What I see too is the Panthers built their team for the playoffs where the League instruct the referees to be very loose on interference hits. I saw that in last night game a lot again.
Zito and Maurice understood perfectly where the league was heading to, and it was no secret for all the other GMs.. Maurice has develop his entire group with a very strong defense system in mind and a style that calls for grit and dedication from all 5 players on the ice at any given time.
Do they cheat sometimes? Of course they do! Hockey is a cheating game played by bullies and bums, it always been. Thats the reason why I still dont believe Montreal is going in the right direction by developing a team strictly based on skills.
The NHL has been piling up $$$$ by selling violence and fist fights before promoting finesse and skills. The team owners have seen their franchise double and triple in value during Bettman’s reign. They certainly wouldnt want to change anything.