From the bench-clearing brawls of the 1970s to the high speed game of today, the rules of hockey have changed dramatically, and for obvious reasons so has the job of officiating. If you are watching the NHL today, you will notice that the rules at that level sometimes don’t hold true at levels below that.

If you were to venture into a rink and watch a local high school game after watching the Wild the night before, you might be distraught at the number of “non calls” you see. This is in no way disrespecting the men and women who officiate hockey games. It might be one of the toughest jobs in the game and I give them the utmost respect.

The problem I have is the lack of consistency from level to level. If we want to get to the root of the problem of these  violent hits, we better start at the younger ages. You don’t teach an adult to swim and it becomes increasingly difficult to change a player’s habits when he or she has been playing under a different set of rules.

If you want to eliminate hitting from behind, be strict and consistent at the youth level – zero tolerance,  plain and simple. You want to hit from behind? Then you can sit and watch until you realize this behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. That player will either figure it out or be eliminated.The message is clear and concise. You either play within the confines of the rules or find another sport.

I watch a high school or college game and at times they are vicious. Between the stick work and hitting, it makes me sick. I’m not saying the NHL is perfect but it is trying to make the game cleaner. I wonder at times if the high school or college have their fingers on the pulse of where the game is going. Between the crap after the whistle, to the stick work and hitting, it makes you wonder.

Obviously, resourses (money) plays a big role in the lack of consistency, but we need to start at the younger levels and be firm and consistent. I would rather be on the side of calling everything than barely nothing. Once the kids figure it out at the youth levels, it should hopefully translate to their game as they get older and eventually make the game safer.

Chris Pryor is the director of hockey operations for the Philadelphia Flyers. He is in charge of the amateur and pro scouting departments. A native of St. Paul, Pryor spent eight seasons as a scout for the Flyers. He played parts of six seasons in the NHL with the Minnesota North Stars and New York Islanders. If you have a question for a pro hockey scout, e-mail it to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .