2011-2012 NHL Off-Season Thread

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

I like the video he did of the Wisniewski call. Not sure if he did others, but I liked the transparency in the decision-making.

NHL.com has a channel dedicated to the suspension videos.

NHL VideoCenter

[bhlloy]

Wow the Wiz hit was bad. He's lucky Clutterbuck wasn't seriously hurt otherwise that could have been a 25 gamer at least.

Love what Shanahan is doing so far. I'll wait for the regular season (and the playoffs even more so when he has to suspend a star player) but so far, excellent job.

[Suburban Rhythm]

I'm shooting a level lower than the star guys. Not the Cookes and Downies, but the Hartnell and Lucic mold.

Outside of Ovechkin running around and Chara on Paccioretty (depending on your feelings on that), I can't think of too many real stars who have seriously crossed the line recently.

[Honolulu_Blue]

PING MAPLE LEAFS:

Stephen Marche on Toronto, the worst sports city in the world - Grantland

Man. That piece is all kinds of garbage.

[bbor]

Really? We are going to listen to a guy that couldn't be bothered to research that the Blue Jays aren't owned by MLSE?

All sorts of rhetorical hogwash in that article.

[bhlloy]

Yeah that article is terrible. Almost as bad as the article on Puck Daddy about how the Winnipeg Jets are trying to whitewash the memory of the Thrashers by using the original Jets retired jersey #'s and franchise records. Lot of angry misguided bloggers out there this offseason apparently.

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by bbor

Really? We are going to listen to a guy that couldn't be bothered to research that the Blue Jays aren't owned by MLSE?

All sorts of rhetorical hogwash in that article.

I lose any credibility when an American sports journalists uses the argument of the CFL Argos being so bad. All of the sudden he cares about the CFL? Toronto FC? A MLS team? If the moron actually did his research, he would know MLES owns a variety of properties in it's holdings, not just the Raptors and Leafs, which helps increase its profit margins. By the way, does he know the NHL has a salary cap?

[Suburban Rhythm]

(Maybe this belongs in the pet peeves thread)

Pens and Kings playing in Kansas City tonight. No TV feed, radio only.

So I am trying to listen online...and I like pulling up NHL.com to follow stats.

NHL.com - Game Boxscore - NHL.com - Game Boxscore

End of 1, 1-0 Kings...but no goal scorer. Also, no shots, for either team.

Listening to the Pens feed, the box they are in is so high in the building, the scoreboard is obstructed. They can see the ice, but randomly when going to commercials, they are saying things like "By my guess, a little over half way through the 1st period."

I get this game is for the people in KC actually traveling to the building to view the game...but really? Couldn't place the radio teams for both teams in an area they can actually see? What happens if/when KC gets a team, where will the radio/TV broadcasters be then?

And the NHL couldn't spring for a couple of scorekeepers to attend this game to track stats?

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by Pyser

don't forget they also crammed tallackson and clarkson into 27...

At the same time?

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by RomaGoth

At the same time?

Knowing this Mickey Mouse organization, it wouldn't surprise me.

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

Love what Shanahan is doing so far. I'll wait for the regular season (and the playoffs even more so when he has to suspend a star player) but so far, excellent job.

I don't think he will care...just seeing some of the suspension slapped on players are pretty shocking....

[DeToxRox]

Brenden Smith is about to get suspended for this hit:



He deserves a suspension but players still have to attempt to protect themselves. Ben Smith toe dragging like that in the center of the ice is just retarded.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by HiFiRevival

Very disappointed in Sestito only getting 2 regular season games on his suspension. His is the dirtiest hit I've seen this preseason and yet it gets the least suspension time.

Looks like Shanahan is going to continue the asinine policy of increasing suspension time if there is an injury. That continues to be the worst thing in a league with a handful of really stupid policies.

I assume this also has to do with Sestito being a first time offender. Shelley got 10 games because he's a known idiot. Sestito was an unknown idiot at that time.

[bronconick]

Red Wing fans: Cold blooded.

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

Ben Smith toe dragging like that in the center of the ice is just retarded.

I'm not sure I agree with that...he was trying to avoid the hit and did a good job doing so until Brendan lunged with his shoulder. To me, that type of play is similar to somebody sticking out their knee to try and hit somebody who successfully removed themselves from the "rail road tracks".

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

He deserves a suspension but players still have to attempt to protect themselves. Ben Smith toe dragging like that in the center of the ice is just retarded.

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

I'm not sure I agree with that...he was trying to avoid the hit and did a good job doing so until Brendan lunged with his shoulder. To me, that type of play is similar to somebody sticking out their knee to try and hit somebody who successfully removed themselves from the "rail road tracks".

Agree with DeTox. I watched the video several times, and while Brendan clearly stuck his elbow out, it doesn't appear that he tried to hit Ben in the head. You absolutely have to keep your head up at all times, and if he would have had his head up, that elbow probably hits him in the chest or the shoulder and it is a good defensive play. Instead, he will be suspended and now has a reputation for cheap shots before even playing in one regular season game.

[bronconick]

Looks like a couple rookies making mistakes, tbh. Ben Smith probably shouldn't be realistically trying center of the ice toe-drags at the last possible second unless he's a lot more talented than he is, and Brendan Smith completely overplayed and went for a big Kronwall-esque hit moving east-west on a guy moving north-south. Against anyone with more talent and/or experience he flies by and the guy gets a free breakaway shot on goal. Now they're both paying for their mistake.

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by RomaGoth

Agree with DeTox. I watched the video several times, and while Brendan clearly stuck his elbow out, it doesn't appear that he tried to hit Ben in the head. You absolutely have to keep your head up at all times, and if he would have had his head up, that elbow probably hits him in the chest or the shoulder and it is a good defensive play. Instead, he will be suspended and now has a reputation for cheap shots before even playing in one regular season game.

First of all, elbowing is a penalty, whether it's in the chest, shoulder, or head. Either way, elbowing is not a good defensive play. Now, when the only body part that is within reach is the head and you hit it, then I think the intent is obvious if you go ahead with the hit.

If his head is up (which I don't think makes a difference because most players don't skate with their bodies straight up and down, most skate bent over with their head leading...whether looking up or down) then Brendan maybe misses him altogether or he lunges out even further to try and make up for being lazy/out of position. Regardless of whether his head is down or not, you can't hit guys in the head...just like running a red light, it's illegal. Are guys who have a green light supposed to stop at every intersection to make sure there isn't somebody coming who may run a red light?

Brendan took a bad angle to try and cutoff Ben, plain and simple. He tried to make up for that by going for the "big hit" and whiffed on it. Unfortunately for both of them, he again made a bad snap decision and tried to make sure he at least got a piece of Ben and caught him on the chin.

[DeToxRox]

Red Wings coach Mike Babcock:

On Brendan Smith's shoulder check to head of Ben Smith: "I don't doubt his shoulder hit his head ... is there any responsibility on the puck-carrier, toe-dragging, sliding sideways, to look after himself? Is there or no? It doesn't appear like there is anymore, is there?

"You come across the middle toe-dragging like this (has head down, looking at puck), jumping up, and you get dinged ... and I'm not saying our guy isn't guilty, because the shoulder hit his head ... you better not put yourself in those situations is what I would say. There will be a video report on it tomorrow, I'm sure."

On Brendan Smith: "He knows it's against the rules and can't hit the guy in the head. But he wasn't trying to hit the guy in the head. He was trying to make body contact and he would've made body contact, but the guy did this (put his head down, toe dragged) right? But he left his head there."

[bronconick]

Babcock needs to reign in his inner Vigneault. On top of that, he complained about who the Blackhawks played.

[DeToxRox]

I'm not saying Babcock is necessarily right, but the one drawback of Shanny cleaning up the game is it is going to give guys less of a reason to protect themselves and some of these hits are going to be unavoidable. Smith's could have been avoided, but I agree that the puck carrier has to still attempt to protect himself.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

I'm not saying Babcock is necessarily right, but the one drawback of Shanny cleaning up the game is it is going to give guys less of a reason to protect themselves and some of these hits are going to be unavoidable. Smith's could have been avoided, but I agree that the puck carrier has to still attempt to protect himself.

I'm torn...because I agree that some responsibility falls to the offensive player. You still need to be aware of the play around you, head up, etc.

But, I don't like the argument of he shouldn't be trying to make a move. When while carrying the puck is it acceptable, and when during the play does it become unacceptable?

I think back to the Ovechkin hit on Gonchar during the 09 playoffs, that ended up knee on knee. The argument at the time was Gonchar saw him and tried to move last second, causing the knee on knee hit. Otherwise it just would have been a clean (but huge) body check. As the offensive player, why would you not try to avoid the hit? Blaming them for that is stupid.

This is why the NHL was stubborn on having Rule 48 cover all headshots-- sometimes an unintentional hit is going to get lumped in with what were the blatant headshots.

[johnnyshaka]

That's the point of all of this, DeToxRox, to protect the players...so no head shots, period. Like it or not, the NHL is trying to change how their game is played and if the players don't like it then they can sit at home and watch it on TV like the rest of us.

And I disagree, these hits ARE avoidable especially now that there are rules in place to say that they are illegal and punishable by suspension. Brendan had several BETTER options than the one he chose but he made his choice and there is no denying he made the wrong one.

With that being said, hockey the way it's played today is not the way I grew up playing hockey. I sure would have loved to have some of the rules they have now because I had a few concussions (I'm sure I handed out a few, as well) in my teen years that likely wouldn't have happened in today's game.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

I'm not saying Babcock is necessarily right, but the one drawback of Shanny cleaning up the game is it is going to give guys less of a reason to protect themselves and some of these hits are going to be unavoidable. Smith's could have been avoided, but I agree that the puck carrier has to still attempt to protect himself.

so, Smith is going across the ice thinking "hey, I can make an extra move here because that guy is going to get a big suspension if he nails me in the head"?

[bbor]

Rejoice in LA!

Daughty signs 8/56mil

[johnnyshaka]

Brendan Smith gets what most expected, no more pre-season hockey and 5 regular season games.

[DeToxRox]

Smith got what he deserved. I am probably picking a bad example to make a point, but it still stands that cleaning up the hitting is necessary but it is also going to make offensive players play much more recklessly for there is no fear of repercussions and we'll still some some vicious shots as a result. Not only of these hits will be directly on the hitter.

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

Smith got what he deserved. I am probably picking a bad example to make a point, but it still stands that cleaning up the hitting is necessary but it is also going to make offensive players play much more recklessly for there is no fear of repercussions and we'll still some some vicious shots as a result. Not only of these hits will be directly on the hitter.

I understand what you are saying and there is mention of the puck carrier's intentions in terms of putting himself in a vulnerable position just prior to being hit and Shanny does a great job explaining it in the videos about the suspensions handed out thus far.

[Fidatelo]

Just came back from my first Jets game in 16 years! What a night, seats are great, crowd was a blast, and after a brutal first period the Jets dominated the next two. Shootout didn't go their way but c'est la vie!

Woot!

[Travis]

Is this the only place not having a debate about touch up icing at this point?

Sad scene in the Oilers game last night with prospect Taylor Fedun breaking his leg after Eric Nystrom tried to reach around/through him to touch the puck on an icing race. Here's hoping Fedun only loses a year to this incident and can get back to where he was physically.

[Fidatelo]

I don't get what the debate is. Get rid of the touch-up 'excitement', it's not worth it.