The sad but interesting aftermath of that Chara hit is the rivalry will reach a new level in the remaining games betw the teams this season. Can't wait for the next few matchups... hopefully the playoffs!
The Official MERB 2010-2011 NHL Hockey Thread
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I don't care what team Campbell's son plays for, if he has a son playing in the league and as a result has to recuse himself from ANY decision- no matter how big or small - he should resign his position. The incident that happened with Chara is one of the most violent I've ever seen and the person in charge of discipline is unable to do his job because his kid is on that particular team. THAT IS WRONG! The head of discipline of ANY sports league should be able to do his job without any possible sign of conflict of interest. If he can't do that, he shouldn't be holding that position and someone else should. Better yet, how about an independant panel with no connection to any player or team? Campbell has proven over and over again, and your example is a perfect one, that he is unable to do his job properly. It's time for a change.
Oh yeah...in case anyone cares, I played hockey for about 12 years, right up to Midget AA.
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Pacioretty's statement on the incident
To TSN's Bob McKenzie, as reported on their website late Wednesday night:
"I am upset and disgusted that the league didn't think enough of (the hit) to
suspend him. I'm not mad for myself, I'm mad because if other players see a hit
like that and think it's okay, they won't be suspended, then other players will
get hurt like I got hurt."
"It's been an emotional day. I saw the video for the first time this morning.
You see the hit, I've got a fractured vertebrae, I'm in hospital and I thought
the league would do something, a little something. I'm not talking a big number,
I don't know, one game, two games, three games...whatever, but something to show
that it's not right."
"I heard (Chara) said he didn't mean to do it. I felt he did mean to do it. I
would feel better if he said he made a mistake and that he was sorry for doing
that, I could forgive that, but I guess he's talking about how I jumped up or
something."
"I believe he was trying to guide my head into the turnbuckle. We all know
where the turnbuckle is. It wasn't a head shot like a lot of head shots we see
but I do feel he targeted my head into the turnbuckle."
Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/Pacioretty+statement/4413166/story.html#ixzz1GCQklWQC
To TSN's Bob McKenzie, as reported on their website late Wednesday night:
"I am upset and disgusted that the league didn't think enough of (the hit) to
suspend him. I'm not mad for myself, I'm mad because if other players see a hit
like that and think it's okay, they won't be suspended, then other players will
get hurt like I got hurt."
"It's been an emotional day. I saw the video for the first time this morning.
You see the hit, I've got a fractured vertebrae, I'm in hospital and I thought
the league would do something, a little something. I'm not talking a big number,
I don't know, one game, two games, three games...whatever, but something to show
that it's not right."
"I heard (Chara) said he didn't mean to do it. I felt he did mean to do it. I
would feel better if he said he made a mistake and that he was sorry for doing
that, I could forgive that, but I guess he's talking about how I jumped up or
something."
"I believe he was trying to guide my head into the turnbuckle. We all know
where the turnbuckle is. It wasn't a head shot like a lot of head shots we see
but I do feel he targeted my head into the turnbuckle."
Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/Pacioretty+statement/4413166/story.html#ixzz1GCQklWQC
Wooo what a little devil !
Now this new episode is interesting... Big Bad Bruins fan like to see their team being though and brag about it. But when it become dirty they get all pissed at feelin' guilty.
What's the matter boys ?
Philly's fan don't give a sh*t at feelin' guilty when their team gets dirty.
I suspect with time you Boston guys got a little softy.
Even Special K came out of the blues with an urge to rant a bit.
Maybe put a little hydrochloride in your daily dose ?
Anyway. Like Evil said... it's a cheap shot that went too far !
So next time I hear someone complaining about PK Subsh*t, it will be my pleasure to rant
My take on the Chara/Pacioretty hit:
It's a play that 99% of NHL defencemen are expected to make. 99% of the time, the worse outcome is a 2-minute penalty for interference. If the defenceman doesn't attempt to make that play, he's got no business being in the NHL. If no play is made on the forward, the forward likely gets a breakaway. Even your loveable PK Subban would have made that play. If not, Jack Martin would have nailed him to the bench once again.
What happened here is that the play occurred at the wrong time, at the wrong place. Like any other defenceman in his position, Chara's instincts took over when he saw Pacioretty about to fly by him. Chara is not a dirty player. I don't even think he's ever been suspended for anything throughout his considerable career. He's a very rugged defenceman, no doubt. But he's no Chris Pronger.
The end-result was an unfortunate accident. Nothing more, nothing less. If the same play would have happened & it was Patrice Bergeron on the receiving end of a P.K. Subban hit, Montreal fans would have claimed the same thing: it was an unfortunate accident, where the damage was caused by a beam. Instead, blame the Habs organization for making that area so dangerous. What happened the other night was bound to happen one day. It's not the first time a play collides with that beam. That's why if Pacioretty wasn't injured, no one would be talking about that incident today.
Special K: Gregory Campbell wasn't playing with the Bruins when Matt Cooke nearly decapitated Marc Savard. He was with the Florida Panthers last season. But i do agree with you that blaming Colin Campbell is total b.s. It doesn't matter who reviewed the incident at the league office. The outcome would have been the same. No further discipline needed. It was a 'hockey' play that 99% of NHL defencemen are expected to make. End of story.
It's a play that 99% of NHL defencemen are expected to make. 99% of the time, the worse outcome is a 2-minute penalty for interference. If the defenceman doesn't attempt to make that play, he's got no business being in the NHL. If no play is made on the forward, the forward likely gets a breakaway. Even your loveable PK Subban would have made that play. If not, Jack Martin would have nailed him to the bench once again.
What happened here is that the play occurred at the wrong time, at the wrong place. Like any other defenceman in his position, Chara's instincts took over when he saw Pacioretty about to fly by him. Chara is not a dirty player. I don't even think he's ever been suspended for anything throughout his considerable career. He's a very rugged defenceman, no doubt. But he's no Chris Pronger.
The end-result was an unfortunate accident. Nothing more, nothing less. If the same play would have happened & it was Patrice Bergeron on the receiving end of a P.K. Subban hit, Montreal fans would have claimed the same thing: it was an unfortunate accident, where the damage was caused by a beam. Instead, blame the Habs organization for making that area so dangerous. What happened the other night was bound to happen one day. It's not the first time a play collides with that beam. That's why if Pacioretty wasn't injured, no one would be talking about that incident today.
Special K: Gregory Campbell wasn't playing with the Bruins when Matt Cooke nearly decapitated Marc Savard. He was with the Florida Panthers last season. But i do agree with you that blaming Colin Campbell is total b.s. It doesn't matter who reviewed the incident at the league office. The outcome would have been the same. No further discipline needed. It was a 'hockey' play that 99% of NHL defencemen are expected to make. End of story.
Pacioretty hit could be probed by police
MONTREAL - Quebec's Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions (DCPP) has announced that it is recommending a police investigation be launched into Tuesday night's violent hit on Habs forward Max Pacioretty.
The check by Boston Bruins defenceman Zdeno Chara, witnessed by thousands of fans in the Bell Centre and thousands more on television, knocked the 22-year-old Pacioretty unconscious, fractured his fourth cervical vertebra and resulted in a severe concussion. He remained in hospital Thursday morning.
The DCPP was reluctant to comment on the incident Wednesday following the National Hockey League's decision not to suspend Chara, but issued a release early Thursday confirming that it has advised the ministry of Public Security of its intent to launch an investigation.
There is precedent for criminal charges being laid in connection with traumatic injuries sustained on the ice in Quebec. Last October, former Quebec Major Junior Hockey League forward Patrice Cormier pleaded guilty to a charge of assault causing bodily harm and received an unconditional discharge after delivering a vicious hit to the head of Quebec Remparts defenceman Mikael Tam. Tam suffered brain trauma and damage to his teeth.
It was the same sentence handed down to son of former Montreal Canadiens goaltender Patrick Roy, Jonathan Roy, who pleaded guilty to an assault charge in 2009 after pounding rival goalie Bobby Nadeau during a hockey brawl in March 2008.
Only in Montreal....
MONTREAL - Quebec's Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions (DCPP) has announced that it is recommending a police investigation be launched into Tuesday night's violent hit on Habs forward Max Pacioretty.
The check by Boston Bruins defenceman Zdeno Chara, witnessed by thousands of fans in the Bell Centre and thousands more on television, knocked the 22-year-old Pacioretty unconscious, fractured his fourth cervical vertebra and resulted in a severe concussion. He remained in hospital Thursday morning.
The DCPP was reluctant to comment on the incident Wednesday following the National Hockey League's decision not to suspend Chara, but issued a release early Thursday confirming that it has advised the ministry of Public Security of its intent to launch an investigation.
There is precedent for criminal charges being laid in connection with traumatic injuries sustained on the ice in Quebec. Last October, former Quebec Major Junior Hockey League forward Patrice Cormier pleaded guilty to a charge of assault causing bodily harm and received an unconditional discharge after delivering a vicious hit to the head of Quebec Remparts defenceman Mikael Tam. Tam suffered brain trauma and damage to his teeth.
It was the same sentence handed down to son of former Montreal Canadiens goaltender Patrick Roy, Jonathan Roy, who pleaded guilty to an assault charge in 2009 after pounding rival goalie Bobby Nadeau during a hockey brawl in March 2008.
Only in Montreal....
Air Canada threatens NHL over headshots
SUNRISE, Fla. -- Air Canada, one of the NHL's largest financial corporate backers, is threatening to withdraw its sponsorship if the league doesn't take "immediate" and "serious" action on headshots, QMI Agency has learned.
In a strongly worded letter addressed to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Wednesday, Denis Vandal, Air Canada's director of marketing/communications, expressed concern over recent incidents of headshots and concussions.
The letter came in the wake of Tuesday night's controversial hit by Boston Bruins defenceman Zdeno Chara on Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty at the Bell Centre. Following a telephone hearing Wednesday with NHL VP Mike Murphy, there was no punishment for Chara.
"We are contacting you (Wednesday) to voice our concern over (Tuesday night's) incident involving Max Pacioretty and Zdeno Chara at the Bell Centre in Montreal," wrote Vandal. "This is following several other incidents involving career-threatening and life-threatening headshots in the NHL recently."
Vandal noted the controversial issue is becoming bad for Air Canada's brand.
"From a corporate social responsibility standpoint, it is becoming increasingly difficult to associate our brand with sports events which could lead to serious and irresponsible accidents; action must be taken by the NHL before we are encountered with a fatality.
"Unless the NHL takes immediate action with serious suspension to the players in question to curtail these life-threatening injuries, Air Canada will withdraw its sponsorship of hockey."
Not only does Air Canada own the naming rights to Toronto's Air Canada Centre, it's believed they're a major corporate sponsor behind all six Canadian teams. Air Canada's head office is also located in Montreal.
Vandal copied all six Canadian NHL governors with his letter.
"As a strong supporter and sponsor of NHL Hockey in Canada and several U.S. cities, Air Canada is very concerned with the state of hockey today," Vandal noted.
"While we support countless sports, arts and community events, we are having difficulty rationalizing our sponsorship of hockey unless the NHL takes responsibility to protect both the players and the integrity of the game."
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told QMI Agency in an email Thursday morning the league will not get into a war of words with the airline.
"We referred them to our public statement," wrote Daly. "We have no intention of engaging with them further at this point."
Airline officials have not responded to either emails or phone calls.
Meanwhile, NHL GMs will meet next week in Boca Raton, Fla. to discuss headshots. They're trying to find a solution to cut down on the number of concussions and bring more respect to the game.
Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby, the NHL's poster boy, hasn't played in more than two months after suffering a concussion in the Winter Classic on Jan. 1.
A league source said several teams were upset Chara wasn't suspended. The Bruins carry a lot of weight at the league level -- owner Jeremy Jacobs is the chairman of the board.
Murphy wrote in his explanation for letting Chara off that he couldn't find sufficient evidence to call the incident intentional.
"After a thorough review of the video, I can find no basis to impose supplemental discipline. This hit resulted from a play that evolved and then happened very quickly -- with both players skating in the same direction and with Chara attempting to angle his opponent into the boards," said Murphy.
"I could not find any evidence to suggest that, beyond this being a correct call for interference, that Chara targeted the head of his opponent, left his feet or delivered the check in any other manner that could be deemed to be dangerous.
"This was a hockey play that resulted in an injury because of the player colliding with the stanchion and then the ice surface."
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/2011/03/09/17558356.html
Of course, Air Canada's head office is located in Montreal. I doubt we would have heard from them had their head office been in Toronto or anywhere else outside of the province of Quebec.
SUNRISE, Fla. -- Air Canada, one of the NHL's largest financial corporate backers, is threatening to withdraw its sponsorship if the league doesn't take "immediate" and "serious" action on headshots, QMI Agency has learned.
In a strongly worded letter addressed to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Wednesday, Denis Vandal, Air Canada's director of marketing/communications, expressed concern over recent incidents of headshots and concussions.
The letter came in the wake of Tuesday night's controversial hit by Boston Bruins defenceman Zdeno Chara on Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty at the Bell Centre. Following a telephone hearing Wednesday with NHL VP Mike Murphy, there was no punishment for Chara.
"We are contacting you (Wednesday) to voice our concern over (Tuesday night's) incident involving Max Pacioretty and Zdeno Chara at the Bell Centre in Montreal," wrote Vandal. "This is following several other incidents involving career-threatening and life-threatening headshots in the NHL recently."
Vandal noted the controversial issue is becoming bad for Air Canada's brand.
"From a corporate social responsibility standpoint, it is becoming increasingly difficult to associate our brand with sports events which could lead to serious and irresponsible accidents; action must be taken by the NHL before we are encountered with a fatality.
"Unless the NHL takes immediate action with serious suspension to the players in question to curtail these life-threatening injuries, Air Canada will withdraw its sponsorship of hockey."
Not only does Air Canada own the naming rights to Toronto's Air Canada Centre, it's believed they're a major corporate sponsor behind all six Canadian teams. Air Canada's head office is also located in Montreal.
Vandal copied all six Canadian NHL governors with his letter.
"As a strong supporter and sponsor of NHL Hockey in Canada and several U.S. cities, Air Canada is very concerned with the state of hockey today," Vandal noted.
"While we support countless sports, arts and community events, we are having difficulty rationalizing our sponsorship of hockey unless the NHL takes responsibility to protect both the players and the integrity of the game."
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told QMI Agency in an email Thursday morning the league will not get into a war of words with the airline.
"We referred them to our public statement," wrote Daly. "We have no intention of engaging with them further at this point."
Airline officials have not responded to either emails or phone calls.
Meanwhile, NHL GMs will meet next week in Boca Raton, Fla. to discuss headshots. They're trying to find a solution to cut down on the number of concussions and bring more respect to the game.
Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby, the NHL's poster boy, hasn't played in more than two months after suffering a concussion in the Winter Classic on Jan. 1.
A league source said several teams were upset Chara wasn't suspended. The Bruins carry a lot of weight at the league level -- owner Jeremy Jacobs is the chairman of the board.
Murphy wrote in his explanation for letting Chara off that he couldn't find sufficient evidence to call the incident intentional.
"After a thorough review of the video, I can find no basis to impose supplemental discipline. This hit resulted from a play that evolved and then happened very quickly -- with both players skating in the same direction and with Chara attempting to angle his opponent into the boards," said Murphy.
"I could not find any evidence to suggest that, beyond this being a correct call for interference, that Chara targeted the head of his opponent, left his feet or delivered the check in any other manner that could be deemed to be dangerous.
"This was a hockey play that resulted in an injury because of the player colliding with the stanchion and then the ice surface."
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/2011/03/09/17558356.html
Of course, Air Canada's head office is located in Montreal. I doubt we would have heard from them had their head office been in Toronto or anywhere else outside of the province of Quebec.
BS! C'mon... Chara knew EXACTLY where he was as he was facing the glass partition, he knew EXACTLY what he was doing as he had all the time to decide what to do with Pacioretty, he clearly pushed him in the right direction (you can see the full extention of his arms in the slow motion replay) to hurt him. Did he want to hurt him that bad? Probably not, but he clearly wanted to hurt him. It was intentional. He's been after Pacioretty for the past couple of games to get back at him for the little "incident" where Pacioretty pushed him after a goal. It doesn't get any more intentional then that. Accident? BS!
To all:
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.
p.s. I suppose the morale of this whole incident is that habs fans now have a valid reason to boo Zdeno Chara. I never understood all the booing.....
(Blame habs management for putting players' safety at risk by keeping that dangerous benches' partition area the way it currently looks)
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.
p.s. I suppose the morale of this whole incident is that habs fans now have a valid reason to boo Zdeno Chara. I never understood all the booing.....
(Blame habs management for putting players' safety at risk by keeping that dangerous benches' partition area the way it currently looks)
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It was a premeditated and deliberate act. Chara has been after Max ever since Max barely touched his back after scoring the winning goal in OT two games previous. I doubt that he intended to end his career or break his neck, but you can be damn sure he wanted to ring him off the post when he saw he had the chance to do it. It was a goon move and he should have paid a price for it. Chara has shown no class and has not even apologized for the hit.
I hope Chara gets charged and convicted and that his record prevents him from ever playing another game on Canadian soil for the rest of his career.
I hope Chara gets charged and convicted and that his record prevents him from ever playing another game on Canadian soil for the rest of his career.
And if you crosscheck someone in center ice, it isn't the same as crosschecking him into the boards headfirst. So what? The fact is that it didn't happen on the other side of the ice did it? Chara knew where he was and what he was doing. Typical "blame everyone but the perp", it was Patch's fault for not getting out of the way. It's the fault of the rink design. Never mind that he had Chara's arm, elbow and hand guiding him into the post and that Chara is the biggest and strongest player in the game. Chara is an angel and totally without blame.
BULLSHIT!
I agree that Campbell being on the Bruins has nothing to do with the decision but:
A - Greg Campbell wasn't on the Bruins when savard got decapitated
B - Colin's hands were tied, they put in the head shot-blindside ruling AFTER this hit.
Nonetheless Chara's move was calculated and he's been looking to get Pacioretty back for two games now. He's not a dirty player but it's a known fact around the league that when Chara's losing, he's a frustrated dirty bitch.
Yes, the fact that Campbell's son is on the Bruins does have something to do with the decision. Because of this, Colin Campbell was prevented from doing his job and had no say in the decision. Either Campbell can execute his duties in EVERY case, or he should resign and the league can put someone in charge of discipline who can actually handle things properly.
Solving the Problem
You guys as usual are focused on a pointless debate over punishment, intent etc. rather than solving the problem that led to the injury.
Since the configuration of the rink cannot be changed, all the NHL has to do is paint a zone on the ice near the benches and designate it as a "no check zone." If you had such a zone painted on the ice, Chara can't touch Pacioretty until he clears the zone. Otherwise you impose a penalty if an offensive player is checked in that zone. And as far as the concern that the offensive player will camp out in the zone and then get a pass he can breakaway on, you institute a "3 second rule" just like basketball has to prevent taller players from camping out in the lane. If the NHL did this, then this type of injury that Pacioretty sustained would never happen again.
You guys as usual are focused on a pointless debate over punishment, intent etc. rather than solving the problem that led to the injury.
Since the configuration of the rink cannot be changed, all the NHL has to do is paint a zone on the ice near the benches and designate it as a "no check zone." If you had such a zone painted on the ice, Chara can't touch Pacioretty until he clears the zone. Otherwise you impose a penalty if an offensive player is checked in that zone. And as far as the concern that the offensive player will camp out in the zone and then get a pass he can breakaway on, you institute a "3 second rule" just like basketball has to prevent taller players from camping out in the lane. If the NHL did this, then this type of injury that Pacioretty sustained would never happen again.
Honestly Techman, he would have made the same (ridiculous) decision. He has done so in the past and will do so in the future. The NHL doesn't give a dam about its players. And the most pathetic about all of this is the players themselves don't give a shit either. Have you seen the NHLPA move a little finger since all those hits to the head have multiplied? No! Bunch of morons only think it happens to others... untill it happens to them! They are also partly to blame in all of this as they are not even protecting their own members.
Problem is not really the game, the rink configuration, etc... problem is : the mentality in everything.
It's every man for himself (or... if you prefer Me, myself and I.)
That's why the majority will cross any rules as soon as they can, no matter where...
So when Merlot says that we are hypocrite.... he's right !
We all are. We take side in everything we do and that's it.
I bet you that no matter the outcome on any of this.... it won't change anything.
Was it 7 years ago 'jour pour jour' that Moore went down ?
Well I might as well say it... it's fun to see Doc writing back on this thread...
It's every man for himself (or... if you prefer Me, myself and I.)
That's why the majority will cross any rules as soon as they can, no matter where...
So when Merlot says that we are hypocrite.... he's right !
We all are. We take side in everything we do and that's it.
I bet you that no matter the outcome on any of this.... it won't change anything.
Was it 7 years ago 'jour pour jour' that Moore went down ?
Well I might as well say it... it's fun to see Doc writing back on this thread...
That fact is, this was a typical 'hockey' play. A play that 99% of NHL defencemen HAVE to make in order to keep their NHL jobs. Chara's job on this play was to interfere with Pacioretty as he began chasing the puck. It's a play that's being thought to young defencemen since their Bantam days. What changed the whole perspective of the play is the fact it occurred near the benches' partition. Whether or not Chara's arm, elbow or hand 'guided' Pacioretty towards the partition isn't a reason to further discipline a player. It was interference, nothing more.
You stated that "Chara knew where he was & what he was doing". How so? Are you in the business of reading minds now? You cannot discipline a player by guessing what was going through his mind at the time, nor can you alter your discipline depending on the outcome of an incident. You discipline the act. The 'act' was interference. End of story.
p.s. I'm fairly certain that if it would have been a Bruins player getting seriously injured, Bruins fans would be doing the same thing that some habs fans are doing, which is claiming that Chara's act was a deliberate attempt to injure. Meanwhile, most habs fans would be saying that it was a good 'hockey' play by the habs player, and that the fact a Bruins player was injured was simply an unfortunate accident.
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You're kidding, right? Do you think a player moving at top speed would stop just because there's a painted zone on the ice? This is HOCKEY, not basketball. There is no out of bounds on a hockey rink. Hockey at it's slowest is still much faster than basketball at it's fastest. Hockey at full speed makes basketball look like slow motion. Would there be some kind of force field to prevent someone from hitting a player in the zone? No, of course not. The hit would proceed as usual and maybe there would be a penalty on the play. It wouldn't change a damn thing.
MG, you're probably right. Even if Campbell had been the one to make the decision it probably wouldn't have been any different. He still doesn't deserve to hold his position as long as there is the slightest appearance of the possibility of conflict of interest.
JH you're right, too. Nothing will change until someone does die on the ice. And then it'll be too late.
Now Bettman says that Air Canada can cancel their sponsorship if they want because he can easily replace them. Right. Good luck with that.
I don't have to read minds, Doc. It's called situational awareness. Professional hockey players know exactly where they are on the ice. They know if their foot is over the blue line on an offside and they sure as hell know where the danger areas are in the arenas they are familiar with. There is no excuse for what happened. If I rear end another car on the road, I am at fault because I should be aware of the situation. There is no if, and or but. I will be held responsible. The same thing applies in this case. Chara is responsible for what happened and he should be made to pay a price for it.
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