SAN JOSE — The NHL is cracking down on slashing and the league’s top defender isn’t happy about it.
The heightened focus on stick and hand slashes is drawing criticism across the league this preseason for disrupting the momentum of games and adversely targeting traditional stay-at-home defenders. Sharks blue liner Marc-Edouard Vlasic ripped into the NHL for using slashing as a ploy to increase scoring, taking a valuable tool out of the defense’s pocket.
“The NHL wants a 6-5 game every game,” Vlasic said.