Wheel o' Stephanie (formerly Shanny)

Good convo about the head down and head hunting.

In the end, the suspension is a result of the NHL's phobia about getting a humongous financial settlement on the players' side over concussions. I agree that given this reality, the NHL should legislate both the "victim" and the "aggressor" elements of the game. Giving McAvoy a game suspension makes it seem like he's the sole culprit.

I like Cat's reasoned response to not hitting at all. But, that's not hockey! It's not realistic to expect someone who's been hitting opponents all his life to change radically.

I am not saying that we should accept overly aggressive play when it comes to another player's brain box. Just make it clear that putting yourself in a vulnerable - and avoidable - positions is also not acceptable.

BTW, I'm meeting some retired NHLers here in Portugal. Kinda cool. Taught a German guy the phrase: "fucking meow!"

 

Good convo about the head down and head hunting.

In the end, the suspension is a result of the NHL's phobia about getting a humongous financial settlement on the players' side over concussions. I agree that given this reality, the NHL should legislate both the "victim" and the "aggressor" elements of the game. Giving McAvoy a game suspension makes it seem like he's the sole culprit.

I like Cat's reasoned response to not hitting at all. But, that's not hockey! It's not realistic to expect someone who's been hitting opponents all his life to change radically.

I am not saying that we should accept overly aggressive play when it comes to another player's brain box. Just make it clear that putting yourself in a vulnerable - and avoidable - positions is also not acceptable.

BTW, I'm meeting some retired NHLers here in Portugal. Kinda cool. Taught a German guy the phrase: "fucking meow!"

 

i don't see how you can blame the Blue Jackets player. Much like blaming Eric Lindros for having his head down so Scott Stevens can hit him with an elbow to the head. two wrongs don't make a right. NHL players sometimes must put their heads down to see where the puck is and the situation they're in. I am not about to give penalties to both players on hits. Sorry that's not hockey either.

to me Dan, he could've striped him of the puck since it was loose and turned left with the puck. "hitting opponents his whole life?" im not buying that. stick skills, skating and scoring is what he should be focused on as a youth and not hitting players. i know that sounds silly, but dropping the hammer on someone bc they play hockey shouldn't be their primary focus to play the sport. if that was the case - that's the excuse every NFL player has then - i.e. the contact aspect of it. to me hockey is more than hitting and hitting someone when he's not expecting it. it's about the fluid flow of skating, crisp passing, setting up scoring plays and key saves from a goalie. i don't think players start playing hockey as a youth to hit someone. i doubt Wayne Gretzky did.

why did i start playing street hockey at 5 yrs old? A-I was the youngest of 8 kids and my 4 older brothers needed new meat to beat up on. they liked beating me up with whacks on my legs and elbows in the corners. i liked playing bc i could score goals, had a wicked, deadly and accurate slap shot and i could read defenses and shut down offenses. i wasn't the best or fastest kid out there, but i wanted to win and loved to play. i wasn't in it for the hitting. never was. i wanted to win and score the most goals possible.

in late grammar school and HS me and my buddies played rival teams from our schools. the only purpose was to win for bragging rights in the school. every weekend was booked in NE Philly at every dead end street, abandoned tennis and basketball court. to win a game meant bragging rights till the rematch. that's what hockey as a early teen was all about. now most of the area build street hockey rinks now!! sadly most are empty. we would've killed for them.

in HS i was on several bad teams starting at the age of 14 in a men's adult league. this was about many things. playing in a real rink under the lights with people in the stands. it was having real, but shitty referees and playing for the league title. it was about wearing a real jersey with team colors etc. Our teams stunk, but i was in a men's league at 14! many rival teams we played on as kids would also join this men's league to continue our rivalries. that's what it was about. in fact, the league due to a very bad incident years earlier was no fighting, no hits from behind and light checking along the boards. they didnt want to face lawsuits.

finally in college was Intramural Hockey. More dorm floor bragging rights and winning the Intramural Title. the college didnt allowed hitting of any kind or fighting.

my point to all of this ... there's more to the game of hockey than hitting Dan.

 

i don't think the Blue Jacket player meant to put himself in that position. plays unfold that way. pucks bounce funny and odd plays happen. hard to fault anyone for the quickness of the game and the results that come out of no where??

 

Bingo, nail on head.

 

really ? it's a money issue over CTE and concussions? how about it being about the safety of the players from a dangerous hit ? the hit was wrong. that's what it should be about !

 

thats really cool, any names we might know?

 

Bill Lochead - #9 overall draft pick in 1974 by Detroit. He had about 350 GP then went to Germany.

Also, met Pat Flatley, HoFer in Ireland.

I knew both of these guys but the others are a lot more obscure. I have been pleased to convert a Portuguese guy into a Sabres fan.

 

Mike Ribiero is Portuguese, ask someone there what eeesh-ga-rai means. I've overheard some say that here.

 

thats great Dan. I remember Pat Flatley, think i had a thousand of his cards back in the day.
how long are you over there?

if you like this guy you should tell him its not too late to become a Bruins fan.

 

I'm flying home on the 17th.

Sheesh, Matty. You, yourself, said: "if you like the guy..."

I'm now 2 for 2. There's now a big Sabres fan in Stockholm too.

 

the Ferland hit on Grzelcyk is a good example of why you cant just punish players every time the head gets hit. this is a great hit and completely on Grzelcyk, keep that head up.

 

they need to do something bc if that is a "good hit" you won't have anyone left in the league to play.

 

Matt Grzelcyk came back and scored 2 goals and was the #1 star of the game. and that was a great hit and the recipient needs to keep his head up, this aint tennis.

 

that was your excuse last week too. so now it's the players fault for having their head down for a split second and allowing the Boston player a free pass to crush him. Basically, it's open season on them ? if you want that barbarism go watch the MMA.

 

I whole-heartedly agree with, Matty. Im not trying to pile-on you, Cat, just saying that a very basic fundamental of hockey has always been 'stick down - head up'. Ive heard it since I first discovered the game in the late 60's, its always harped on.

Many players are, especially come playoffs, are ramp up a hundred notch's and supposed to hit... hitting is hockey, period. If the puck handler has the puck he SHOULD be EXPECTING to get hit, so keep your head up! If the player in possession of the puck isn't keeping within the fundamentals of the game he should be held responsible and accountable for whatever negative consequences occur.

Having said that, a combatant should and can be responsible for a reckless, needless, injury causing shot to an unexpected player hit from behind, but if hit diagonally or straight on, what's fair is fair.

 

to allow a sideways or straight on hit all because their head is down is going to hurt a lot of players. like i said about the other hit, there are times and situations where the game is so fast, the players lose sight of the puck or their position and need to put their head down to see where the hell they or the puck is. to me that doesn't give anyone else on the ice an open pass to drop them like a bad habit with a shot to the head. sorry, but bc a player has his head down, he's also vulnerable too whether you like it or not. that hit from the boston player could've done a ton of damage sending a smaller player like that flying into the boards. he was thankfully okay this time. next time won't be so lucky.

 

If a player fumbling the puck with their head down can’t be hit then the game is no longer hockey.

 

Yes, exactly right. It is a player’s fault for having their head down. Barbarism?!??!? LOL, you’re too much catfish.

 

fine have it your way with more injuries and players out on injury. look at the play above. the canes player flew 1 or 2 feet before hitting the boards. do you not see how dangerous that it ? of course not, you're a Bruins fan who ignores all of their dirty hits and antics this entire playoffs.