Tuukka Rask exits the bubble, and how are rhe officials doing in the Tampa/Columbus series? All this and more.

The Zadarov and Wilson elbows. The Sammy Blais boarding, and how those who fail to learn from the lessons of player safety history are doomed to repeat them.

Benn on Tkachuk, Lucic on Klingberg, and how can playOFF records be broken during a play-IN round?

What I think of Perron “shadowing” Petterson, was the Anders Lee hit on Backstrom predatory? Glove pass, goalie possession, goal....how does that happen? And when is it a good idea to run your own goalie. Find out here!

Should Cam Atkinson have been given a penalty shot in overtime number 5?? Plus my proposed power play rule change and what’s a player got to do to get a boarding or crosschecking suspension around here?

What just happened in Toronto??? Why couldn’t they even make the playoffs this year? Plus, boarding continues to plague the NHL Playoffs...

The Foligno trip, the Goodrow head shot, and all the elimination drama.