Running 2007 NHL regular season thread

Suspend Jones for at least 25 games - maybe even 30 as HB suggests.

Fine the Flyers a prohibitive amount.

Let the organization know that any more of that crap will invite bigger team fines and heavier individual suspensions.

 

That was my problem with the Simon cross-check of Hollweg (coincidentally, SI had a feature on Simon this week). 25 games for what he did? What kind of message does that send?

If the league was or is serious about eliminating the dirty hits and the stickwork, it has to absolutely hammer players and teams. Thirty, forty game suspensions, prohibitive fines and taking draft picks away. That will cut out this shit in a hurry.
---

In the same vein, the league has to do something about the crease-crashing. Goaltenders aren't protected at all. Forwards head to the net and run over goaltenders.

---
I just saw the highlight of Vanek's goal. Pretty goal, but Holmqvist was way out of position.

 

Maybe I'm late to this party but hey, the Leafs beat the Rangers.

And were outshot.

The parade is on.

 

I saw the score while in another press box. I had to fight the urge to say, "Fuckin' Christ, lads, pull your heads out of your asses."

 

Rod Brind'Amour with the hat trick as Whalercanes quickly rebound by drilling the Isles.

 

If Jones gets 25 or 30 than Gonchar needs to get 60 for his shot tonight. A 1,000 times worse than Jones hit as far as intent.

The trouble is if you give 25 games for every hit like this, than there will be a bunch of ECHLers playing because of all the suspensions. On HNIC, Hrudey made the point -- and I agree -- that these hits happen 100 times a game.

 

But after a few such suspensions, don't you think everyone will get the message and cut the shit?

 

Unfortunately no. Look how long it has taken the players to get used to zero tollerance on interference.
I saw this epidemic coming for years.In minor hockey those hits that you see (hyperbolic) 100 times a game are called hitting from behind and the guy is tossed, even on a minor hit from behind. For far too long in the NHL those hits if called have just been called 2 min boarding, at the most. The habits are long ingrained and will be hard to break, suspensions or not.

 

The instigator rule has got to go.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/hnic/coachscorner/

 

It hasn't helped Crosby that Georges Laraque has morphed into Boy George. The man is overrated because he won't fight or confront anyone unless they're big heavyweights and those are not the guys who continually hack and hammer Sid.

 

Bob McKenzie doesn't think Jones will get a big suspension, something I strongly disagree with him if you read his article and how it was a normal hit in hockey. Jones turned his head and followed through the hit, that's called wreckless. Bob and I agree on a lot of things but this one, I don't at all.

http://www.tsn.ca/blogs/mckenzie/?id=221637

 

Two questions about yesterday's Flyers-Bruins game:

1) Why didn't Chara go after anyone on the Flyers following the Bergeron hit? Someone on Philly had to pay a price for Jones' cheap hit and shouldn't that responsibility fall to Chara?

2) Looking at the Yahoo! box score, it said that Steve Downie recorded an assist on Mike Richards' goal. I thought Downie was suspended?