The Official MERB 2010-2011 NHL Hockey Thread

[JLB]

Kubina suspended

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=357390

Kubina from T Bay has been suspended for an elbow to the head. I guess he should have guided Bolland's head at full speed into the turnbuckle and he wouldn't have lost any salary.

Seriously this is an ugly incident and the NHL blew it.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Lol, so your saying being the 42th player out of ALL NHL'ERS makes him a bad player? man o' man, i guess you dont know a thing about hockey, lol. What it means is, Phil, being the quiet shy type, is not the most popular out of the 24 greatest offensive players in the game, but still is in the Top Echelon in his sport. As a matter of fact as of a week ago, he had more goals than the great Alex Ovechkin did all season, and Phil does not have that true #1 Centreman playing alongside of him, and he is a few years younger as well. The ceiling for Kessel is huge to say the least. PLUS he got a brand new car and $20,000 to give to charity, i would say that #81 was the last one smiling. Plus he makes over 5 mil a season, not to shabby for a 30 goal scorer at only 23 years of age, not even close to his prime yet.

Very well spoken, Iggy! I totally agree with your statement!

 

[Doc Holliday]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=357390

Kubina from T Bay has been suspended for an elbow to the head. I guess he should have guided Bolland's head at full speed into the turnbuckle and he wouldn't have lost any salary.

Seriously this is an ugly incident and the NHL blew it.

I guess habs fans will gather along Ste Catherine street after their next game, destroy a few cop cars, break a few windows & burn down a couple of businesses.

 

[Techman]

... Maybe if the players used better helmets, you wouldn't have so many head injuries. But players don't want to wear better helmets because they're a bit bigger & heavier.

Let's face it, Techie. Injuries are part of the game. They're unfortunate, but they do happen & it comes with the territory. Where were you when Matt Cooke nearly decapitated Marc Savard last year & never got any further discipline for his bush-league move? Yep, i thought so!

the size of the helmet is irelevant. This has been proven by studies of football players whose helmets are considerably stronger and much more protective than a hockey helmet. Regardless of the helmet, the brain is still shaken around the skull and concussions arise. I actually think that if the associated protective gear being worn today was reduced in size, such as elbow and shoulder pads, there would be less concussions as a result.

I'm no fan of Matt Cooke and think he also got away scott free and you'd know that if you read one of my earlier posts where I mentioned his name in relation to Mario's statement of a month or so ago. As far as I'm concerned, Todd Bertuzzi has no business still being in the game either after what he did to Moore. the NHL had a chance to make a statement and once again the screwed the pooch. No big surprise considering who's in charge of the league.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Habs vs. Blues tonight. Will Jaroslav Halak haunt his former team?

 

[JLB]

I guess habs fans will gather along Ste Catherine street after their next game, destroy a few cop cars, break a few windows & burn down a couple of businesses.

that was another ugly incident. But unrelated to the violent blow that Chara delivered to a young players noggin.

 

[Techman]

With all due respect to EB, what was proposed is preposterous to say the least. It would NEVER work, and those of us who played organized hockey totally understand this. You cant just make that big of a change to a game like that. Players are taught since they were lil kids how to play each situation as a D'man and as a O'man, you cant just change the rules because of a few injuries, you have to do something, but not change the game drastically.

The only way headshots and severe injury "hits" will stop, is if the player, who is "deemed responsible" by the proper authorities (NHL), is given a suspension for as long as the player is out, up to a certain max of games, say 20 or 30. With that said, it has to be ruled on by the NHL that there was intent to injure, aka, a dirty play.

I agree with you right up to your last statement. Players must be held accountable for all their actions in the same way that they are currently held accountable for accidental high stick penalties. Perhaps the suspension could be reduced, but a suspension must be given none the less. If a player ends another player's career due to a deliberate attack, that player should receive a lifetime ban from the game.

 

[lgna69xxx]

That will also never happen, is it the game of Hockey's fault? Should a player who is part of a brand called the "NHL" be kicked out forever, a player with a respected past and for the most part is a clean and not a dirty player? A player who if playing in the NHL is promoting that brand, even if he does something boneheaded once. Chara's downfall if any, is that he is a HUGE man. His size gets him in trouble at times but his size is what makes him $7mil a year.

Take Bertuzzi and what he did, he was a thug, no doubt, but he paid his dues and if he ever loses the lawsuit then he will pay alot more, with his wallet, BUT, he is a key ingredient in the BRAND, called, the NHL. He is playing some of the best hockey in his career these days with the red wings and further taking that BRAND aka, The NHL, to higher levels. Yes he was a thug and what he did was wrong, BUT, as i said, he paid his dues and still lives with the fact of having to pay millions out of pocket, plus he has to live with himself and what he did for the rest of his life. has he been a repeat offender? Its a very very fragile situation what is going on with Max Pac and Chara, its sad anyway you look at it, and it is unfortunate he got hurt.

I am still not really sure as to which way i lean, it has nothing to do with the teams, i hate them both. If anything i would take into account, it is the FACT Chara is not a thug, he is just BIG! and he is well respected around the league, just look at the Allstar Skills competition and all the congrats from both teams when he won the hardest shot, and the fans response as well. And it was a typical defensive play, now the only thing is, did he really try to line up Max Pac with the turnbuckle??? Only Chara knows this.

If a player ends another player's career due to a deliberate attack, that player should receive a lifetime ban from the game.

 

[Doc Holliday]

If a player ends another player's career due to a deliberate attack, that player should receive a lifetime ban from the game.

Tell this to Ted Green, Steve Moore & the late Ace Bailey. And what to say about Bill Masterton, who lost his life due to a devastating bodycheck during a hockey game.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Heck yea he is! Remember who was hoping kaberle to Montreal for this guy a few weeks ago?

Max Pacioretty,

Here's hoping that he'll make full recovery from his injuries. He's one heck of a player & i'd take him on my team anytime.

 

[Techman]

Tell this to Ted Green, Steve Moore & the late Ace Bailey. And what to say about Bill Masterton, who lost his life due to a devastating bodycheck during a hockey game.

And your point is? Do you see me disagreeing with you?

lgna, so what if Bertuzzi is playing some of the best hockey of his career? There are probably thousands of people in prisons who could be having great careers in their field if they hadn't done something boneheaded. Should they be allowed to go free? Why is it that sports figures are allowed to get away with so much just because they play a fucking game? Someone's talent or abilities in their chosen field should never be used as an excuse for their actions. Never.

And I may disagree with you about Chara being a thug. Check out JH Fan's post 353 in this thread. His history is filled with examples of being a poor sport who can't handle losing and takes it out on other players. This is just another example to add to the list. And because he was let off without punishment, again, your argument can be used again the next time he does something.

I think the NHL justice system is worse than the Canadian one. And that's really saying something.

 

[lgna69xxx]

My point is like i stated, IS it the NHL's fault for Max Pac getting injured on what seemingly is a normal interference call? should the BRAND known as the NHL suffer ? Bertuzzi is helping that said BRAND by his play after doing a MAJOR THUG play several years ago. Should he pay forever or help improve the Brand? Thus helping the NHL

And your point is? Do you see me disagreeing with you?

lgna, so what if Bertuzzi is playing some of the best hockey of his career? .

 

[evillethings]

At least I played some hockey for a short time...did YOU? I never said he didn't know what he was doing.

Funny how people make assumptions about others depending on whether they agree with the point of view while knowing nothing about them. Should anyone say you never played professional baseball because they don't agree with your view? NO. That is foolish.

Merlot, Y O Y do u want to start shit with ppl ALL THE TIME? Stop raging on me!

If a general statement offends you personally... again, a general statement... ignore or walk away... you might not be suited for a message board enviro where ppl share. I think you need to take time away from the sex board buddy... it's not helping ur personality.

 

[Techman]

My point is like i stated, IS it the NHL's fault for Max Pac getting injured on what seemingly is a normal interference call? should the BRAND known as the NHL suffer ? Bertuzzi is helping that said BRAND by his play after doing a MAJOR THUG play several years ago. Should he pay forever or help improve the Brand? Thus helping the NHL

Yes, it is the NHL's fault for the injury. By not giving out heavy fines and suspensions to those who break the rules and deliberately injure other players, they open the door to allow such things to continue to happen. As far as Bertuzzi, OK I'll make you a deal. Have him banned from the game for the same length of time as he would have spent in jail for such an assault away from the rink. That should be what? 5 years for attempted manslaughter?

I don't see where guiding a players head into the turnbuckle is a 'normal interference call'. That was a deliberate and premeditated attempt to injure. I don't believe a word that comes out of Chara's mouth when he talks about what happened. Chara had been after him for two games and finally got what he wanted. Revenge for a tap that he got after an overtime goal. And it seems to be a very common thing on the Bruins because Lucic admitted going after another Habs player late in the game to get revenge for a fight that one of his own teammates started and lost in the previous game.

They remind me of a line in Star Wars, the original film, when R2D2 is beating Chewbacka in some game. Solo tells him to "Let him have it. It's not wise to upset a Wookiee". When C3PO replies "But sir, nobody worries about upsetting a droid", Solo returns with "That's 'cause droids don't pull people's arms out of their sockets when they lose. Wookiees are known to do that." Maybe the Bruins should change the name of their team to the Wookiees, they certainly seem to act like them.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Considering the NHL is making tons of money promoting & selling videos/dvds with fights, hits & other violence......headshots & dirty plays will be in the game as long as the league milks as much money as it can from the on-ice violence. The NFL is in the same boat. It reminds me of the government & the tobacco industry. The government says it's against smoking, however, they're making millions or billions in taxes from their sale.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Yes, it is the NHL's fault for the injury. By not giving out heavy fines and suspensions to those who break the rules and deliberately injure other players, they open the door to allow such things to continue to happen. As far as Bertuzzi, OK I'll make you a deal. Have him banned from the game for the same length of time as he would have spent in jail for such an assault away from the rink. That should be what? 5 years for attempted manslaughter?

I don't see where guiding a players head into the turnbuckle is a 'normal interference call'. That was a deliberate and premeditated attempt to injure. I don't believe a word that comes out of Chara's mouth when he talks about what happened. Chara had been after him for two games and finally got what he wanted. Revenge for a tap that he got after an overtime goal. And it seems to be a very common thing on the Bruins because Lucic admitted going after another Habs player late in the game to get revenge for a fight that one of his own teammates started and lost in the previous game.

Your bias for the Habs & your hate for Chara is blinding you to the fact that Chara didn't do anything out of the ordinary. He made the play he was supposed to make. If he would have made the same play at the opposite end of the rink, nothing would have come of it. The problem is the rink's configuration at the Bell Center. Many players hit that 'turnbuckle' when being checked into it, but the outcome was different than the one we saw last night. The league correctly ruled against fining or suspending Chara. This is hockey. If you're not happy, simply stop watching it & watch Oprah instead.

By the way, Max Pacioretty is currently at home, likely eating popcorn & drinking a few beers while watching his former goalie try to shut-out his team, the habs.

 

[evillethings]

If the Chara/Pacioretty play had occurred at the opposite side of the rink, would we be talking about this today?

I rest my case...

True Doc Hoilliday, but since it occurred in 1 of 2 danger zones on the ice (end boards and stanchions near benches)... it is a big deal - like a D rushin back to touch up, back turned with a hard skating forechecker bee-lining right behind to deliver a hit.

You kinda made the case of ppl who think the play was intentional. Dmen know where they are more than any other positional player... on ice awareness is heighten when you play the game moving fwd + backward.

I think the topic of stanchions will come up at the next GM meeting or next summer when the revu League rule changes. This incident is similar to the incidents that lead to goal posts being mounted on magnets, then rubber tubes.

 

[evillethings]

Yes, it is the NHL's fault for the injury. By not giving out heavy fines and suspensions to those who break the rules and deliberately injure other players, they open the door to allow such things to continue to happen...

Yep, NHL has missed so many opportunities to set a higher standard for player safety yet bailed each and everytime. You'd think they would've started with the Crosby head shot but they missed out there too. Sad to see lots of talented players getting knocked out for extended periods with no punishment from the league to correct the on-ice cheap shots.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Would you be posting about this and sentencing Chara to Life in Prison if you were, lets say, a Atlanta or Florida fan? Point is, like others have pointed out, it was a very common play which is taught to a D`man since the begining of a child learning to play in organized Hockey. And it was as much of a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time as it was deliberate. We will never know unless Chara decides on a tell all book someday, but lets kick a high profile player who helps grow the brand of the NHL everytime he laces his skates, out of the league forever???? Call the Lynch Mob on him eh? get real. If anything he should of got a 3 game suspension tops.

Hockey is a beautiful sport, graceful, and elegant, yet probably the most Violent sport on earth at the same time, thus it`s appeal.

Yes, it is the NHL`s fault for the injury. By not giving out heavy fines and suspensions to those who break the rules and deliberately injure other players, they open the door to allow such things to continue to happen. As far as Bertuzzi, OK I`ll make you a deal. Have him banned from the game for the same length of time as he would have spent in jail for such an assault away from the rink. That should be what? 5 years for attempted manslaughter?

I don`t see where guiding a players head into the turnbuckle is a `normal interference call`. That was a deliberate and premeditated attempt to injure. I don`t believe a word that comes out of Chara`s mouth when he talks about what happened. Chara had been after him for two games and finally got what he wanted. Revenge for a tap that he got after an overtime goal. And it seems to be a very common thing on the Bruins because Lucic admitted going after another Habs player late in the game to get revenge for a fight that one of his own teammates started and lost.

They remind me of a line in Star Wars, the original film, when R2D2 is beating Chewbacka in some game. Solo tells him to "Let him have it. It`s not wise to upset a Wookiee". When C3PO replies "But sir, nobody worries about upsetting a droid", Solo returns with "That`s `cause droids don`t pull people`s arms out of their sockets when they lose. Wookiees are known to do that." Maybe the Bruins should change the name of their team to the Wookiees, they certainly seem to act like them.
https://merb.cc/name/nm0562679/

 

[lgna69xxx]

I agree, but i still dont believe the Crosby headshot looked that bad, i mean geez, he has been out now 2 months, but when dealing with the head, ya just never know.

Yep, NHL has missed so many opportunities to set a higher standard for player safety yet bailed each and everytime. You'd think they would've started with the Crosby head shot but they missed out there too. Sad to see lots of talented players getting knocked out for extended periods with no punishment from the league to correct the on-ice cheap shots.