Like I said on twitter today – the NCHC is going to end up
being the most discussed league in hockey before they ever play a period of
hockey.
Some of the discussion will be positive and some of the discussion will not be so positive.
Today’s announcement from the NCHC isn't going to sit well with UND hockey fans base.
Earlier this morning, the NCHC, which is set to begin play for the
2013-14 season – added more to the discussion as the league announced that they had hired the much maligned
WCHA on ice official Don
Adam to be the leagues' first
Director of Officiating. Fans of the newly founded NCHC, are luke warm to the leagues' newest personnel move.
Of course there was grumblings…
It’s not an understatement to say that this hire is not
playing well with the fans – especially UND hockey fans who have watched Don Adam
officiate many crucial but also controversial hockey games involving their favorite hockey team over the past 10 years.
While some will not be happy that I brought this up – for the most part UND hockey fans do not look
favorably on Don Adam and why should they?
Adam is remembered infamously for being the on ice official when
UND Hockey players
Robbie Bina and
Chay Genoway were injured on the ice while
Adam looked on.
During the 2005 WCHA Final Five semifinal game – Adam incorrectly
gave
Geoff Paukovich a two minute minor after he drove UND defenseman Robbie
Bina from behind head first into the boards breaking his neck.
Adam incorrectly gave
Paukovich a two minute minor penalty for the hit. The call was later changed to a five minute
major and a game suspension by the WCHA tournament officials. Denver University
head coach
George Gwozdecky would later give Paukovich an additional game
causing Paukovich to miss DU’s first game during the 2005 NCAA playoffs.
So after that incident UND fans were not so enamored by Don
Adam or his officiating skills. Let’s also not forget that Don Adam was one of
the officials that was on the ice for the
Aaron Marvin hit on Chay Genoway.
Of course neither
on ice referees Tim Walsh and Don Adam saw the play.
After the play in question
– head official Don Adam conferred with the
linesmen – at first the officiating crew incorrectly penalized SCSU defenseman Chris
Hepp and he was originally incorrectly given a five minute major a game misconduct – the mistake was later corrected between periods and Hepp who had taken off his equipment and taken a shower, had to put his equipment
back on and rejoin the game.
Let me just say that UND hockey fans have long memories, but this
is not a popular choice among the fans of the NCHC.
Perusing the fan message boards – there’s a lot of angst and
anger over this selection.
Like many other fans, I am am also frustrated with this move, because I thought the
NCHC was formed by likeminded schools that wanted to get away from the lack of
transparency that has surrounded the WCHA under the leadership of
Bruce McLeod. When you think of WCHA on ice officials Don Adam's name is one of the first that pops into your head when discussion of officials occurs.
At first glimpse, this would appear to be a bad decision at
least from my perspective – obviously I am just one person, but why do you
bring in an official that is the face of the old WCHA? Why not start out new
and hire a respected official from the USHL or another hockey league that doesn’t
come with the baggage of the good ole boy WCHA?
Many fans like me, are concerned that we will now see a
conga line of officials from the WCHA.
