The goal of the rule changes made to the Ice Hockey SM League for this season is that there would be fewer blocking and holding situations.
Kamilla Rajander,
Simo Leinonen
Ice hockey SM league referee director Jyri Rönn based on the first matches of the season, is satisfied with how the league’s new line of referees has been implemented.
According to Rönni, the games have shown that the referees, players and coaches are committed to the issue.
– If you judge visually, I think the game is more mobile. The puck moves and the players move. There are fewer such static situations than, for example, last year, Rönn describes.
– I think it’s a good trend. It’s entertaining, and it’s worth watching, and then the skill and speed can also come out better, continues the head referee.
The goal of the rule changes made for this season is that there would be fewer obstructions and holdings.
One month at a time
According to Rönni, the referee management is progressing one month at a time, and the data will only start to be looked at after the first month.
That’s why, based on the first weeks of the season, he still doesn’t have the figures to show how many holding and blocking ices have been judged in matches compared to how many were whistled in the same period a year ago.
– With such a small sample, you still cannot get a reasonable analysis. Of course, every month we review where the game has gone and how, for example, the amount of ice or other things affecting the puck have changed.
According to Rönni, in order to establish the new line of judges, the matches have been carefully analyzed and the situations have been reviewed with the judges.
– Of course, there is still work to be done at the interface. Whenever there is an interface, one judge sees the little one differently than the other. It is being worked on at the moment so that we are as consistent as possible with our line, says Rönn.
He believes that with fewer interface situations, refereeing games will become easier for referees.
Rönn says that communication with the team’s coaches after the games has also been constructive.
– Yes, we are going in a good way here, and I hope that it will continue like this in the future.