Was the original hit Tootoo put on Modano clean?

Question

I don't know - I'm asking.

Also, how does Tootoo escape with only a five game suspension? That's hilarious!

Yeah - maybe you're right Bob - he did come at Tootoo with his arms raised.

Answer 1

Yes, a clean and legal hit. Tootoo just got a little rattled and shaky in his skates when he realized who he had hit. If you want to take a run on a team's superstar then be prepared to defend yourself. Don't just sucker punch the opponents who come to their teamates aid.

Answer 2

Tootoo's actual hit was clean, but he took too many strides to get there IMO. When someone came to Modano's aide (he is the star on the Dallas team) instead of tying up the man Tootoo sucker punched him. I've seen no evidence that they would have fought at all. If Tootoo had been a real man and bada** he wouldn't have had to sucker punched him. If Tootoo had been a real man he might have gotten nothing, or maximium 5 min fighting penalty instead of a 5 game suspension.

Answer 3

Yes. It was a clean hit. How does he escape with a 5 game suspension?? The question is, why does he get so many games? He was not the agressor in the incident, Robidas was. He got so many games because he put him on a stretcher which is wrong. Suspended for Robidas having a glass jaw. Let's face it, if Robidas shakes it off, then they fight and Robidas probably gets beat up and Tootoo gets 0 games. Also, if Tootoo had not seen him making an illegal charge at him (out of the eyes in the back of his head) and had gotten hurt, it would be Robidas that we'd be talking about getting 5 games. People like to (foolishly) compare what happens on the street to what happens on the ice. This was a clear case of self-defense.

Answer 4

I just watched a clip of the punch, and it looks like the hit on Modano was perfectly clean.

The punch itself wasn't the best decision Tootoo could've made, but it looked like Robidas came at him with the intention to attack. Tootoo's first reaction would be to strike first, hence the punch.

I believe the 5 game suspension is a fairly accurate suspension. The punch was a little much, and Tootoo should've thought against it, but it was a gut instinct, a simple reaction to another action in place. And because it wasn't too severe, they can't suspend him for too long. I think it was fair.

Answer 5

Tootoo doesn't deserve a suspension.
There was no penalty on the Modano hit, and it looked to be pretty clean. I've gone to many Predator's game and he is a simply electrifying player to watch. The spark that he gives to our team is one of unequal stature. It's his job to go around and make our team interested in the game again.

That said, back to the actual play. I was watching the game when this happened, and like most things in hockey it flew by really fast. Tootoo checked Modano-all fair. However the Dallas Stars player comes charging in with his gloves/stick in the air going for Tootoo. HE WAS CHARGING HIM. He even got a penalty for charging. That was intent to injure. He intentionally charged Tootoo. Throwing the punch was Tootoo's only defense. fine suspent Tootoo, but suspend the Star's player too.
Ontop of that, the refs didn't think too much of it. He only got a double minor--he didn't get thrown out of the game. I'm sure if the refs thought it overly aggressive they would have thrown him out of the game.

The bottom line is, Dallas's player purposely wanted to deliver a cheap, dangerous, hit away from the play, and Tootoo defended himself. The player's charging penalty is indication of that.

** I watched OLN's coverage of PittsvsNY earlier, and it really fried me that noone mentioned that the Dallas player got a penalty for charging. What a bunch of bias yanks.

Answer 6

OH poor super stars when is everyone going to look and remember this is hockey people in hockey you get hit .Idont care if your name is modano if you need to be protected for a clean hit get out of the game.Then we got the issue of modano coming around with a full stick swing into tootoo's back but no one is talking about that are they i'm tired of the we need to protect the superstars of this game thats just bull if they don't want to be hit take up figure skating.

Answer 7

i think the hit on modano was clean, but anytime a grinder like that runs a star player as modano, people are going to step in. The sucker punch after the hit was a little excessive. Tootoo is a bad *** thou!

Answer 8

there is not any way Tootoo walks away with no suspension. What he did became brutal and the league has had too many vicious incidents in too short a time to enable this one slide. The NHL has its very credibility on the line whilst adult males are being taken off on stretchers as a effect of blatant, unlawful, violent habit. How the league reacts would be very telling, quite after Simon became made an occasion of merely a week in the past.

Answer 9

At most the hit on Modano was a charge (when you take about 3 or more strides to hit someone). Other then that, which is debatable, the hit was clean. I think the suspension was fair. He did not make Robidus charge him but the punch was really uncalled for. Had he been the aggressor and went out of his way to punch him, I think the suspension would have been more.

Answer 10

the first hit was clean, may have been charging though.
tootoo is an amazing player, but he should not have done that at all, yes he was defending himself though, but he could have done it different than he did, he could have avoided him and then iced the gloves, through afew pounches the right way, and he would not be suspended. but the hit modano put on tootoo was uncalled for also, when he hit him with the stick,
you mays well watch it again, its cool to watch!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh_WQ8Wn5Ag&NR