ESPN NHL

Anaheim - Andy McDonald: Yes "They've made attempts with the obstruction (crackdown), but they seem to have gotten away from that a little bit. I've noticed a difference between this year and the beginning of last year, when they really cracked down at the start of the year. It's the same old story."

	Subscribe at thehockeynews.com.

Boston - P.J. Axelsson: Yes "In the beginning of last year, they were really calling everything. Then it slipped a little bit. It got a little bit less and less. Some games this year they do call it but it's less now than it was at the beginning of last year. You still see the calls out there, they still call it but it's not as much as the beginning of last year."

Buffalo - Jay McKee: No
"I think it's about the same as last year."

Calgary - Robyn Regehr: No
"I don't know if they really wanted to crack down on obstruction again this year, because the slashing was all they really talked about. I know some of the forwards are complaining a little bit, that it's harder to get in on the forecheck, but as a defenseman? I think it's about the same."

Carolina - Craig Adams: No, because there never was a crackdown
"Last year was just as bad. There was no crackdown. In preseason, maybe, or the first two games."

Chicago - Anonymous: Yes
"Are you kidding. You watch the games."

Colorado - Anonymous: Yes

Columbus - Darryl Sydor: No
"I don't think it's changed much. It started to slip at the end of last season, and now it's right back where it was."

Dallas - Brenden Morrow: Yes "They call it for about a month and then scale it back. By the time the playoffs come along, they aren't calling anything."

Detroit - Brett Hull: No, because there never was a crackdown

Edmonton - Anonymous: Yes "It varies from game to game and referee to referee."

Florida - Olli Jokinen: Yes

Los Angeles - Ziggy Palffy: Yes "The season always starts out with a lot of calls but by midseason and especially the playoffs nothing is called. It was the same last year."

Minnesota - Anonymous: Yes "Yeah, I think so, although it that started happening around this time last year. There is more obstruction called earlier in games than later."

Montreal - Joe Juneau: Yes
"Things are pretty bad right now. They sent a tape to all the players before the season and made us watch it, claiming this was how the rules would be interpreted and enforced. The plays they said would be called haven't been. It's always the same thing."

Nashville - Jim McKenzie: Yes

New Jersey - Scott Niedermayer: Yes
"It was supposed to be the same as last season? It's definitely different than it was at the start of last year. It helped you forecheck, but I don't know if it helped create any more wide-open plays."

N.Y. Islanders - Anonymous: No, because there never was a crackdown
"There was a crackdown last season? No, then I see no difference."

N.Y. Rangers - Bobby Holik: No, because there never was a crackdown
"It's almost never called the way [the league] said it would be, and everyone complains. But on those few nights that the referees do make the calls by the book, everyone complains about that, too."

Ottawa - Chris Phillips: Yes
"They have a tough job to do and I don't want to say anything that might get me on their bad side. There's not a right way or a wrong way. Players just want the officials to be consistent."

Philadelphia - Jeremy Roenick: Yes

Phoenix - Chris Gratton: Yes
"I think every year they try to tighten up in a couple areas, then it kind of reverts to the way it was before. But even though I think they're letting a little more stuff go, I think they're doing a pretty good job."

Pittsburgh - Aleksey Morozov: No
"There's more room in the neutral penalties and fewer penalties because the players are smart and know what will be called."

St. Louis - Anonymous: Yes

San Jose - Jonathan Cheechoo: Yes
"It varies from night to night, and of course we're going to complain about having to fight through the sticks, but overall it's the same as last year."

Tampa Bay - Tim Taylor: Yes

Toronto - Anonymous: Yes
"Yes. It's a joke."

Vancouver - Mike Keane: Yes
"It's not even close to the video they're showing us."

Washington - Anonymous: Yes
"Absolutely. They don't seem to be paying as much attention to the little stuff as they did early last year."

Material from The Hockey News.
To subscribe, visit The Hockey News web site at: http://www.thehockeynews.com