Posts Tagged NHL Suspension
Ovechkin Suspended For 2 Games
Posted by Derek in NHL Injuries, NHL News, NHL Opinion on March 16th, 2010
“The National Hockey League has suspended Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin for two games for his hit on Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Brian Campbell on Sunday afternoon.
While the Capitals were not happy with the suspension, vice president and general manager George McPhee chose not to expand on his feelings.
“We have no problem with the way Alex tried to finish his check. Unfortunately, an injury resulted. We are disappointed with the suspension but do not want to comment further,” McPhee said in a statement Monday.” (Source:TSN)
This feels like Deja Vu to me, but as I stated in an earlier post when The Washington Capitals’ forward Alexander Ovechkin was suspended two games after his knee-on-knee hit with Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Tim Gleason, this is a trend that is going to continue as long as Ovechkin continues to abuse his “star status”.
I’ve watched the replay of this hit on Brian Campbell several times and I can’t even understand why Ovechkin delivered the hit in the first place. Campbell had already moved the puck, which is likely why he didn’t anticipate the hit coming a couple seconds after the fact, but in true Ovechkin style, he recklessly pushed Campbell into the boards to “finish his check”.
Like I said before, I’m a fan of OV’s game but he needs to figure out where the line is, when finishing a check does nothing to impact the play in a positive way for his team.
Judging by his comments, (his comments are detailed below in Mark’s post, along with video of the hit) he still doesn’t even see what was wrong with the play in the first place… That speaks to bigger problem, to say the least.
Ovechkin Gets 2 Game Suspension
Washington Capitals’ forward Alexander Ovechkin has been suspended two games after his knee-on-knee hit with Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Tim Gleason.
Ovechkin was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct on the play, which left both players sprawled on the ice.
“I regret that this has happened,” Ovechkin said in a statement. “I’m glad that Tim wasn’t injured because I never ever want to see anyone get hurt. I am disappointed to miss these games and I can’t wait to get back on the ice next week to help my team.” (Source: TSN)
Who didn’t know this day was coming? You can argue until you’re blue in the face as to whether or not Ovechkin intentionally knee checked Tim Gleason, or Sergei Gonchar in the playoffs last year for that matter, but the fact is that Ovechkin’s been running around taking every opportunity to hit guys as hard as possible, regardless of the potential consequences, for a couple years now.
I’m a fan of tough hockey as much as anyone is, and for the most part I’m a huge OV fan, but at some point the NHL is going to have to stop giving him free reign on the ice. We all know that there’s a different set of rules for star players, a little nudge-nudge, wink-wink type of arrangement where a guy of Ovechkin’s star power will be given a little extra rope to play with, as long as he keeps putting fans in the seats.
Here-in lies the big problem though….star players are supposed to use this extra rope to put pucks in the net, not to take liberties with other players careers. How can the NHL talk about getting tough on headshots, and charging, and all the other types of questionable hits that happen during a game, when one of their marquee player is just as guilty of these hits as anyone else?
In hockey, as in life in general, these things have a way of balancing out and it will be a tremendous loss for hockey when Ovechkin gets seriously injured, whether by a hit he delivers or receives, but it seems inevitable that it will happen.
Kaleta Suspended
The Buffalo Sabres will be without Patrick Kaleta for two games after the forward was suspended by the NHL on Saturday.
Kaleta took a major boarding penalty and a game misconduct in the first period of Friday’s game against the Flyers when he hit Philadelphia centre Jared Ross. Ross left the game and did not return.
Kaleta has three goals and three assists in 21 games this season. He is eligible to return to action on Dec. 3 against Montreal. (source:TSN)
It looks like fellow colleague Mark was right earlier today when he posted (in his daily “Around The Boards” column) that Kaleta would receive a suspension for his hit on Jared Ross of the Flyers last night.
I’m not really sure I agree with this decision, and I admit that I’m not overly familiar with this Kaleta character, but I felt like Jared Ross turned his back at the last minute. The problem with being a “usual suspect”, like Kaleta apparently is, is that there’s no way you’ll get the benefit of the doubt that the hit was un-intentional, and the NHL is going to make an example out of you.
We all know that there has been a double standard regarding a players star status vs length of suspension for years. Lets face the facts here, the NHL is a business and it isn’t good for business to suspend Alex Ovechkin for a borderline hit.
We could go through example after example of grinder type players getting the shaft or star players getting off easy but it boils down to this; It is much better to make an example out a guy who won’t affect the bottom line…A player with OV’s star status will make opposing teams money when the Capitals come to town (outside of the large markets, that sell out anyway, like Toronto and New York for example) so it’s in all the owners best interest to keep him on skates and selling tickets.
Kaleta, on the other hand, well…….enough said.
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