Sports

Patch Poll: Should Body-Checking Be Allowed In Boys High School Hockey?

Benilde-St. Margaret's sophomore Jack Jablonski was paralyzed by a hit from behind, putting a renewed focus on checking rules in Minnesota high school hockey.

The severe injury suffered by hockey player Jack Jablonski has the Minnesota hockey community taking a closer look at the role of body-checking in the sport.

As reported by our sister Patch in St. Louis Park, Jablonski, a 16-year-old sophomore, was checked from behind and into the boards during a junior varsity game on Dec. 30 against Wayzata. The hit left Jablonski paralyzed. He had surgery on Wednesday at the Hennepin County Medical Center, and though family members said it was a "success," the prognosis is that Jablonski .

On Tuesday, the Minnesota State High School League sent a memo to all hockey coaches, referees and league officials reiterating the dangers of checking from behind, which is illegal.

Find out what's happening in Lakevillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“For nearly a decade the MSHSL has identified the reduction and removal of checking from behind as a major point of emphasis for coaches, officials and hockey players,” the memo read in part. “High school coaches, officials and student-athletes all have an essential and continuing role in helping to remove this type of contact from games and practices.”

Coaches were also encouraged to remind their players daily to not check from behind. In Minnesota high school hockey, checking from behind draws either a 10-minute penalty or a game disqualification, depending on the severity of the hit. The Wayzata player who checked Jablonski on Friday was disqualified from that game.

Find out what's happening in Lakevillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

General body-checking, however, is legal in Minnesota boys high school hockey. Craig Perry, the associate director of boys hockey for the MSHSL, said checking and contact rules are reviewed on an annual basis, first by the state Coaches Advisory Committee, then by the National Federation of High Schools. State coaches are meeting for this purpose next week, with the national federation meeting in the spring.

Minnesota girls high school hockey already bans checking entirely, and there has been some movement away from checking in the USA Hockey youth ranks. The USA Hockey governing board has bumped the legal checking age from 12-and-under (Pee Wee) to 14-and-under (Bantam).

So, what do you think? Ban checking, or leave it a part of the game?


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Lakeville