2011-2012 Suspension thread

[goliath_2 0]

It is different than the Lucic Miller situation. 3 games, however, is overkill.

I agree that the situations are different. Lucic was pursuing the puck and attempting to score on a breakaway, when Miller skated out of the net to play the puck. Instead of avoiding a collision, Luc braced himself and delivered an open-ice check. I like Luc and consider myself a Bruins fan. But, if anything, Luc's contact on Miller was much more egregious than Shaw's contact with Smith. IMO, of course.

[Chadd 916]

I agree that the situations are different. Lucic was pursuing the puck and attempting to score on a breakaway, when Miller skated out of the net to play the puck. Instead of avoiding a collision, Luc braced himself and delivered an open-ice check. I like Luc and consider myself a Bruins fan. But, if anything, Luc's contact on Miller was much more egregious than Shaw's contact with Smith. IMO, of course.

I couldn't agree more. This is pretty much conclusive proof that the name of the person involved makes a huge difference when it comes to suspensions. The NHL has actually become more inconsistent as the season has progressed, especially into the playoffs.

[BenderHockey 127]

This really is a damn shame. I had a lot of respect for Shanny as a hardworking player up until this season's merry go round of discipline.

Maybe merry go round isn't the best comparison. Maybe Plinko might be better. Just when you think you have it figured out where it's headed, it bounces the completely opposite way.

[wrangler 157]

I'm wondering more and more if Shanahan is receiving different direction for the playoffs.

The Weber thuggery still bothers me the most, of what I've seen, which isn't a whole lot of what's happened in the playoffs.

[steelnation248 101]

I agree that the situations are different. Lucic was pursuing the puck and attempting to score on a breakaway, when Miller skated out of the net to play the puck. Instead of avoiding a collision, Luc braced himself and delivered an open-ice check. I like Luc and consider myself a Bruins fan. But, if anything, Luc's contact on Miller was much more egregious than Shaw's contact with Smith. IMO, of course.

I agree with this. What Lucic did was worse than Shaw.

[Chadd 916]

I'm wondering more and more if Shanahan is receiving different direction for the playoffs.

Colin Campbell is still his boss, I am convinced that he has a lot of impact on the decisions.

[EBondo 233]

Raffi Torres, step on down...again.

[Chadd 916]

my prediction: 2-3 games

[wrangler 157]

I think even the NHL will consider the Torres hit worse than the Shaw hit. I'll take a hopeful WAG here, and set the over/under at 6 games.

[Chadd 916]

I think even the NHL will consider the Torres hit worse than the Shaw hit. I'll take a hopeful WAG here, and set the over/under at 6 games.

It should be more like 10 when you factor in history, but they really don't.

[wrangler 157]

I think you and I already agreed on what it should be -- a bus ticket home.

[EBondo 233]

One game for Neal, four for Asham.

[MattyBoy 1]

I think I'm seriously starting to reevaluate being a fan of this league

[hockeysc23 0]

Looking for outside POV but Backstrom suspended 1 game is pissing me off especially considering he has no history and missed 40+ games as people targeted his head.

- Weber does worse ... 2.5k

- Neal repeat offender targets two guys heads in 1 shift and gets same suspension Backstrom does 1 game.

- Btiz, Hagelin, and Shaw, all with no priors, get at least 2 games for a blatant head shot.

Where is the consistency? Wasn't that what Shanny was suppose to provide? It's just ridiculous. Like they must use a magic 8 ball that gives the Penguins a discount.

[camhockey16 5]

i cant tell intent - but i think the shoulder ended up hitting him in the head - the part they might get him on is leaving the feet

[wrangler 157]

I wouldn't be surprised if intent is inferred from no visible attempt to avoid the head, and the fact that it's Torres.

[IPv6Freely 2094]

No benefit of the doubt for that guy. With his history, it should be 10 games, but likely won't be. I expect 4-5.

[EBondo 233]

Looking for outside POV but Backstrom suspended 1 game is pissing me off especially considering he has no history and missed 40+ games as people targeted his head.

- Weber does worse ... 2.5k

- Neal repeat offender targets two guys heads in 1 shift and gets same suspension Backstrom does 1 game.

- Btiz, Hagelin, and Shaw, all with no priors, get at least 2 games for a blatant head shot.

Where is the consistency? Wasn't that what Shanny was suppose to provide? It's just ridiculous. Like they must use a magic 8 ball that gives the Penguins a discount.

Backstrom was given a match penalty for the cross-check, which the league upheld. Match penalties carry automatic one-game suspensions.

I feel like Backstrom's previous concussion history should have played a role in making this harsher. You missed over half the season this year from a dirty head check, and then you go out and cross-check someone in the face? That shows absolute carelessness.

[ibeck 38]

Based on the past history and inconsistency of the NHL, I gotta say I'm surprised one one hand that Neal got suspended, but on the other hand shows the NHL trying to make a difference by not allowing people to charge and head hunt. Now the challenge for the NHL is stick to their guns and not allow anymore "slip ups" like weber when it comes to discipline.

[EBondo 233]

If they want to make a difference and send a message, then now is the perfect chance. Anything less than double digits for Torres isn't enough.

[ibeck 38]

If they want to make a difference and send a message, then now is the perfect chance. Anything less than double digits for Torres isn't enough.

Given Torres is a repeat offended, suspended twice (2 and 4 games) been fined twice (fine for the hejda headshot was a bigger shame than the weber on ztterberg), Hossa left the hospital last night, I'll say Raffi will receive 10 games.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

The real joke in all this is Carkner gets 1 game for repeatedly bare knuckle punching a guy who clearly didnt want to fight in the head 7 times, while neal, backstrom get the same. I mean..am I the only one who really didnt think Backstroms was all that bad? Players crosscheck eachother after the whistle all the time. I know they just upheld the match penatly thing, but they can rescind it too if they want.

[chippa13 1844]

Crosschecks to the chops have never been tolerated by the league. I recall that Thornton had a couple of suspensions for those back when he was with the Bruins.

These playoffs overall have been far worse than anything I remember in recent years. Obviously, the player education isn't working as there are more incidents instead of less. Shanahan is not having an impact.

[wrangler 157]

I didn't see a lot of the Pennsylvania battles, but I got the impression that the officials missed the opportunity to control the game early, and that lost them any chance to get it under control later. Hasn't that been the case in more than one series this year?

[RadioGaGa 162]

_{Not sure if this has been asked....}

_{Do playoff suspensions carry over into next season? If the Pens go out tonight...will Asham serve 2 games to start next season?}