Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn. Gilbert Perreault Jersey .ca. Kerry, I appreciate your earlier comments on Torontos handling of the Vanek goal, and Im sure youve seen the Howie Rose-Kris King interview by now. Im still left with some basic questions about what the actual NHL rules are at this point, and was hoping you could provide some insight. 1. Does the situation room still need clear, incontrovertible evidence to overturn calls made on the ice? Every NHL announcer seems to think so, but Kris King clearly indicates that while that logic held in many cases there was a specific subset of calls (including kicking motion) where the situation room could take the on-ice call as purely advisory and didnt have to find incontrovertible video evidence in order to overturn. Is Kings view backed up by formal statements/rule changes? Do NHL refs uniformly understand that Toronto needs clear evidence to overturn in some cases but not in others? 2. Kings comments seemed contradictory in that he said the rules regarding kicking were defined so that neither refs or the situation room needed to make any judgment as to the players intent (i.e goals scored by kicking should be disallowed even if they could be considered unintentional or inadvertent), but also raised the point that "foot dragging" could be defined as "kicking" in this context. First of all, Rule 38.4 which you quoted in your initial comment does not mention foot dragging, and the "pendulum" motion it prohibits would seem to explicitly exclude the possibility of disallowing goals based on foot dragging. Has there been an internal memo or formal rule change that all NHL refs would be aware of that expands Rule 38.4 to include foot dragging? Secondly, outside of extraordinarily blatant cases, how could anyone disallow a goal on foot dragging grounds without judging the players intentions? Hundreds of goals go off skates where there has been no "pendulum" type kicking motion. How could anyone distinguish good from bad goals without determining whether they thought the player was trying to intentionally redirect a puck, as opposed to simply position themselves near the goal mouth where lucky bounces sometimes occur? We all understand that no set of rules can ever be perfect. The issue here is that you and most fans that saw the Vanek video believed the rule to be applied in that situation was one thing, and King may have implied (but never clearly said), no - the rule to be applied in that situation is different. If the rules are 100 per cent clear to refs and everyone in the league, it would still be useful to communicate changes more clearly so that announcers and journalists arent confusing the fans. Of course, if situation room personnel think they can establish rule interpretations that the on-ice staff isnt in sync with, that would raise a different set of issues. Hoping you can clarify what the real situation is. Hubert Horan Hubert: I truly believe that each person who staffs the Situation Room on a nightly basis in Toronto is a man of integrity and cares deeply about the game. They do not take the huge responsibility handed to them lightly and they do strive to get every call right through video review to the best of their ability. When a play, subject to review, is taken over by the Situation Room their judgment is independent of the referees and any decision rendered through video review is final. The only exception is when video review returns an "inconclusive verdict" at which time the call reverts back to the referee on the ice. In almost every case the referees initial call will then stand. The referees make the call from their vantage point in real time based on the rules as written and with the direction and expected standard of enforcement they are handed from their superiors. The refs recognize that their decision on the ice can be overturned for any reason, whether they agree or even like it! It would appear, at least from the perception of the personnel conducting the video review, that clear and incontrovertible evidence is present for them to overturn a referees call on the ice. That perception and ultimate decision is always subject to debate and scrutiny from the hockey community. While I cant ever recall Kris King agreeing with a penalty I assessed against him during his 14 season NHL career I know him to be a very good, honest and charitable person. As a former player that was most often cheered by adoring fans, Kris and his colleagues in the Situation Room can sometimes find their decisions challenged rather vehemently by various members of the hockey community. No differently than a referee experiences throughout his career, it goes with the territory! This might explain some of Kris apparent defensiveness during the interview with Howie Rose. What Kris didnt explain, but only alluded to, were instructions provided them by the general managers how to ascertain a "distinct kicking motion" beyond the definition provided in rule 38.4 (iv). If such instructions include a skate drag or worse yet, unintended contact with a players skate resulting from physical contact by an opponent, these new criteria should be clearly communicated to the rest of the hockey world. That I believe is the question that Howie Rose and the rest of us would like a clear answer to. I would be most curious to know if Isles GM Garth Snow and Habs GM Marc Bergevin (following Brendan Gallaghers disallowed goal) among others have signed off on the instructions Kris King alluded to. A referee often factors in "player intent" when imposing his judgment on infractions and calls. To suggest otherwise is illogical. At the present time a vast majority of the hockey community, including current and former officials, current and former players, broadcasters and fans cant logically understand decisions to disallow goals like the one that went into the net off the skate of Thomas Vanek. The answer to that question has to come clearly and definitively from Colin Campbell, current Executive Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations who holds the keys to the Kingdom. Finally, the integrity and accuracy of the video review process would be greatly enhanced if the NHL were to employ former referees to provide their specialized expertise and INDEPENDENT judgment in these matters no differently than the other major professional sports leagues have recognized is necessary. Zemgus Girgensons Jersey . You can watch the game live on TSN and TSN GO at 3pm et/Noon pt. The Thunder reclaimed the home-court advantage LA took with a Game 1 win on Friday night with a 118-112 road win in Game 3. Kyle Okposo Jersey . - A Tuesday funeral is planned in Toronto for 20-year-old Saginaw Spirit forward Terry Trafford. http://www.authenticsabresshopnhl.com/rasmus-ristolainen-jersey/ .J. -- Kevin Gilbride retired Thursday as offensive co-ordinator for the New York Giants.With the Toronto Raptors celebrating their 20th anniversary season in 2014-15, Josh Lewenberg and TSN.ca take a look back at the franchises first two decades with weekly Top Five lists, counting down the standout and signature players and moments in team history. 1. Sent Vince Carter to the Nets for Eric Williams, Aaron Williams, Alonzo Mourning and two first-round picks - Dec. 17, 2004 (Rob Babcock) Most of the trades youll find below are really only bad in hindsight. The other four deals on this list share a commonality - theyre all home run swings that just, for various reasons, didnt connect. On the cusp of reaching the next level or in danger of taking a step back at the time, they were bold, yet shortsighted moves made in the hopes of expediting the building process. Then theres the Vince Carter deal, an all-timer, that stands out (and man, does it ever stand out) in its own right. The haul Babcock got in exchange for Carter, a disgruntled superstar, was never highly regarded, to put it mildly. Whatd we get?, asked Jalen Rose after hearing about the trade. Richard Jefferson? Even a decade later, Rose - now a broadcaster - still cant believe Torontos return for the best and most important player in its history. Well, the way he was overcome by emotion and the way he shed a couple of tears, said Rose, back in Toronto earlier this season, shortly after Carter was honoured by the franchise. Thats how I felt when we traded him for Aaron, Eric [Williams] and Alonzo Mourning who never was deciding to make the trip. Hes the greatest Raptor in team history. Babcock insists this was the best offer out there and, given Carters diminishing worth at the time, that may have actually been the case. It shouldnt have come to that - selling low on a player, a 28-year-old, who held top five (top seven or eight, at worst) value just a few years prior. The result: Carter would go on to revive his career with the Nets, while Mourning was immediately cut - per his request - and the two Williams combined to play less than 100 underwhelming games in Toronto. One draft pick turned into disappointing forward Joey Graham, while the other was sent to the Knicks as a sweeter in the Rose salary dump a couple years later. It will go down as one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history. 2. Sent T.J. Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, Maceo Baston and the draft rights to Roy Hibbert to the Pacers for Jermaine ONeal and the draft rights to Nathan Jawai - July 9, 2008 (Bryan Colangelo) The Raptors had failed to make it out of the first round for the second straight season, taking a small step back after winning their division the year before. Looking to upgrade at the centre position and pair Chris Bosh with an elite defender in the frontcourt, Colangelo gambled on ONeal, a former all-star coming off a down and injury-plagued season. Toronto sent Ford and Nesterovic, two starters from that division-winning club, to the Pacers along with the 17th overall pick, who turned out to be the player they were looking for all along. In the years to come, Hibbert blossomed into an all-star and the anchor of Indianas defence while ONeal never panned out the way Colangelo had hoped, playing just 41 games for the Raptors before being traded once again. 3. Acquired Rudy Gay and Hamed Haddadi from the Grizzlies for Jose Calderon, Ed Davis and a second-round pick - Jan. 20, 2013 (Colangelo) On paper, thhis seemed like a coup for Colangelo. Jack Eichel Jersey. . Looking to make a big splash and jump-start a middling team in the final year of his deal, the Raptors GM added a talented scorer in Gay without giving up a player of his caliber (Calderons contract was expiring and he was splitting time with Kyle Lowry, Davis is a third or fourth big). Without question, the Raptors upgraded the talent on their roster as a result and the initial returns were positive, albeit unsustainable. The Raptors won six of its first eight games after the trade and would finish that season with a .500 record. But Gay was not a fit with the group already assembled in Toronto, evident in their 6-12 start the next year. The problem: too many cooks in the kitchen. Gay and DeMar DeRozan occupied similar real estate on the floor, while Lowry was underutilized playing alongside two ball dominant scorers. Gay was repackaged less than a year later and the rest is history. 4. Acquired Hedo Turkoglu, Devean George and Antoine Wright in a four-team sign and trade for Shawn Marion, Kris Humphries, Nathan Jawai and a second-round pick - July 9, 2009 (Colangelo) Praised at the time it was consummated, this is another trade that looks a whole lot different in hindsight. While scoring the leagues top free-agent prize, Colangelo engineered a rare four-team deal to avoid hitting the salary cap ceiling. Coming off a career year and a Finals appearance with Orlando, Turkoglu - like ONeal before him - was thought to be the missing pierce, the perfect compliment to Bosh, who was due to become a free agent the following summer. The good vibes did not last long. Turkoglu arrived out of shape, underwhelming on the floor and appearing lazy and disengaged off of it. The Raptors narrowly missed the playoffs that year and Turkoglu was sent packing shortly thereafter. 5. Acquired Hakeem Olajuwon from the Rockets for a first and second-round pick - Aug. 2, 2001 (Glen Grunwald) Sensing a theme here? With the Raptors coming their best season at the time - 47 wins and a semifinals appearance - Grunwald went all in on the group that had taken them there. Antonio Davis, Alvin Williams and Jerome Williams were all awarded new deals and the finishing touch was a future Hall of Fame centre by the name of Hakeem Olajuwon. A free agent after 17 legendary seasons with the Rockets, Olajuwon opted to team up with Carter and company in Toronto before calling it a career. To get him in a sign and trade, Grunwald parted with two draft picks, including one first-rounder. As it turns out, the Raps could have used that pick. Olajuwon was hobbled and ineffective in his only season as a Raptor, which coincided with Carters injury troubles and the teams untimely collapse. Houston selected journeyman Bostjan Nachbar with the Raptors 15th overall pick in 2002. Toronto won 24 games the following season. Honourable mention: Acquired Chris Childs and a first-round pick (Kareem Rush) from the Knicks for Mark Jackson and Muggsy Bogues - Feb. 22, 2001 (Grunwald) Acquired Lamond Murray and a second-round pick from the Cavaliers for Michael Stewart and a first-round pick (Jared Dudley) - Sept. 25, 2002 (Grunwald) Sent Chris Bosh to the Heat in a sign and trade for two first-round picks and a trade exemption - July 9, 2010 (Colangelo) Sent Tracy McGrady to the Magic in a sign and trade for a first-round pick - Aug. 3, 2000 (Grunwald) Cheap Saints Jerseys Cheap Ravens Super Bowl Jerseys Cheap Chiefs Super Bowl Jerseys Cheap Panthers Super Bowl Jerseys Cheap Falcons Super Bowl Jerseys Cheap Redskins Jerseys Cheap Chargers Jerseys Cheap Browns Jerseys Cheap Texans Jerseys Cheap Ravens Jerseys Cheap Panthers Jerseys Cheap Jets Jerseys Cheap Titans Jerseys Cheap Chiefs Jerseys Cheap Bills Jerseys Cheap Rams Jerseys Cheap Jaguars Jerseys Cheap Falcons Jerseys Cheap Bills Super Bowl Jerseys Cheap Colts Jerseys Cheap Bengals Jerseys Cheap Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Buccaneers Jerseys ' ' '