NHL GMs recommend penalties for blindside head shots

NHL general managers, at the conclusion of their meetings Wednesday in Florida, unanimously recommended a rule change for next season where a player would receive a minor or major penalty for a blindside hit to an opponent's head.

The recommendation now goes to the league's competition committee for consideration and then to the board of governors for final approval.

"The players are responsible if a guy is coming right at you, but it's that blindside hit we find so deserving (of a penalty). It's tough to protect yourself," NHL vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell told reporters.

"When we took out the hooking and the holding we increased the speed of the game tenfold, but we also increased the collision force in these hits."

It would be up to the discretion of the referees to determine if the hit was to the head from behind.

"This will make all players aware that they have to be responsible not only for themselves, but other players as well," New York Rangers GM Glen Sather said.

There have been two controversial head shots from behind this season that resulted in serious concussions - Philadelphia's Mike Richards on Florida's David Booth, and Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke on Boston's Marc Savard last Sunday. Neither Richards nor Cooke was penalized or suspended.

Campbell ruled no suspension for Cooke on Wednesday.

"Right now our rules say shoulders to the head are legal," Campbell said.

The new rule would not make the job of the referees easier. For example, the shoulder-to-head hit by Vancouver's Willie Mitchell on Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews in October was borderline blindside and might or might not have been a penalty under the new rule.