NHL players discuss their least-favorite rules
The Associated Press and Canadian Press asked NHLPA player representatives from all 31 NHL teams what they see as being the worst rule in hockey. Selected responses:
"I don't know about the challenge on offside. I don't know if you should take it away or not. Maybe a whistle gets blown sometimes a little too quickly. I understand why the ref or linesman might do it, to protect themselves if there's a tough call. And the linesmen, they're the best in the world, I think we should trust they can make the call and let them do it. Let them make the decision like it was before. I don't know if I'm totally against it, but I think that's one we can look into." - MIKAEL BACKLUND, Calgary Flames
___
"Offside reviews. Let the refs do their job. If they miss an offside it's never by much, and shouldn't be the difference maker in why the team ends up scoring." - JONATHAN TOEWS, Chicago Blackhawks
___
"Diving. I think if you dive, the other person should not get a penalty because you dove. I feel like it shouldn't be a tripping call and a diving call. I think it should just be a diving call. I mean, there's no point. The guy dove, he dove. He embellished. So I think that's the worst call." - ZACH BOGOSIAN, Buffalo Sabres
___
"The over the glass delay of game penalty. I can't stand that one. Can't make it a discretion call because it would open a can of worms, but I don't know many guys who intentionally shoot the puck over the glass to get a whistle, so that one drives me crazy." - CORY SCHNEIDER, New Jersey Devils
___
"I think one of the ones I don't like is not being able to waste your timeout on an icing. I think 'Why not?' If you want to waste your timeout for an icing, you only get one per game. If that's how you tactically want to use it, why not? I think it just came in last year maybe. If they want to waste their timeout there, let them." - JASON DICKINSON, Dallas Stars
___
More AP NHL: www.apnews.com/NHL and www.twitter.com/AP_Sports