Nhl 2010-2011

[Shawn Lutz]

I thought he should have been suspended myself and in all honesty I never heard of the "behind the net area" mentioned in any discussions of the blindside rule until this morning when Bob McKenzie mentioned it in his blog. I tend to think I'm farily on the up on rules and whatnot. I don't want the NHL turning in the NoHitLeague but that was about as blindside as it goes and shows great lack of respect on Torres part. He easily could have taken possession of the puck instead of going for the big hit. Even with the made up "free for all" zone behind the net the head was targeted and that has nothing to do with the blindside rule.

What is sad is if Seabrook laid on the ice and or got carried off he ice then they would have given him a major and a game.

I played the game when this was a good hit and lived by hold your head up or it will be taken off rule. I've taken them and gave them out. I have no problem with it but when there are new rules put in place to eliminate concussions the rules should be enforced. Even Carry Fraizer said he should be suspended. Last year that was a good hit, this year its not...

If I was coach Q, the green light is on to take out Torres....

[Hellbat]

I dunno, I see it as the start of the road to "Soccerization" of the sport. You're already seeing guys showing their numbers on purpose to try to avoid contact and draw penalties. It will be like the rash of divers in the late 1980s/early 1990s. I don't think Torres specifically targetted the head on this play, he had a teamate there to pick up the loose puck, he was trying to seperate the guy making a play from the puck.

Maybe I'm too old fashioned or something, but open ice hits are my favorite part of the game. If you are going to skate around with your head at hip level and not look at where you are going, you should expect to get popped.

[Razor]

Speaking of hits, Downie's last night on Lovejoy was a beast. Too bad he left his feet, I'd say he gets a game or two just because of his "reputation". I thought it was a good hit, and even him leaving his feet on a straight up hit doesn't really bother me that much. I know the leagues thoughts are different, but I don't mind that type of hit.

I agree with you Batty, there is a lot of back turning now especially on the boards trying to draw a penalty. It's so stupid too because for one you can't slow down a freight train at the last minute, and it puts the idiot that's too pussy to take a hit in a vulnerable position.

[Spivonious]

The Flyers are finally waking up. Boucher looked outstanding last night. I'm not sure I agree with putting Bob in the pressbox, but maybe it will send him a message that he needs to put in the work.

I don't know if Detroit will make it to the Western finals. They might get surprised by Nashville. The Canucks are definitely in the Cup Finals though.

The Torres hit looked clean to me. I'm glad there was no suspension. There shouldn't even have been a penalty, as the puck was there. Same with the Downie hit. As long as the puck is there, and the hitting player doesn't leave his feet or lead with an elbow, I say it's clean. The player being hit has to expect it.

[Shawn Lutz]

see Kronwall on youtube for how open ice hits are supposed to be.

I'm all with you on the diving part and wish the refs would call it more often, players acting like they got a high stick that severed off the nose and the stick doesn't come into contact with the face etc. If I ran a team I would mandate no embellishments. Keep the feet movin and battle through it. You are only hurt if you can't make it back to the bench lol. I agree I've seen players knowingly flash the numbers at the last second trying to get a call. Funny now with the protocol for going to the quiet room for 15 minutes you see players getting up right away now . If that rule wasn't in affect you would have seen Seebrook and Lovejoy laying down acting like they were dead lol

If the refs would let the players play, battle, quit calling the one handed hooks and obstruction penalties and let the player police themselves we wouldn't be witnessing the wussification we're seeing these days. Take a run at my head, eat some composite, spit chickletts and that player wouldn't be taking any runs at my head anymore

[Spivonious]

I love the more open style of play nowadays, but I do think they should let the players police themselves and take away the instigator penalty. If someone takes a run at my star player, he better be prepared to drop the gloves.

[atomic charvel guy]

1 game at most

[Rupe]

If the refs would let the players play, battle, quit calling the one handed hooks and obstruction penalties and let the player police themselves we wouldn't be witnessing the wussification we're seeing these days. Take a run at my head, eat some composite, spit chickletts and that player wouldn't be taking any runs at my head anymore

I don't know about that (hooks and obstruction)...it's a fine line. I prefer the current style to watching what the Devils did to hockey in the mid-90's with all the clutching and grabbing. All that does is allows mediocre players to bring the elite talent down to their level.
I agree with the second part completely...let the enforcers enforce.

On another note, did anybody see the play Rupp made on Asham's goal? A pass to himself off the boards to beat his defender and then a needle-threading cross ice pass (D was in good position) to Asham for the score. A beautiful hockey play!

[Shawn Lutz]

Rupe good point but I'm not talking about clutching and grabbing. I'm talking about the stick infraction, one handed baby hooks that do not impede a players progress. I love the speed and skill in todays and if you can't skate you don't stay too long in this league. Turning the NHL into special teams play with each team going the PP 7-10 times a night disrupts flow just as much as the clutching and grabbing era imho...

[clifffclaven]

Rupe good point but I'm not talking about clutching and grabbing. I'm talking about the stick infraction, one handed baby hooks that do not impede a players progress. I love the speed and skill in todays and if you can't skate you don't stay too long in this league. Turning the NHL into special teams play with each team going the PP 7-10 times a night disrupts flow just as much as the clutching and grabbing era imho...

+1000

Especially when said pp decides a game. Im all for calling hooks when a guy is just waterskiing behind a guy, but the one handed bs has got to go.The refs do seem to lighten up on the bs calls in the playoffs, at least.

[Hellbat]

Yeah nothing worse than seeing some perfectly (part of the game for 100+ years) executed stick-checks being called as hooking penalties this season. I've even seen a guy with the blade turned out put the shaft on a guys hip and get called for hooking. I mean wtf?!? If a 6'3, 210 pound professional athlete is being impeded by someone pushing a stick on the outside of their hip, maybe they should switch to golfing.

[clifffclaven]

Wow. Didnt see that one coming?m 7-2 hawks? WTF? That does show how important bolland is to the team, tho. 4 points, and the sedin line was -3, i believe. Doesnt matter, too little too late. Its over in 5.

[Rupe]

Rupe good point but I'm not talking about clutching and grabbing. I'm talking about the stick infraction, one handed baby hooks that do not impede a players progress. I love the speed and skill in todays and if you can't skate you don't stay too long in this league. Turning the NHL into special teams play with each team going the PP 7-10 times a night disrupts flow just as much as the clutching and grabbing era imho...

Got it...agreed

[Hellbat]

Yeah, Canucks thought the Hawks would hand it to them. Hawks were apparently lobbying for an instigator penalty (and resultant one game suspension) on Bieksa to be applied after the fact. He was our third worst player after the Sedins. Hopefully this is a wake-up call and they realize you need to show up for playoff hockey or get embarassed.

[outsider666]

Am I the only one who thought Keith's actions off the start were completely disgraceful? Charges Torres, then cross-checks Torres and then blatantly slew-foots Hansen in front of the official after the play has stopped and only gets 2 mins? Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending Raffi's hit on Seabrook but that was some bullshit right there. Even Craig Simpson stated on-air that he could have easily been penalized 3 times on that play. Not that it would have helped all that much, 'cuz the 'Nucks played like ass anyways, but WTF?