The Puck Stops Here

NHL team's marketing departments are constantly looking out for things to add to the experience of coming to an NHL hockey game to make it seem more attractive to fans, as its cost constantly rises. One trend that has developed in the last few years is that of "ice girls" being used to come out to pick up "snow" on the ice surface during TV timeouts. This does very little to improve the quality of the ice on which the game is played, but it gives the fans a t 'n a show during the stoppage in play. Some teams do this and many other do not. The problem is that it can disrupt the players on the ice. It particularly disrupts goaltenders who have to abandon their crease so that a girl in tight clothing can clear a bit of snow from the goal.

It was just a matter of time before some players would take offense to this practice. It happened during the April 3rd game where the New York Rangers visited the New York Islanders. This game is of particular importance to both teams because they are both fighting for final playoff spots in the East Conference. It is also a game between two of the NHL's most heated rivals. It is fully understandable that the players want to concentrate on the game and not have to abandon concentration for a pointless t 'n a show that moves them from their positions.

During the first TV timeout, New York Ranger goalie Henrik Lundqvist refused to move from the crease and when the ice girl proceeded into the crease anyway, he hit her squeegee with his stick. During the second timeout, while another ice girl was leaving the ice, she was squirted with a water bottle by a Ranger player on the bench (or possibly spit upon). During the third timeout, it took three of the on ice officials to make Lundqvist move from the crease to let the ice girls in. It is also alleged that both Lundqvist and teammate Sean Avery swore at the squeegee girls.

Likely, Lundqvist likes to built up some snowpiles in strategic places in front of the net to help keep the puck out and the ice girls were removing them, although they were also disrupting his concentration and possibly removing any grooves he had worked to carve into the ice to help him keep on his feet when necessary and get into a butterfly position. It is also possible that the ice girls disrupt the visiting crease more than they do that of the home goaltender.

The most important rule of any "value addition" to a home game that a marketing department dreams up should not interfere with the players who are playing the hockey game. The hockey game is what is most important and not the ice girls. If there is a problem with a goalie accumulating too much snow in front of his goal, this should be dealt with by a referee or a linesman and not a 20-something girl who's only qualifications are an ability to skate while holding a squeegee and look nice in tight clothing.

The ice girls are not necessary to a hockey game. Many cities (some with very good ice quality) do not have them. The fact that they disrupt players is an issue that the NHL should look into. Although Lundqvist and Avery (and any other Rangers players) may not have been on their best behaviour they did bring this issue into the public and I hope it gets looked at. If ice repair is necessary it should be done by those who are qualified and not a t 'n a show. That is the only way to ensure that it is done in an even handed way and is not used to try to gain a bigger home ice advantage. Most importantly, a hockey game should be about hockey first and foremost. Anything added to the game to make it a better experience for the fan should not get in the way of the players who play the game.

Here is the TSN story on these incidents.