NHL Head Shot Issues and Greg Wyshynski Misses the Point

Wyshynski's Blog talks about a head hit that broke the jaw of a player. It talks a bit about the new rules and how technically the hit doesn't fall into the rule. I cut a piece below in italics for my point. Read his article but it is full of much of what I talked about in youth hockey. The bravado of it was a legal hit. Though I write about youth hockey, the same issue come up in the NHL. Issues of excessive force, hiding behind "legal hits", and the like. I find it funny that in Wyshynski's case he takes the time to ammend the rule to make it better but closes with the statement -

"It's better then a total ban on all hits to the head"

Maybe I read the blog wrong... Better then a total ban on all hits to the head? Is this guy for real? Does he feel hitting to the head brings something positive to the game?

If you want to protect players be it youth players or NHL players. The rule should be simple... No hits or contact to a players neck or head.

I'll go one step further as say my ammended rule is better then allowing any hits to the head.

But under NHL rules, its illegality, beyond the roughing call, can be debated. Had there been a total ban on contact to the head, then yes, this is illegal. But there wasn't. So once again it appears they're just applying unwritten rules when they're useful or when the aggrieved party makes a large enough stink.
The fix is easy: Amend Rule 48 to read "A lateral or blind side hit to an opponent where the head is targeted and/or the principle point of contact, or a hit to an unsuspecting and vulnerable player in which the head is targeted and/or the principle point of contact, is not permitted."
Cover the bases. It's better than a total ban on all hits to the head.