The addition of bruising players like Daniel Carcillo, Sean O’Donnell and Jamal Mayers to the Hawks roster has led to another addition: an overflow penalty box at the United Center.
“We pride ourselves in having a world-class stadium,” said Hawks GM Stan Bowman. “But there’s nothing world-class about stuffing three or four guys in the same penalty box for 20 minutes a game. And given our current roster, that’s the kind of traffic we’re expecting.”
Leading the charge will be Mayers and Carcillo, two veterans who aren’t afraid to drop the gloves or commit a penalty every other shift.
“That’s really nice,” said Carcillo. “My teammates in Philly were always complaining that they couldn’t high-stick anyone because I was always hogging space in the box and they didn’t want to squeeze in. Now me and Jamal and Sean and [John] Scott and everyone else can take all kinds of runs at guys without worrying about being cramped in a small cube.”
The new penalty box will feature a toilet and folding cot to keep players comfortable.
