What NHL players do on the ice is up to them but when you are playing at the minor level the game isn't up to you. Being a great star doesn't mean you have to hit every guy on the ice. Being a great star is speed, puck handling, and scoring goals and that's what minor leagues should be taught.
The NHL has changed the rules of hockey throughout the years and as years pass the rules become stricter. It is only safe for them to make such decisions. In the past couple of seasons they put on 2 referees, 2 linesmen. It used to be just one referee, but by putting a second one on it makes the job easier. By having 2 refs on the ice it makes a big difference to the game because players will not be able to get away with a lot of penalties. If one ref doesn't see the penalty the other will most likely will. The NHL has made it clear that any player who intentionally hits another player that is out of context will face consequences, which usually includes a suspension (length of suspension depends on the severity of the hit) and a fine. For example, players will get fined if the league catches a player diving and by diving it means that a player who falls on purpose to make it look like the opposing team member made them fall. There was an incident a couple of seasons ago where Marty McSorley of the Boston Bruins used his stick like a bat and hit Donald Brashear of the Vancouver Canucks over the head and knocked him out. Brashear was unable to play for the remainder of the season. The Vancouver police had threatened the NHL that if they didn't deal with this problem properly they would step in. McSorley was suspended for the rest of the season and the playoffs. By acting this way, the NHL had sent out a clear message to its players, but also to kids who play minor hockey everywhere. This type of this will not be tolerated. McSorley did the right thing. He didn't hide from the media, he didn't run away, he took full responsibility and stood up for himself immediately and apologized to Brashear, to both teams, and to all hockey fans.
