When is the NHL going to let them play hockey?

Question

Yes I am a flyers fan but what is up with all the suspensions? Players used to pick their teeth up off the floor and hand them to the bench and keep playing. Is this going the NFL route where you cant touch the QB or now you have to watch how you tackle. This is total BS let them play the game.

Answer 1

Hockey will be better when Bettman is no longer in control!

Answer 2

Downie was out of line, Boulerice has a wisp of accidental contact, Jones gave a legal hit - as did Hartnell. The way the NHL works, I can't say if I would or would not be surprised if there is still some underlying resentment toward the Flyers organization for the Broad Street Bully era. The actions of the four Flyers that have been suspended this season aren't anything I haven't seen other players on other teams do to each other.

I'm waiting to hear some concern from the press and hockey fans about the welfare of Simon Gagne. He was never a goon, he's a "Flying Frenchman-type" player who doesn't play dirty. If he were playing for say, the Habs and the same injury occurred to him, Quebecois would fill the streets bearing torches ready to burn the perp at the stake. But since he plays for the Flyers - not a peep.

Crap is gonna happen and not everything is deliberate. Like you said, the older players would take the hits, get stitched together, and get back to the game. I don't like how people conveniently forget that the Broad Street Bully moniker came from a news reporter (I believe it was Bill Fleischer) and the style was in response to how the Bruins - of all teams - used to rough up the Flyers.

Short memories aside, I think there is a profound acrimony in Boston for anyone associated with the Flyers due in no small part to the fact that the B's were the first Original 6 team to lose the Stanley Cup to an expansion team.

I respect that Boston team to this day. Espo was a bit sneaky and whiny, but they were a very tough team and they played many memorable games against Philly on Saturday afternoons. Those Bruins gave it and took it, unlike todays figure skaters dressed in black and gold. Or maybe it's yellow.

They just don't make Bruins like they used to.

Answer 3

In short, the league has gone soft. It really has. Hits from behind and what not happen, there are penalties in the rulebook to punish and deter players from the infractions. Some suspensions (Hartnell) is total overkill, he served his 5 and a game and that was more than enough. Players nowadays don't seem to protect themselves, they seem to invite dirty hits and have no idea of where they or their opponents are on the ice.
I am a Flyer fan, but had Hartnell's hit on Alberts been Sundin on Briere or Crosby or whomever, I would still feel the same way. I am not biased. However, I think someone like Crosby has more hockey sense than to drop to his kness and coast toward the boards as a hit was coming- check that I know he has more hockey sense.
Do we want players thinking twice and holding up on a check because the opponent may not be ready to recieve the hit? NO, hockey fans want players going all out and finishing their checks, as a result, sometimes players get hurt-so what? It isn't figure skating. Guys get hurt booooo friggin hooooo, sometimes careers are even ended.
Has anyone here ever heard me WHINE AND CRY about Keith Primeau's career ending? It sucked but shitake mushrooms happen and it is a part of the game. People need to stop crying foul when a guy who gets paid millions to play a game suffers a concussion. They are aware of it going in and get paid handsomely for the risk they incur.
It is starting to get on my nerves. I am waiting to see what the NHL brass does when someone like Ovechkin inadvertantly hits someone from behind and puts them out for a while or ends their career.

Answer 4

I agree, hockey is becoming a non contact sport, I see more hard hitting action under the basket in b-ball games ! The dirty hits should stop, but guys have been getting suspended for good hard hitting. One os the biggest reasons for this is the whining done by some superstars and a lot of the europeon players.

I do think they are calling boarding, etc too much for just a really hard hit. What sells tickets in hockey ? Well, there are three things thats sell. Scoring, Fights, and hard hitting action. The latter two sell more tickets than goal scoring.

Anyway, I think they do need to watch the dirty play, but they also need to let the hard hitting continue, that is what hockey is all about. Whats next, no pads needed ?

Also, how can a guy get suspended for a supposed dirty hit when there was never a penalty called, does this mean the league thinks the ref's are inadequate?

Answer 5

I agree with what Jeff said, however players have a certain obligation to protect themselves, make sure they're not leaving themselves open to get hit in the head in the first place.
Deliberate head hunting has no place in the game, but self preservation should be an instinct, not an afterthought. These hits are going to be a side effect of opening up the game to make it faster, players are able to close in on their target much faster without the obstructions. The time available to make your play is shorter so the players need to realize this and adjust accordingly. Unfortunately, some players will get hurt before figuring this out. Of the 3 instances where Philly players have been suspended, I wouldn't look at any of them as being intentional head hunting. They are more of a reflection of being able to skate in to finish your check, unobstructed. The way the rules were previously inforced, the guy coming in would have been slowed by a hook, or interfered with in some way.

Answer 6

I think the NHL is doing the right thing. Some of these guys go out there and purposely hit other players with the intention of injuring them and ending their careers. When they realize that this is going to end up with some kind of punishment maybe then we can get back to watching a good hockey game. Remember the old saying "I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out"

Answer 7

Are you a moron because your Flyers are out there trying to intentionally injure other players. Any time you do something that dangerous not to mention against the rules you deserve to be shown the door.

What Bertuzzi shuld have gotten away with seriously injuring and ending Moore's career because hockey is a rough sport. Hockey is just trying to make it so the players cannot kill each other. No other sports let you intentionally injure other players, so why should hockey.

Answer 8

the flyers players have been doing very bad things-hits to the head are not part of the sport. the NHL will not let them hit to the head. As a flyers fan, you should know the importance of not allowing hits to the head- they cause concussions. Remember Lindros?

Oh, BTW, in the NFL the spearing rule is there to protect both players- it can critically injure the guy tackling, not just the guy being tackled.

Answer 9

Totally agree. We need less flow to the game, more clutching and grabbing from big guys who are boring to watch when they actually play the game, more concussions and less exciting players to watch. I'm all for hitting from behind especially when it takes someone out. Why play in a contact sport without the fear of mental retardation in your retirement years. These guys who can't get up after a blind side are a bunch of *******. Screw hockey, I'm watching UFC.

Answer 10

I think the league will remain committed to calling it tight. Given that just about every other hockey league in the world takes a dim view of hitting from behind, it's difficult for the NHL to say go ahead and hit from behind.

Answer 11

there's physical hockey, which i like, and then there's the moronic hockey philadelphia is playing. you don't hit someone if they're in a vulnerable position. it's an unwritten rule that 29 of the 30 teams seem to understand. the league needs to step in and punish the organization because they've had 4 players suspended for dirty plays this season while the rest of the league might have 2 combined.