HockeyBuzz Code of Conduct

Everyone here loves hockey. But we all know that hockey fans are a passionate lot, and sometimes our emotions get the best of us. So to that end, we've put together this list of rules. Our goal is to make this a community where everyone in hockey from the common fan to players, GMs and League officials would be comfortable visiting and discussing all things hockey.

Please note that all of these rules apply to everything on the site–that includes your posts, your avatars and locations, and your PMs (private messages).

1. Decisions made by Moderators are final
Mods are volunteers dedicated to keeping the forums civil and hockey talk flowing. If you don’t want to face bans, follow the code of conduct. Often Mods will warn before banning, but they aren’t required to. You are assumed to have read this Code of Conduct.

Occasionally a moderator will delete an offending post (and following posts that quote it) without banning. If that happens to you, consider yourself lucky to have avoided the ban and move on without comment.

2. Please keep threads on-topic
Try to keep things on-topic. If Eklund writes a blog on Eastern Conference trade rumors, and you want to talk about the latest NHL video game, please locate the appropriate thread, or create a new one, in the forums.

And yes, there is some more leeway given for general discussion on the threads of the team’s bloggers. But when the thread is devoted to discussing hockey, keep to the point at hand.

3. No foul language or vulgarity
This is a general audience website. This means the content should be appropriate for guests of all ages. We don’t want HockeyBuzz to show up on an unsafe site screen.

Steer clear of using any of George Carlin's "Seven Words You Can't Say on Television". The filter is there for a reason, if you change a word in order to foil the filter, you will get a timeout.

The moderators will decide what's out of line. But if it is not safe for work (NSFW), it is out of line.

4. Respect HockeyBuzz
We welcome links to hockey news or commentary that will generate discussion at HockeyBuzz. Please do not post links to other hockey forums, rumor sites, or fantasy hockey sites, which obviously are our direct competitors. Also, do not use HockeyBuzz to promote products or unrelated websites.

5. Respect the HockeyBuzz Bloggers
Bloggers should be treated with respect at all times. They do a lot of work behind the scenes to dig up information for you. If you want to disagree with them, that's OK, but whether you agree or disagree, do not attack them personally.

6. Respect your fellow HockeyBuzzers
No name calling. And you’re not being clever if you say “any moron knows” or “only an idiot doesn’t understand.” You’re being disrespectful. Talk more about hockey and less about each other. Although playful banter is allowed, that does not mean anything goes, if the banter breaks any part of the code of conduct, it isn’t playful and it is not acceptable. When “Player X stinks" turns into "You stink" you've crossed the line. And yes, the Moderators decide where the line is.

No racial slurs or otherwise derogatory comments based on the target's assumed race, religion, gender, country, sexual orientation, or language. This goes not only for posters and bloggers but for players, management, officials, their families, and others in the public eye. This is a hockey forum for hockey discussion, take hate speech elsewhere.

Do not threaten or intimidate others—posters or bloggers. Just don't do it. If you threaten another member, expect a long, long ban.

It is not against the rules for someone to disagree with you.

7. No trolling and no feeding the trolls
All posters are welcome in all threads, regardless of team loyalty, to discuss hockey. But do not post merely to inflame or disrupt.

Do not engage those who are out to disrupt the thread. Simply hit the post report button "!" and the Mods will deal with it from there.

Do not correct the spelling and grammar of other posters. Their errors may make you question how much credence to give their opinions, that’s up to you, but correcting their lapses is rude and trollish.

8. No threads or posts speculating on the identity of Eklund or any other anonymous blogger.

9. No accusations of "Rumor Theft"
Eklund does not "steal" rumors. If he sees a previously unreported rumor elsewhere, he will always credit the writer/blogger in question.

10. Rumors must be given a source unless a poster has been approved by HockeyBuzz—No fake trades.
If you didn’t read it on a HockeyBuzz blog, please link to legitimate news source. There's too much going on in the REAL hockey world without posting fake rumors and trades. If you have a REAL source, email Eklund.