A Black day for the NHL

[Topper]

How is what Backstrom did (no injury, no priors - 1 game suspension) worse than what Weber did (no injury, no priors, $2,500 fine)?

Asham gets 4 even though no injury and no priors?

It will be interesting to see what happens with Torres in light of what happened to Keith. Torres has plenty of priors, but the hits were equal in vicious intent.

Watched Shanahan explain these, baffling.

[Strangelove]

Yep, it's anarchy.

[wafflecombine]

I have a sneaking suspicion this was partial payback for the run the Hawks took on Smith. Torres saw opportunity to crush Hossa and took it. Because of Torres history, fact he's a plug hitting a superstar and because Shanny is in panic mode to try and regain some credibility I'm saying a minimum of 5 games.

And I still don't know how the refs missed the play... they are missing a lot these days.

[Island Nucklehead]

How is what Backstrom did (no injury, no priors - 1 game suspension) worse than what Weber did (no injury, no priors, $2,500 fine)?

Asham gets 4 even though no injury and no priors?

It will be interesting to see what happens with Torres in light of what happened to Keith. Torres has plenty of priors, but the hits were equal in vicious intent.

Watched Shanahan explain these, baffling.

Spin the suspension wheel...

I actually think the Torres hit is less vicious than the Keith hit. He left his feet, but he wasn't leading with the elbow looking for a revenge shot. Hossa was crushed, but chances are he misses a similar amount of games to Daniel. My guess is Shanny gives Torres a lifetime ban from hockey and sacrifices his first born son with a battle axe. Then in the second round the same hit will be a $2,500 fine.

[ODB]

I loved the Torres hit. Ol Tinted Visor shouldn't have been admiring his pass. Torres came off the ice a bit but... I don't think he deserves a suspension. It was a "hockey play".

[ESQ]

The NFL is far more unified in public on this front right now because of the 1186 players forming a class action lawsuit against the league because of concussions/head injuries and their aftermath (4 more players sued the NFL directly yesterday in direct response to the Saints bounty program)...

You are right, that was a bit revisionist on my part. The concussion question was raised in the NFL long before it was raised in the NHL, and they did everything they could to bury it.

But then you also look at how much more quickly the NFL moved to protect quarterbacks, and the immediate impact it had. Same thing with when they did change the helmet-to-helmet this year - players hated it, but they swift justice made sure behaviour was changed very quickly.

As for the Torres hit, it reminds me a lot of Kronwall on Kesler - Kronwall also leaves the feet, turns the body, although Kesler did have the puck.

[Fred]

Sounds like that old Cher song and "the beat goes on" how can Shanahan extradite himself from this without exposing himself as a biased judge. It's amess Mr Shanahan and you have to accept responsability. Funny how Kronwall makes the same play and nothing happens. As Toews said last night no one knows what to expect or what's going on any more

[Puck]

Well, the one thing I think you can say is that lack of respect continues to grow.

[Brick Tamland]

So it looks like Torres will get 5 games plus (I'm assuming on account of the inperson hearing)for a hit that the zebra's didn't even call a penalty on....What is wrong with the NHL, regardless of how you feel about the hit, this is just a total gong show.

From TSN:
"Phoenix Coyotes forward Raffi Torres has been suspended indefinitely, pending an in-person hearing on Friday, for his hit on Marian Hossa of the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 3 on Tuesday night."

[Fred]

So it looks like Torres will get 5 games plus (I'm assuming on account of the inperson hearing)for a hit that the zebra's didn't even call a penalty on....What is wrong with the NHL, regardless of how you feel about the hit, this is just a total gong show.

From TSN:
"Phoenix Coyotes forward Raffi Torres has been suspended indefinitely, pending an in-person hearing on Friday, for his hit on Marian Hossa of the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 3 on Tuesday night."

That's what I can't under stand ....the on ice officials. How they watch Keith head hunt and give a 2 min minor, watch the numerous Kronwall hits and give nothing and the no call on Torres makes you wonder what the Hell is going on. No one can give a reasonable excuse. It's time to make the officials avaiable to the media after a game me thinks

[Cornuck]

...makes you wonder what the Hell is going on. No one can give a reasonable excuse.

Less stars = more parity?

[tantalum]

What happens if Ovechkin lines up a Bruins player and sends him off on a stretcher? Ovechkin is a repeat offender but also one of the faces of the league. Man I almost hope it happens (not the wishing part but that is necessary to the purposes of the example) just to see the league squirm.


4 officials on the ice can't even see plays that lead to goals that are 2 feet offside and we want them to actually see and determine what is an isn't a penalty? Pretty high standards for the current crop of officials. NHL really needs to re-think how they are recruiting and training because in all honesty the best international refs are now better than the best NHL refs. International refs don't let things slide. Sometimes I wonder what they are watching but I'll be damned, if they see 11 penalties for one team and only 1 for the other that is how they will call it. No matter who is winning/losing or how bad a team is winning/losing. Wouldn't that be a breath of fresh air right now?

[ESQ]

What happens if Ovechkin lines up a Bruins player and sends him off on a stretcher? Ovechkin is a repeat offender but also one of the faces of the league. Man I almost hope it happens (not the wishing part but that is necessary to the purposes of the example) just to see the league squirm.

And then what happens if the victim is a repeat offender like Brian Boyle? Do you think Boyle being a goon had an effect on Carkner only getting one game?

[donlever]

And then what happens if the victim is a repeat offender like Brian Boyle? Do you think Boyle being a goon had an effect on Carkner only getting one game?

How is Brian Boyle a goon?

[Topper]

Do you think Talbot is feeding lines to the rest of the Flyers to get Sid riled. I think there is a better chance of Sid winding up for a two hander than OV getting into trouble.

Thing is, if it is Sid, the penalty starts in October.