[Article] Ryan Kesler singled out as diver in NHL’s crackdown on embellishment

[ButterBean]

I honestly think it's unfair that they're singling out 1 player. All you guys think that it's just great that a member of our team is being showcased for embarrassment.

[DownUndaCanuck]

I would rather have diving in the game than guys head-hunting, concussing star players and letting slashes and hacks go in the playoffs.

Get your priorities straight NHL. You want to keep the integrity of your league, cut down on "letting things go" in the playoffs and these disgusting, potentially career-ending head hits before you worry about guys harmlessly acting.

[BuretoMogilny]

I would rather have diving in the game than guys head-hunting, concussing star players and letting slashes and hacks go in the playoffs.

Get your priorities straight NHL. You want to keep the integrity of your league, cut down on "letting things go" in the playoffs and these disgusting, potentially career-ending head hits before you worry about guys harmlessly acting.

[ButterBean]

So Kesler Diving isn't an issue, change the subject hey.

Leaders don't dive...they fight through checks.

[ice orca]

good.. kesler was the worst diver in the league last year. makes you embarressed to be a fan of him. if he doesnt stop the diving next year i would trade him in a heartbeat for a good canadian center of equal value

[BobLoblaw]

As long as referees continue to be duped, there will still be diving in the game. The league is merely trying to get players to think twice before being tempted to do so in order to protect the integrity of the game.

The number one complaint I hear about soccer is that players dive all over the pitch feigning injuries without repercussion. And if anyone followed the NBA lately, "flopping" has increasingly come to the forefront. If anything, the NHL should be commended for attempting to address the issue unlike its competition.

[Riviera82]

Canucks lost the Cup to the Bruins in large part because they turned into a soccer team in the finals.(injuries was another). No way the NHL was going to end up a Euro soccer league.

Kesler is mentioned in the article but Henrik isn`t all that far behind according to videos posted in OP. Lu has always been LU, a known embellisher.

Hopefully our team culture changes and we lose this rep next season.

[Riviera82]

I honestly think it's unfair that they're singling out 1 player. All you guys think that it's just great that a member of our team is being showcased for embarrassment.

[riffraff]

Good.

I like watching hockey not soccer.

[riffraff]

At the NHL rules summit in August, a combination of executives and coaches and players addressed one of the League's growing on-ice problems: Embellishment, and the embellishers who embellish.

In order to curb diving, a few players involved in the forum supported the public shaming of chronic floppers. From NHL VP Colin Campbell, via NHL.com:

To that end, a few of the names prominently mentioned in those meetings have been leaked by Darren Dreger of TSN. Chief among them: Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks.

Fun fact: His teammate, Kevin Bieksa, was a part of the rules summit. (Awwwwkward…)

From TSN:

The "posting pictures" thing is somewhat new, as the players involved in the summit — including Ottawa Senators center Jason Spezza, Bieksa and Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman John-Michael Liles — talked about posting a list in every referees' locker room and players' dressing room.

But posting the photographs … OK, now we're getting into "dude who keeps passing bad checks at the liquor store" territory.

But hey, if it helps end the scourge of FIFA-level overacting, whatever works.

But Kesler? A diver? Outside of this …

And this …

And also this …

And tumbleweeds …

… we've only seen him dive one or two dozen times.

(But please remember: Diving is evil, but it's also a tactic.)

Meanwhile, Kesler must be wondering how he could be singled out as a diver on a team that has Alex Burrows and Max Lapierre in its employ. Because we sort of are.

Keep in mind this is a Yahoo sports article...

[canucks_dynasty]

I thought Kesler was more of a surfer than a diver.

(insert surfing the net gif)

[dorrcoq]

What a shock!

[dorrcoq]

. if he doesnt stop the diving next year i would trade him in a heartbeat for a good canadian center of equal value

[tocnhockey]

Kesler fakes being tripped, refs fake knowing the rules, it all evens out.

[hockeywoot]

Honestly, until the LA series, I didn't think of Kes as a diver.

More of a whiner, with a normal amount of embellishment.

But wow...that series. Embarrassing.

I still take issue with singling out players, its dumb.

Kes dives maybe slightly more than average, but honestly

youtube any star player and "diving" and you'll find some clips.

Its just that his recent shenanigans are in recent memory.

They need to call more penalties to cut it out.

Kes wants to do anything to win. I get that.

If they're not calling diving, why wouldn't you?

If he got penalized multiple times, or got ejected from the

game, I'm pretty sure he'd think twice. (This really goes for all players)

[gouda]

i agree they need to get rid of diving. but i also think they should get rid of bad officiating! which i believe is a reason some players embellish! what does it take to finally get a call!!! if theyre gonna make a spectacle of certain players, they should of certain referees too! in fact some of theyre calls and no calls really need to reviewed and decided if they actually missed or persuading the game.Very inconsistent! not only from game to game, ref to ref but within single games and single referees inconsistent officiating. Betman's boytoy refs should not be protected!!!!! the INTEGRITY of the game is what needs to be protected! protected from the players AND refs!

[CowtownCanuck]

I will assume the NHL will ignore the fact that he is embelishing, which means he is pointing out he is either being hooked or triped when he does "dive". Every player that has a stick anywhere near their head, whips their head back like they've been shot, if they don't the call won't be made.

[oldnews]

referee objectively - call the play on the merits of the play, regardless of 'reputation' - calling the game by reputation is bs - if a guy dives, call him every time - if a guy doesn't usually dive, call a penalty anyway - deal with the discipline for repeat offenders separately - the last thing the NHL needs is to further empower referees to get even more subjective.

is a guy like Shawn Thornton exempt because he's a drop the gloves, physical player and not the stereotype of a diver?

imo this is about as flagrant as a dive gets...

how many dives does it take to make the list?

there are very few players that never embellish

I don't see this list thing as a practical way of handling the problem - yes Kesler's antics pissed me off, particularly this post season after it appeared he might be growing past that crap - but this list nonsense is just going to lead to politicking and a tug of war over who belongs on the list - and NHL officials have a list in their heads anyhow - in the end just call it regardless of reputation - and then review it and discipline it taking repeat offender status into account.

[TOMapleLaughs]

It's pretty typical for the media over there to single out a Canuck for something like this. They ignore us. They are asleep for our games. But when something like this comes up, that's when they get their back up and pretend that they know what they're talking about.

I think the team is used to it though.

We got it. We're the bad guys. Next?

[BenDrinkin]

I hope to god this stops our diving. SOOO embarrassing!!

What they need to do is start handing out significant fines, as the fines in place right now deter NO one.