Intent, malice, really??

Under NHL rules if your stick makes contact with a player's facial area it's a high-sticking penalty. Regardless of if the player "meant" to do it. You must be in control of your stick at all times. (Imagine that.)

Will someone please tell me why this appears to be the only rule that takes this sort of "you must be aware of your actions regardless of intent"?

Certainly swinging your stick around is dangerous. There's always the danger of contact with eyes, but many times a player gets clipped and it's a few stitches or no injury at all. But it's an automatic penalty.

Somehow a player can be irresponsible with everything except the stick and give a player a concussion that can stick with you forever -- and -- it's all good?

Everyone knows it's not "all good" but that's the message the NHL sent today when it decided not to hand out any further disciplinary action against Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara. 

I've seen a lot of comment about the hit on Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty. If you're one of the few people who haven't watched TV or been on the internet in the last 24 hours here it is.



Chara had his head up. The puck was long gone. He was called for interference and booted from the game.

In Mike Murphy's statement about the hit, the excuse is that Chara didn't leave his feet and he didn't "target" Pacioretty's head. In my opinion he absolutely targetted the head. Maybe he didn't put his elbow directly into his head but he certainly pushed Pacioretty into the glass in a way that his head would inevitably make contact with a solid object. 

"Oh but he didn't MEAN to do it".

Give me a break. I don't care what you say, Chara saw that glass coming. Besides, I could care less if he meant to do it. There are murderers who stand before a judge and say they didn't "mean" to do it. Too bad buddy, you're still going to jail.Why can't the NHL treat it's players like that.

Max Pacioretty is undoubtedly out for the season with a "severe concussion" and several broken vertebrae. He's lucky he's not paralyzed. The Habs are now without a player who's been putting up excellent numbers for an AHL call-up. That's not justice.

Then there's the fact the NHL is without it's star. Sidney Crosby was on a tear. Perhaps a record-breaking tear. They were without him at the All-Boring-Game. And they may be without him for the playoffs. Because some guy on the Capitals didn't "mean" to get his elbow up and hit him in the head.

Enough with this 'intent' bullshit.

I can't understand how the NHL can continually let this slide. The dysfunction is mindboggling. Absolutely mindf$^$ingboggling.

Jennifer Casey was born and raised in Halifax. She loves all sports but tries to stick to writing about hockey for sanity purposes. You can follow her on twitter @jenncaseyhfx or find her on her blog National Passtime

QMJHL ponders what to do with Scandella

After handing out a season-long + playoffs suspension to Patrice Cormier for an elbow to the head that left the Quebec Rempart's Mikael Tam convulsing on the ice, the QMJHL has a ponderous situation on their hands.

Val-d'Or defenceman Marco Scandella, who also played with Cormier on Team Canada at the World Juniors, finds himself in a very similar situation:

 

Thursday the QMJHL handed an indefinite suspension while they figure out what to do with Scandella.

A few week ago, the QMJHL did the same thing and a week later suspended Patrice Cormier for the rest of the season. The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies said they plan on appealing the "excessive decision", and said that should the Huskies go all the way, the suspension has the potential to be 48 games.

To me, 48 games is not enough.

And here's where the QMJHL needs to step in. Sure Alexandre Durette walked away from this one. He has some really gross stitches on his mouth, but he walked away. He wasn't left on the ice convulsing, he wasn't taken out on a stretcher, and he didn't end up in the hospital with brain injuries.

But his visor did shatter into pieces.

He was lucky.

And this is where the QMJHL has to step in and push the common complaint out the door, that big suspensions only happens when someone is seriously hurt.

There doesn't seem to be near the outrage about the Scandella hit as there was about the Cormier hit. And yet it's equally disgusting. It's equally as dangerous. And if it shattered his visor and sent his stick flying about 30 feet in the air, then it probably could've/should've shattered a few facial bones.

There was no penalty on the call, despite there are several infractions that could've been called. Charging and elbowing would've been a good start. The kid was definitely bleeding, isn't that an extra two?

How many kids have to have luck on their side before a hit-to-the-head is an automatic suspension and a fine to the team.

That's what the QMJHL should do. Unfortunately Scandella needs to sit out the rest of the season. And grassroots hockey needs to start teaching a little respect on the ice.

Jennifer Casey was born and raised in Halifax. She loves all sports but tries to stick to writing about hockey for sanity purposes. You can follow her on twitter @jenncaseyhfx

Classless.

Just yesterday Patrice Cormier made what I would consider a classy move:

"I fully respect the Quebec Major Junior League's decision regarding the Mikael Tam incident," Cormier said in a statement released by his Halifax-based agent Tim Cranston.

"I deeply regret the circumstances surrounding this event and wish Mikael Tam a speedy and full recovery."

Just over a week ago, Patrice Cormier laid out a vicious elbow on the Quebec Rempart's Mikael Tam. Tam was left convulsing on the ice and was taken to hospital with head trauma. The
QMJHL suspended Cormier for the rest of the season Monday.

After Cormier's statement we all thought this nasty incident had come to an end -- Patrice Cormier was going to accept his punishment from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Hold on a minute, gang.

The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies said Tuesday they will appeal the suspension.

Coach and GM Andre Tourigny calls it "excessive" and complains that if Rouyn-Noranda went the whole way in the playoffs, Cormier could serve up to 48 games.

I understand that the Huskies have been screwed in this affair.

They just gave up a boatload of high draft picks (17-year-old forwards Michael Beaudry and Alexandre Mallet, two first-round draft picks in 2010 and first- and second-round draft picks in 2012.) in return for Jordan Caron and Cormier.

But that is the risk this team took when they decided to go for a player like Patrice Cormier. They took the risk that he might do something untimely and stupid.

Many have complained that Cormier is being used as an example. GOOD. Hits to the head have to stop. And players don't appear to be getting the message. Someone needs to be made an example of.

To make matters worse, Cormier decided to change his statement slightly.

"I respect the decision of the QMJHL even if I find it too severe," Cormier told The Canadian Press.

The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies look silly. The entire hockey community knew that the QMJHL would serve Cormier no less than the rest of the season. An appeal just further drags hockey, the league, the team and Cormier through the mud.

Jennifer Casey was born and raised in Halifax. She loves all sports but tries to stick to writing about hockey for sanity purposes. You can follow her on twitter @jenncaseyhfx

If I were the NJ Devils I'd be a little concerned...

Patrice Cormier has never been a particularly disciplined hockey player.

But in the past two months, it's getting downright unimpressive.

Rewind to December 2009 at the World Juniors. Despite wearing the captain's C, Cormier took several extremely dumb penalties in the preliminary exhibition round.

Including an elbow on Sweden's Anton Rodin leaving him with a bloody nose. Didn't Canadians hang Jack Johnson out to dry when he did that exact thing to Steve Downie in the 2006 World Juniors?

Sure, in this case it was prelims, but an elbow's an elbow.

These games are supposed to be treated like a real game. And leading by taking, untimely, dumb, retaliatory penalties is no way to lead.

Fast forward to yesterday afternoon's game in Rouyn-Noranda. Before you hit play on the video below, a warning: it's ugly. It's real ugly. The hit occurs just after the 1 minute mark.



The hit on Quebec Remparts defenseman Mikael Tam occurred in overtime. There was no immediate provocation. No reason to throw up an elbow into someone's face. Cormier had just come off the bench.

If you keep watching, Tam was convulsing on the ice. He was eventually taken off the ice on a stretcher. He's in hospital in stable condition, however he has trauma to his skull and brain and lost several teeth.

For what?

Seriously Cormier, Keep. your. bows. down.

The QMJHL released a brief statement on the brutal hit Monday, "The incident which occurred during yesterday's game between the Quebec Remparts and the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and which involved Patrice Cormier and Mikael Tam is under review by QMJHL authorities."

Quebec Rempart coach Patrick Roy filed a complaint with Quebec Provincial Police, and really, I don't blame him. His son was taken through the legal system after his fight, and I would consider this much worse. (edit: despite reports in the Canadian Press that say Roy was the one to file the complaint, reports are now that a representative with the team say no one from the team initiated the complaint, they only provided statements)

"This Cormier elbow is sickening on so many levels. I have never been so discouraged about the game of hockey as now," said TSN's Bob MacKenzie on his Twitter account.

Quite frankly I think Cormier should be out for the rest of the season -- Including playoffs.

I would think this is a very likely outcome as well. Considering the precident the OHL set in November when they suspended 20-year-old Michael Liambas of the Erie Otters for the entire season.

It's incredible that Cormier would risk such a fate on something as dumb as an elbow to the face, especially considering what the Huskies gave up in trading for Cormier and Jordan Caron (17-year-old forwards Michael Beaudry and Alexandre Mallet, two first-round draft picks in 2010 and first- and second-round draft picks in 2012.)

Cormier is a New Jersey Devils prospect, and I'm sure they're wondering if a tiger can change its stripes.

Jennifer Casey was born and raised in Halifax. She loves all sports but tries to stick to writing about hockey for sanity purposes. You can follow her on twitter @jenncaseyhfx

Liambus hit

If you haven't seen the hit, check it out.

Did Ben Fanelli turn into the boards? yah a little. Was he being screened by his goaltender and didn't see the hit coming? absolutely. Did Michael Liambas go in there with the intent to sent Fanelli to the hospital? I doubt it.

But I agree with the OHL's decision to suspend Liambas for the entire season and the playoffs. In my mind Liambas becomes an unfortunate example of the message all hockey leagues should be sending. Guys are not looking out for one another out there. Now, this doesn't mean guys should be prancing down the ice holding hands. But recent hits in junior hockey and the NHL have shown a disturbing amount of hits where guys are going in to injure. And I doubt the coaches will step in to halt this trend without the incentive of a lengthy suspension.

Sure, that Mike Richards hit was "legal" however, he probably should have let up a little. You can mentally and physically bruise a guy without sending him to hospital.



This is controversial, since guys are supposed to give it their all. Keep your head up, etc etc. But what does giving it your all do if you kill a guy.

It wasn't a head shot.

First let's take a look at the hit in question.
Doug Weight hits Brandon Sutter:



Doug Weight does not lift his elbow or his shoulder. He is going for a normal hit. Brandon Sutter is reaching for the puck.

Why this is stupid:
- Sutter has lowered his head to shoulder height.
- Sutter is in the neutral zone. Has anyone learned anything from Eric Lindros?
- Hey Sutter! Were your laces tied? you were looking at them awful closely.

Doug Weight went in to stop Sutter from getting the puck and going for a skate. I don't think Weight expected Sutter to suddenly start reaching for the puck and stick his head into Weight's shoulder.

It's sort of like that time in a UFC fight when Rampage Jackson joked, "He really beat my hand up with his face."

It was a clean hit.

I wasn't going to post on this, as I thought it was pretty straight forward. During the television cast the commentators caught on pretty quick that Sutter lowered his head. And most others got it right away as well:

"Sutter, 19, spent Saturday night in the hospital after he was leveled by a hard, clean check from Doug Weight in the Hurricanes' 4-3 victory," said the Free Press.

"Sutter was hurt during Saturday's 4-3 win over Islanders after taking a hard but clean check from Doug Weight," said the Canadian Press.

But then I go over to TSN.ca and they have this piece of work using this Weight-Sutter hit as an example of how the NHL is ignoring hits to the head.

Todd Bertuzzi hits people in the head. Ryan Hollweg hits people in the head. When these guys do something f&%king crazy, go ahead and run this story. But there are hits that happen, and they happen to involve the head. Write your story tsn, but it should be about how players continually put themselves in these stupid and vulnerable positions.

Doug Weight is one of the cleanest players out there. I highly doubt he was head hunting. And if he knew Sutter was going to do what he did — he probably would've held back.


from TSN:

It was an all-too familiar scene for the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, when rookie winger Brandon Sutter went down with a concussion after a hit from former Hurricane and current New York Islander Doug Weight.

The Hurricanes have sustained four severe injuries in recent years, all resulting from shots to the head.

Sutter's concussion was the last straw for Carolina general manager Jim Rutherford, who suggested the league is paying lip service over its concern for players' safety when it comes to headshots.

"The league should at least stop saying it's concerned with hits to the head, because it's not," Rutherford told TSN.ca. "I've had four players - Erik Cole, Trevor Letowski, Matt Cullen and now Sutter - get badly injured on hits to the head and only one of the guys who hit them was suspended. So don't tell me the league is concerned about hits to the head because it's not."

"You can say it's a contact game and it is, and I'm fine with that," added Rutherford. "Just don't say you care about players getting hit in the head because you don't."

But policing becomes a complex issue with a part of a game that's technically not illegal and is deeply entrenched in hockey culture.

Many of these hits occur with a player getting caught with his head down so it's easy to preach against but not so simple to correct, given the pace of today's NHL.

The Montreal Canadiens, opponents of the Hurricanes on Tuesday, have their own story to tell, having lost Andrei Kostitsyn to a concussion last week.

Kostitsyn was injured when his head slammed against the glass and he landed face-first on the ice after being hit. by Kurt Sauer of the Phoenix Coyotes. He is awaiting medical confirmation to decide whether he will face the Hurricanes or miss his third game. The decision could come later today.

"They're trying to eliminate hits to the head and this was a hit to the head, whether or not it was intentional. He got him with his arm," Montreal head coach Guy Carbonneau said after the game.

Carbonneau wonders how long it will be before a player suffers a fate potentially worse than a concussion, such as former Hurricane Erik Cole, whose career and life were jeopardized.

Carbonneau suggests players need to make choices before hitting somebody in a vulnerable position. For the French press he drew a metaphor saying, "I've held a gun in my hand, but I've never wanted to shoot somebody."

Mark Bell hit legal.

Last night Leafs forward Mark Bell rang Daniel Alfredsson's bell. Alfredsson was skating into the slot and was admiring his shot when Mark Bell laid out a giant hit.
There has been much outrage by Ottawa Senators management, claiming that Bell targeted Alfredsson. From what I can tell from the video angles, Bell did not aim at Alfredsson's head, and it was a side-on hit. Also Alfredsson had just released a shot so it is not interference, and was in the slot, what else does he expect? Heads up.

Personally i feel very bad for Alfredsson, I think he's a very good player who is a great leader. I feel even worse for the Senators who are now without their captain, and power forward Mike Fischer who also got injured last night. But, lord thundering, Alfie, tighten up your chin strap. Time and time again we see players get head injuries that could be prevented. What is the point of wearing a helmet if it's not strapped on and is just going to fly off when you need it.
It's probably a pretty safe bet that Alfredsson would not be concussed and out for "weeks" if his helmet stayed on his head.

Haven't seen it? check it out...