Belak gets 8 games

[Chadd 916]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=77463

[rh_joel 0]

At least the NHL is trying to prevent things like this from happening. I'm glad that they are making harsher punishments for events like these.

[D3nZ 0]

Harsh punishments but good decisions, I personally think that all those are the right amounts of games missed for the actions.

[hkyplaya4life 0]

I like knowing that those who do these kinds of actions get the just punishment. Personally when I seen Belaks I thought it was an accident because he was losing his balance, but even if it was I still agree with his punishment.

[Crosby87 0]

The leafs don't really need him anyways,because they have some fighters who have taken his place. This is no surprise but it effects the leafs in no way

[Eazy_b97 1]

I say BS for the Belak suspension. I feel he was off balance and it was unintentional, If I were Toronto I would've put forward the Hossa and McKee high sticks to Leafs that caused serious injuries. Considering both of those went "unsuspended" I find it unfair. I think the Nhl needs to consider what they are suspending people for, because it seems like it's a mix from year to year.

[Dan_The_Man_16 0]

I saw the slash on TV and given, he was off-balance, but he could have prevented it from happening IMO. I think the league did a great job, not only because they suspended someone fo doing somthing worthy of a suspension that long, but because they got Belak off the Leafs roster for 8 games! *pumps fist* Now only Berg will give the puck away.

[PiKappaPhi 0]

No matter what you should be held accountable for your stick. He could have kept his stick under control, but I think he figured he had a chance to do a bit of stickwork and hope to not get caught. This type of things SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. Any hit to the head is completely unacceptable. How many people have to really really get hurt till something is done? I think the NHL was right in the suspension.

[ryno 0]

I think 2 games for Messier is a joke. Anybody see the spear he layed into Strbak Sunday? Talk about intent to injure.

Ryan

[Guest 2048]

I think 2 games for Messier is a joke. Anybody see the spear he layed into Strbak Sunday? Talk about intent to injure.

Ryan

Mess has done that his whole career and Colin's not about to suspend him for the rest of what might be his last season. Also, Mess elbowed a guy in boston last year in pre-season for leveling him. It's nothing new really, Gordie Howe did it as well and look at how long both guys played.

[hkyplaya4life 0]

No matter what you should be held accountable for your stick. He could have kept his stick under control, but I think he figured he had a chance to do a bit of stickwork and hope to not get caught. This type of things SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. Any hit to the head is completely unacceptable. How many people have to really really get hurt till something is done? I think the NHL was right in the suspension.

Thats basically what I was getting at. It's your responsibility to control your stick. There have been very minor high sticks that are even less intentional but they still get a high sticking call. This is the same deal, just on a bigger scale.

[Chadd 916]

The fact he didn't appear sorry may have hurt him as well.

[BC_Boy 0]

It didn't help the NHL's case that Sports Illustrated has a story in there about how hockey is too violent.

[ryno 0]

I think 2 games for Messier is a joke. Anybody see the spear he layed into Strbak Sunday? Talk about intent to injure.

Ryan

Mess has done that his whole career and Colin's not about to suspend him for the rest of what might be his last season. Also, Mess elbowed a guy in boston last year in pre-season for leveling him. It's nothing new really, Gordie Howe did it as well and look at how long both guys played.

Exactly, he got two games because he is Mark Messier, which I think is a joke. I think Messier's latest stick work was more blatant than Belak's but Belak is the one who got 8, also because he is Wade Belak and not Mark Messier. Not defending Belak becuae I don't care how unintentional he tried to make it look, he knew what he was doing. He may not have meant to hit him in the head but he was trying to make contact.

Ryan

[Chadd 916]

Mess got two games because he's going to call it quits. I have no problem letting him off light, this time.

[Eazy_b97 1]

I just don't like the fact the Nhl jumps across these lines they set so much, If the NHL said everyone is accountable for their stick at all times (which they did in about '95) than I understand the Belak suspension. But seeing a Leaf lose most of his sight in one eye, and two more get serious eye injuries, with no calls, when in History the Leafs have mostly been held accountable, makes it a tough pill to swallow. But it hard to argue it shouldn't have been a suspension, which I am not, just the length bothers me and I question if a leaf had taken the slash, what would have happened?

[Chadd 916]

In the post-Bertuzzi incident NHL, I think anything that looks bad will result in suspension. Hossa was shooting when he hit Berard, that's why he was not suspended.

[Eazy_b97 1]

I again return to an incident when Glen Anderson high sticked someone and the NHL admitted it was accidental, but a player must remain in control of his stick at all times. I still think the Hossa incident was half motion of shooting, half him pissed off and swinging for the fences. Not unlike the Belak swing, off balance yes, but also out of control.

[Chadd 916]

I don't disagree with you, that was the NHL ruling on the situation.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Ya it just burns me to see it happening all the time. I guess the grass is always greener though, I've seen the Belak thing more and more and it's definately shady, but it'd just be nice for some consistancy. :D

[Icedog03 0]

When I saw the replay on sportscenter I thought it was bad but not 8 game suspension bad. You cant look at that and say part of it was intentional even if he was off balance.

[Chadd 916]

If I'm off balance the last thing I'm going to do is swing my stick really hard up high, assuming I'm trying to keep my balance.

[Kyle_M 0]

If I'm off balance the last thing I'm going to do is swing my stick really hard up high, assuming I'm trying to keep my balance.

Good point why would he swing he stick around in the air with force to keep his balance? I'm just glad I wasn't Vaananen. And I'm very glad I wasn't Strbak.