Mike Richards should be suspended for at least 10 games. It was just cruel intended, and so very very................very late. Richards tends to be a dirty player at times, but to put someone's career on the line? Horrible. This is where i miss old time hockey with goons. You hurt my player? I'll hurt yours. I would have had a goon go out on the ice and injure Carter on purpose. How you like them apples Richards?
Horrible.
Posted on 10/24 11:33 PM | IP: 74.233.202.220
All hits to the head should be illegal...
The argument that the game is too fast and the disparity in size of the players makes it impossible to avoid hits to the heads doesn't wash in this situation...
The good news is that the old farts of the game are starting to change their opinions which means change may come...
Take care...
Posted on 10/25 5:47 AM | IP: 99.199.174.104
To be honest, I didn't think the hit was terribly late (I've certainly seen much later). However, it was a hit to the head of an unsuspecting player in a vulnerable position, which I absolutely hate. Glad the refs tossed him for it. Reminded me of a lot of Scott Stevens' "clean" hits.
I do agree that if you have your head down, or are admiring a pass, you deserve to get hit. You don't deserve to have your career ended for it though.
Out of curiousity, what did you think of Willie Mitchell's hit on Toews the other night? Toews was concussed, but I thought it was a good hit. Wasn't from behind, or blindside or anything, but perhaps my judgement is clouded because I`m a Canucks fan?
Posted on 10/25 12:12 PM | IP: 99.199.10.2
My judgement is probably clouded as yours, but that was as fair as it can get with such kind of hit. It was actually the pass that put Toews in this position and the fact that Mitchell came straight out of the penalty box.
Posted on 10/25 7:31 PM | IP: 92.78.28.209
suicide pass dejour......That being said Toews could have curled a bit to at least get hit side ways vs. Head on but that is such a hard read to pick up on his part, but it can be done. You really have to pay attention to who is on the ice against you and take note. Coaches talk about it before games and players are aware who likes to open ice hit but even with the reminders the messages do not always get through (Steven's as a classic example would always look for that hit). Clean hit but the passer is the main person to be held accountable with Toews not necessarily being over concerned either. He could have curled a bit but regardless he as going to get ding donged. I have taken and given out a few hits like that and my god does it give you a wake up call and you tend to look around a lot more after gettting clobbered like that.
Posted on 10/25 8:17 PM | IP: 64.231.213.113
Whether it was late, early, or on time, Richards left his feet and that shouldn't happen. I don't care if a guy is admiring a pass or not, the resulting hit is/can be devastating to someone's life, let alone to their job as a hockey player, and I don't think guys should take those hits. I loved Scott Stevens as a player, and loved his game, but everytime I see his hit on Lindros my head hurts. Fun to watch, but we're being deprived of some good players playing because of concussions. I thought the hit on Tucker was bad..definately from behind..three games is ok, but the result could have been devistating. It has to stop.
Posted on 10/25 9:54 PM | IP: 67.220.40.140
...or so Paul Holmgren says on TSN.
Posted on 10/25 10:02 PM | IP: 67.220.40.140
BS...... only because it's the Flyers' captain. It was a charge for f's sakes, and a late one at that.
Posted on 10/26 8:07 AM | IP: 98.77.176.175
I agree on the Richards hit - shoulder hits to the head should not be 'legal' - the NHL are a bunch of morons for continuing to allow it. Richards' hit was a direct hit to the head from the side, shoulder pads connecting directly with the helmet.
Willie's hit was still a hit to the head, but at least it was right in front where Toews should have seen it coming. Booth couldn't have seen Richards coming, he was looking down the ice as he should have been.
I still don't like either hit - one should be a suspension, one should just be taken out of the game but wouldn't be a suspension - but what can you do? The NHL allows this kind of crap - where complete wastes of skin like Scott Stevens are considered tough for continually hitting guys in the head.
Posted on 10/26 8:48 AM | IP: 203.18.176.243
The Tucker hit was bad - I just can't help but shake the feeling of karma on this one though - Tucker's hit on Peca years ago was one of the most gutless things I've ever seen.
I never want to see anybody hurt but Tucker has made gutless plays himself before - live by the sword, die by the sword I guess.
Posted on 10/26 8:49 AM | IP: 203.18.176.243
..on Tucker's hit on Peca, but to me there is a difference between going after a knee and going after a head. Head injuries can be life altering, not just career altering.
Posted on 10/26 4:24 PM | IP: 67.220.43.65
Sure - I agree to a point - just that both were gutless plays and deserve to be punished. If I remember correctly Tucker didn't get any punishment for his hit on Peca and actually skated away with a little smirk on his face while Peca was on the ice in agony.
Like I said - there's an element of karma to this hit. Only wish somebody would have done the same to Scott Stevens, Ulf Samuelsson or Steve Ott.
Posted on 10/27 6:41 AM | IP: 203.18.176.243
The poll on TSN.ca shows 54% thought it was dirty, 46% thought it was clean. I'm really surprised it's that close. Even Keith Jones said he thought it was clean. I bet he would have thought otherwise if he was the one who got hit.
Posted on 10/27 6:42 AM | IP: 99.199.10.2
Nobody likes to get hit like that but by the same token after that hit you will notice that more players are watching there "P&Q's" in the nuetral zone with passes that they are having to look backwards on. That is the one thing I noticed immediately after that hit. Players are keeping there head up more.
It was a nasty hit but the rules of the game state nothing about it being an illegal hit. What part was illegal? I fail to see anything....If they want to change the rules to ban that type of hit I do not see any problems but what would the rule be? Hits to the head that are incidental? Rules about hitting only players that are looking at you?
Posted on 11/2 6:05 AM | IP: 76.75.95.232
maybe worth noting. Back before curved sticks, helmets and elbow pads were cushioned protective gear rather than weapons, I was taught that you needed to be aware of the proximity of other players before taking a slap shot. The rule was if someone was close to ya, you didn't raise your stick above the knee.
Man has the game changed, eh. Put on a helmet and head injuries increase. Put a visor on a helmet and eye injuries increase. Permit head shots/high hits at the expense of open ice hip checks and concussions increase.
And maybe too, expand the NHL such that many players don't know each other anymore and lack of respect goes up. I have never seen so much slew footing and intentional knee on knee in my now 50+ years of hockey involvement as I see today.
Kevin Allen @USA Today reports that 110 regulars, a full 18% of all NHL players, are currently injured. Combine that with NHL "justice" and it is what it is.
Frankly, it's what they want. Blood sells tickets.
Posted on 11/3 2:27 PM | IP: 75.128.51.39
Thrasher -
You forgot one more thing, today's players are ~20% bigger than they were 40 years ago.... That is a 20% increase in kinetic energy purely from a mass stand point, if you count in any extra strength which is then converted to speed (which goes up exponentially), you are probably talking 50% more kinetic energy than the original six era......just a little engineering data analysis on the subject......
This post was edited on 11/3 3:55 PM by Shark Attack
Posted on 11/3 2:52 PM | IP: 192.146.217.50
Excellent points Shark Attack - Shark Attack. Just to add to the smart engineering stuff is how skates are often sharpened today. What Canadians call the rocker and Americans call the radius is often set forward for forwards and back for Dmen. This increases speed going forward and backward respectively.
Our engineering has improved immensely while our standard of sportsmanship is more barbaric.
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