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Loading ...OK, so let’s reheat the whole brouhaha surrounding my alleged assertion that result should factor into suspensions.
The Capitals faced off against the Rangers the other night, and Colton Orr got himself five games for running across the ice and cross-checking Alex Ovechkin in the grill (an act that undoubtedly pleased more than a few drunken losers). When the Flyers-Canes game wound down last night, Derian Hatcher charged across the ice and cross-checked Justin Williams in the back (an act that undoubtedly pleased a few more drunken losers)–and he’ll get no suspension for it.
Donald Brashear, meanwhile, got only one game for sucker-punching Aaron Ward–because there was no injury.
If that’s why Brashear only got one game for his antics, then can somebody who is not a Sabres fan please explain to me why it’s OK that Scott Nichol got nine games for doing the same thing to Jaroslav Spacek?
When is intent to injure not intent to injure, and what are Clownshoe Colin’s parameters for handing out suspensions? That’s what I’d like to know.
Re: question #2, I’m starting to lean toward the 12-sided die theory myself.
I’ll actually agree with the assertion that Brashear probably should have gotten more than one game for that sucker punch on Ward, who I actually like and who I wish played for the Caps. The only thing I can come up with that explains the disciplinary discrepancy is that the hit on Spacek may have been a little worse because from what I could tell, Spacek didn’t see Nichol coming.
Whatever…the NHL is being so inconsistent with the punishment that no one knows what’s off-limits anymore, and that’s just dangerous. Bravo for the 5 games on Orr, though. That was just nasty.
I do have to wonder what Ward said to Big Brash to piss him off. He’s a tough guy, but if you watch him a lot like I have, he’s usually able to keep his cool unless provoked. Not that that excuses his actions, mind you, but something I’ve been pondering…
I probably shouldn’t answer this since I am a Sabres fan and you specifically asked us NOT to answer
but Nichols’ punch was no worse than Brashear’s to me. In fact, I’d actually say that Brashear’s was worse because Ward didn’t touch him whereas Spacek gave Nichols a nice little corkscrew which would probably piss me off too.
So how does Campbell come up with punishments? I dunno. Even the star player/reputation theories don’t seem to work in these cases. He’s a moron, you know?