NHL Rule 42: Charging- ' as a result of distance traveled shall violently check an opponent in any manner'. In the Flyers Devils 5th game Volchenkov on Schenn, and Rinaldo on Volchenkov were both illegal freight train checks which almost knocked the opponents out of the rink. Both were temporarily injured and yet no charging penalty called. I guess they threw the rule out ever since Schoenfeld charged Cashman into the boards at the Zamboni door and knocked him right through the door and out of the rink. It was around '72 and the Sabre crowd went nuts since Cashman was the league bully. I can't remember if a charging penalty was assessed.

I didn't think there was anything illegal about either hit. Volchenkov stayed on his skates, kept his elbows down and made shoulder to shoulder contact. Rinaldo's hit was fine, also. It was a tough hit, because Volchenkov had just been engaged by another Flyer and his chest was exposed, but Rinaldo didn't do anything wrong (on this play at least).

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This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.
--Emerson

You made my point. No one pays any attention to Rule 42. 'Charging'. It has nothing to do with elbows, head shots, etc. It states that if the distance traveled and the associated 'violence of the check' are excessive it is a 'charge'. I'll grant that it is a judgement call but those checks qualified. Those kind of checks can result in concussions, but who cares; we're all having fun, aren't we?