A couple of questions for the hockey minds

[miller76 463]

I have been watching/following/playing hockey for 26 years now. I would like to think I have a fairly good grasp of the game and understand it. But I have been wondering about a couple of things. Maybe you can help.

Question 1: When Draper steps in to take a face-off, his and the opposing player sticks miss the puck, and Draper proceeds to grab the puck with his hand, and throws or slides it back to another Detroit player. Many times the puck will go straight to a Detroit player, without prior touching/contacting an opposing player or his stick. Why is this not ever whistled down as a hand pass?

Question 2: Say an NHL player decides to play in another league and signs a contract there. He then decides he would like to return. Say Jagr. It was rumoured that Edmonton offered him a contract to return by this years trade deadline. But encountered a major roadblock in having to place him on re-entry waivers to return. A totally stupid rule that everyone must have agreed on in the last CBA signing. But my question is, who is it that puts the player on waivers? Because to put a player on waivers, I always thought you were to be in legal posession of that players contract. And if that player has no contract with an NHL team, does this team from another league still own his rights, even if there was or was not a prior agreement between the two leagues?

Question 3: Is it routine or superstition for some players to do certain things that surround the game? For instance, during the tail end of the 2nd intermission on a FS Detroit broadcast, when they are interviewing Babcock. If you look in the background the only player in the tunnel is Lilja. He is usually stretching his back and shaking/kicking/stretching his legs. And before the end of the interview Paul MacLean always enters the picture. Does anyone else notice this? I often wonder how much routine there really is, or if superstition is part of their routine.

[MacK_Attack 108]

I can only answer question #2.

The team can sign a player who has played in Europe during the current season whenever they want, provided that player is released from his contract in Europe. The NHL team that signed the player is then required to place that player on standard waivers in order to put him on their roster.

This is a lot easier to do after the Trade Deadline, because players claimed off of waivers after the deadline cannot play for the team that claimed them for the rest of the season.

As for question #1, I can only assume he only does that in the defensive zone, because hand passes are allowed in the defensive zone.

Edited March 24, 2009 by MacK_Attack

[Guest mindfly]

answer to no1.: You are allowed to hand pass in your own zone

[miller76 463]

As for question #1, I can only assume he only does that in the defensive zone, because hand passes are allowed in the defensive zone.

For some reason I thought the hand pass was removed entirely from the game in the NHL.

I knew in the leagues that I have grown up in, that the hand pass was still legal in the defensive zone, though they have tried to remove it completely.

I guess I was misinformed.

[CenterIce 83]

For # 3, they always come out in a certain order. Lilja will step in when his spot comes up. Hockey players are very superstitious.

[Stolsanov 0]

I'm pretty superstitious, when i first started to tuck my jersey in I didn't score and my jersey was tuck on the left side.. i changed which side I tuck to the right side and scored my first hat trick that game.. every since then right side is always tucked. I also walk out of the locker room last as well.. I don't leave until everyone else does.. my brother did it then, I started doing it. I dunno if you would call it superstitious since I have no real reason on doing it.

[55fan 5,133]

I'm pretty superstitious, when i first started to tuck my jersey in I didn't score and my jersey was tuck on the left side.. i changed which side I tuck to the right side and scored my first hat trick that game.. every since then right side is always tucked. I also walk out of the locker room last as well.. I don't leave until everyone else does.. my brother did it then, I started doing it. I dunno if you would call it superstitious since I have no real reason on doing it.

That's pretty much the definition of superstitious. If it works, more power to you, and best of luck.

[XxGoWingsxX 0]

I'm pretty superstitious, when i first started to tuck my jersey in I didn't score and my jersey was tuck on the left side.. i changed which side I tuck to the right side and scored my first hat trick that game.. every since then right side is always tucked. I also walk out of the locker room last as well.. I don't leave until everyone else does.. my brother did it then, I started doing it. I dunno if you would call it superstitious since I have no real reason on doing it.

I'd stiill call it superstitious because you're doing a routine. Even though you might not have a real reason set for doing it, subconsciously you're probably thinking of it as some form of luck...the jersey thing though...well, you know lol

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Im guessing that all the times you recall Drapes pulling the puck back with his hand, its been in the defensive zone.

[eva unit zero 271]

The best I can say is...all questions have already been answered.