Have you noticed something different about the way that hockey is being shown on TV in the past few years. No, I'm not talking about crystal clear HD or games being carried on that channel way down the dial that shows bull riding and bass fishing. I'm talking about a much more disturbing trend: TV is censoring your hockey games. If you don't believe me, watch next time a scrum breaks out in from the net. The camera will immediately pan away to the crowd or the bench.
Oh sure, they will still show the one on one fights, but not the situation that started the bout. What gives? Are we trying to shield the youth from violence? Do they think advertisers will stop buying time on NHL broadcasts if it is seen as too violent. Let's face it, hockey is a violent sport. Fighting is a part of the game and if the fans can't see the situations that lead up those fights, they are missing a big chunk of the game.
Maybe it has always been this way and I am just noticing it now or maybe the networks really are making a conscious effort to clean up the way the game is presented on television. I don't know the answer to that. All I know is censorship has no place in hockey. I want to see every scuffle, scrum, wash face, and obscene gesture. If it's part of the game, it should be part of the broadcast.