NEW YORK鈥擥eorge Parros, the bushy-mustachioed Princeton man who spent almost a decade as an NHL enforcer, is now in charge of the league鈥檚 player safety department.
After a career in which he fought 159 times and racked up 1,127 penalty minutes, Parros believes there鈥檚 one major reason he鈥檒l succeed as the new vice-president of player safety.
鈥淲hat uniquely positions me for the job is that I played the game as physically as anybody and I never once was fined or suspended,鈥 Parros said Thursday at the NHL office. 鈥淚 know where that line is. I know how to protect my guys or intimidate but not injure or hurt.鈥
He is succeeding Stephane Quintal, who is pursuing other opportunities in hockey but staying on this season to assist with the transition.
Parros intends to be stricter on slashing and what he calls 鈥渘onhockey plays.鈥 Recent high-sticking incidents involving Gustav Nyquist and Duncan Keith that drew six-game suspensions would likely be harsher under Parros.
Parros says the department does not need to make a major shake-up but to adjust in specific areas.
鈥淚f you can tell that something was done on purpose and it has nothing to do with the play ... whether it鈥檚 stick work into a guy鈥檚 face or something like that, these nonhockey types of plays, these major incidents that don鈥檛 happen too often, but I鈥檇 like to come down harder on those,鈥 Parros said.
The league plans to more closely monitor certain kinds of slashing, namely those to players鈥 hands that cause injury. Sidney Crosby severed Marc Methot鈥檚 finger and Eric Staal broke Johnny Gaudreau鈥檚 finger with slashes last season.
鈥淚f they seem to be more intentful or directed towards the fingers and hands with greater force, we鈥檙e going to be looking to do something: fines, suspensions, whatever it might be,鈥 Parros said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to try and change player behaviour and we鈥檙e very well aware that you can鈥檛 get every slash and it鈥檚 not a huge issue, but obviously it鈥檚 something that鈥檚 becoming a problem.鈥
Parros spent nine seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, Colorado Avalanche, Anaheim Ducks, Florida Panthers and Montreal Canadiens. He says he paid attention to discipline when he played and eyed a role in player safety. He worked the past year as a director of player safety with now Florida Panthers senior adviser Chris Pronger and others.
Parros graduated from Princeton in 2003 with an economics degree. Commissioner Gary Bettman says Parros 鈥減ossesses one of the brightest and most innovative young minds in our game.鈥
鈥淗e has immersed himself in all aspects of player safety during the last 12 months, and his selection to run this department not only will maintain the stability and consistency in decision-making that have been essential to the department鈥檚 success but also will enable it to continue evolving in step with our game,鈥 Bettman said.
Fully aware that being the discipline czar is a 鈥渢hankless job,鈥 Parros doesn鈥檛 mind taking the heat from players and general managers and potentially angering fans. For someone who spent a career taking and delivering punches to protect teammates, this is a natural transition.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an intense environment, but I like that,鈥 Parros said. 鈥淚 like that intensity. I鈥檓 not playing anymore, and that鈥檚 an interesting job. It鈥檚 not your 9 to 5, but nothing is in this game.鈥
To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile.
Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation