2021 Stanley Cup playoffs skating thread

I think this is a fair assessment. I also know if Tom Wilson makes this same hit people would be calling for a lifetime ban. Schiefele doesn't have that sort of history. (Not trying to make this about Wilson, please, just noting that I just know what the reaction would be. Insert Kadri there if you please as well.)

Heat of the moment, it looked like a terrible hit. Thankfully DPS doesn't make its judgements in the heat of the moment.

 

My eyes aren’t as good as they once were but what I saw was Scheifele making zero attempt at avoidance even though he must have known he was going to lay Evans out and the play was technically over, wasn’t the puck across the goal line? He also shifted his attack to lead with his shoulder so the intent was there to ‘make him pay’ for Evans doing his job. He’s 6’ 4” and weighs 212, at least, and he’s using his his body like a missile. Playoffs or not that’s an obvious intent to injure. Break your stick or something but don’t try and put someone in the hospital, or worse.

 

You’ve said that on pretty much every dirty hit so far.

 

A couple things, because I appear to be looking at this more dispassionately than you are.

1) For the third time, I’m not blaming Evans. He took the goal, which anybody would have done obviously. I’m only saying if he truly was defenceless, he shouldn’t have been and he knows this. I didn’t say he should have done something different, other than maybe brace himself to some degree, because I’m sure he knew Scheifele was coming.

2) You’re cherry picking one frame that happened after contact. The video I’ve watched a few times, that you also have access to, doesn’t show him leading with an elbow. Not saying it was clean overall, but I saw no elbow.

 

So if you’re not blaming the victim, what fault does the guy who led with his elbow have in all of this? It’s ok he led with the elbow because Evans chose to score.

And yeah it’s one frame, but that elbow doesn’t just appear there in one frame. If Scheifele led with his shoulder, how does his elbow end up by Evan’s head while his shoulder is not?

Again, die in that hill that Evans asked for it by choosing to score. Scheifele could have chosen to pull up. He could have chosen to peal off. He could have chosen anything other than launching at the guy. But sure, Evans wanted that goal so had he let Scheifele send him to the hospital.

 

And watch the video again, Scheifele starts to pull up and skate away. He then decided to go after Evans. 100 percent dirty. 100 percent unnecessary. 100 percent intended. He better get at least a few games off.

 

These situations aren’t binary. Both guys can be partially responsible and here I think they both were.

Not sure if you’ve ever thrown a hit, but when you throw one with your shoulder, your elbow will usually come up after. Your shoulder is a hinge, and once the hit has happened and the guy’s not there anymore, momentum takes over and the rest of your arm comes up.

 

It’s certainly possible.

 

Meh. Disagree. It wasn’t necessary. If he was actually trying to stop that goal, lead with the stick in the ice to stop the puck or don’t commit a charge. A charge is an illegal play just because it can injure the other player. I get playing hard and understanding what giving up an empty net means but you have to keep your head. Scheifele fucked up. Evans will likely not return for these playoffs.

 

Could be wrong, but I think you might be the first to address how quickly the contact came together particularly with Evans rounding the net. Totally agree he was not trying to injure.

 

It's a phone hearing, which means under five games.