Supplemental Discpline 2013-14

[Trooper 8]

What are you going to penalize Orpik for? I watched it in slow mo on the replay and the puck either is on Erikson's stick or passes right under it he moment he gets hit. It wasn't even a penalty much less a suspension.

I am reevaluating Neal's play, I think 10 games and still the 20+ for Thorton, if the NHL wants to eliminate this crap, which is assuming a lot...

[EBondo 233]

As much as I would love to see Neal get 10 games, he can't get more than five. Phone hearing. Another star player getting star treatment. This is the third time in the last two years alone he's tried to decapitate someone. First Giroux and Couturier in the same game in 2012, now this. For a player who has had his own share of concussions, he doesn't seem the least bit hesitant to dish them out to others.

[chippa13 1844]

Orpik should at a minimum received a two minute interference and possibly the famous 5 minute interference. Neal's move was bush and he'll probably get a couple. Thorton went slightly nuts immediately after seeing Neal's move and did something very stupid. It will be interesting to see how long he is on a forced vacation.

[bandits_5 18]

If Bettman wants the league to quit being a laughing stock, Neal SHOULD get 25 games. Im a Pens fan and Id love to see Neal get 25. With the phone hearing, though, its not gonna happen. Thorton would get the rest of this yr. off . No playoffs , nothing, done. Orpiks hit was absolutely a clean hockey hit. He and Kronwall are the best in the business. So , as I said, if Bettman and Shannahan want to clean the game up, BE SERIOUS ABOUT IT!

[chippa13 1844]

Eriksson never had puck possession. Orpik deserved at least 2 minutes.

[Jason Harris 31]

I'm going to have to rewatch that play, because it had seemed to me that the puck caromed at least two feet behind Eriksson, which is why he had relaxed his antenna.

[chippa13 1844]

How can Neal make those comments with a straight face? He absolutely knew what he was doing when he kneed Marchand in the head.

[EBondo 233]

If Bettman wants the league to quit being a laughing stock, Neal SHOULD get 25 games. Im a Pens fan and Id love to see Neal get 25. With the phone hearing, though, its not gonna happen. Thorton would get the rest of this yr. off . No playoffs , nothing, done. Orpiks hit was absolutely a clean hockey hit. He and Kronwall are the best in the business. So , as I said, if Bettman and Shannahan want to clean the game up, BE SERIOUS ABOUT IT!

You cannot say Orpik and Kronwall are the best in the business unless you're talking about throwing cheap hits...

[bandits_5 18]

to some people, all hits are cheap hits, I suppose.

[that_guy 2]

If you watch this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvteW6mvasA

and this gif:

http://cdn3.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1956231/826268438.gif

it looks like Eriksson did touch the puck with his backhand for a split second. He obviously never had control but if he touched that puck he was in possession according to the rules of the NHL:

56.1 Interference

Possession of the Puck: The last player to touch the puck, other than the goalkeeper, shall be considered the player in possession. The player deemed in possession of the puck may be checked legally, provided the check is rendered immediately following his loss of possession.

So if it did touch his stick the correct call would be no call. The hit itself was body on body and clean, provided he touched the puck which is debatable. You would also think someone who already missed time this year with a concussion wouldn't be skating up the ice while looking behind him and trying to catch a pass on the backhand. That is asking to get tattooed in any league.

[icewalker_bg 126]

I dont see anything wrong with that hit. Eriksoon looked like he got a piece of that puck.

[Harv 86]

Orpik hit was totally legal.

[SydNap 25]

Neal is a classless rat, plain and simple. He does crap like that knee to Marchand all the time. That's the stuff the NHL needs to get rid of. His headhunting vs Giroux and Couturier was a 1 game joke. No excuse for Thornton either. Same with Rinaldo (I'm a Flyers fan). All that stuff should result in long suspensions. I'm totally fine with fighting, but not stupid WWE crap...

[Larry54 243]

If you watch this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvteW6mvasA

and this gif:

http://cdn3.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1956231/826268438.gif

it looks like Eriksson did touch the puck with his backhand for a split second. He obviously never had control but if he touched that puck he was in possession according to the rules of the NHL:

56.1 Interference

Possession of the Puck: The last player to touch the puck, other than the goalkeeper, shall be considered the player in possession. The player deemed in possession of the puck may be checked legally, provided the check is rendered immediately following his loss of possession.

So if it did touch his stick the correct call would be no call. The hit itself was body on body and clean, provided he touched the puck which is debatable. You would also think someone who already missed time this year with a concussion wouldn't be skating up the ice while looking behind him and trying to catch a pass on the backhand. That is asking to get tattooed in any league.

I watched the replay of it that they showed on CBC. I even slowed down the slow-motion replay on my PVR and there is absolutely no doubt that Eriksson touched the puck just before getting hit.

[chippa13 1844]

Check out the interpretation. Possession of the puck is a player deemed to exercise control. At no point did Eriksson control the puck.

[wrangler 157]

What a rule says is one thing. How it has historically been "interpreted" and applied may often be something else again.

[Stewie 721]

In terms of hitting, you don't need to control the puck for a district amount of time in order to be in possession, as long as the player touches the puck the hit can be timed as though to separate him from it. It's not like football where you need some sort of way to establish possession before going to the ground etc

[Chadd 916]

Orpik could be penalized on just about every shift, it's hard for me to take his side in any individual situation. The hit was excessive and an attempt to knock Ericsson out (ie, injure him). The knee to the head by Neal was absolute bush league garbage, and should result in a serious suspension. Thornton will likely also get a significant suspension, that is exactly the type of the thing that gets on every sportscast and makes the league look bad. I believe that they will come down on him very hard.

[chippa13 1844]

If someone can explain how Phaneuf just got away with the clear hit from behind on Miller I'm all ears.

[bigdmac 12]

If someone can explain how Phaneuf just got away with the clear hit from behind on Miller I'm all ears.

Easy. The refs had to get home to catch the end of Battle of the Blades! Seriously though I have no idea... I don't know what was worse, the actual hit, or the fact that they didn't call it.

Phaneuf should be suspended, along with the two "officials" of that game. Bad game all around.

[Chadd 916]

There must have been a memo sent out from the league recently. Within the last week or so, I have seen a lot of "no-calls" that appeared to be obvious penalties. Players and coaches see trends and take advantage of them.

[RadioGaGa 162]

If someone can explain how Phaneuf just got away with the clear hit from behind on Miller I'm all ears.

Not so fast on the "got away with..." stuff!

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=438565

[wrangler 157]

It certainly looks as though the league considers fighting important when you see players posing for promotional clips like the one of Thornton in this video at 3:51:

The commentary by the announcers shows their attitude, as well. And it's interesting to add Fraser's opinions on the officiating: http://www.tsn.ca/blogs/kerry_fraser/?id=438513

Looking at the hits, it looks like Orpik went up into Eriksson's head, and it's hard to say that Neal didn't intend to hit Marchand's head with his knee. While he didn't obviously extend the knee, he certainly showed that he had no intention of avoiding that contact.

[Trooper 8]

Orpik hit him in the chest, what happened after impact wasn't intent. Neal didn't accidentally do anything, I do think he intentionally skated into his head. The more I think about it, both he and Thorton are one the same page with me, both should have the same suspension.

[RadioGaGa 162]

I have no problem with fighting in the game...but I've always thought it's unnecessary for announcers to "call" the fight. I'm not saying sit quietly and say nothing...but the guys who turn into boxing announcers and talk about body shots and uppercuts. Just describe the tussle...talk about what lead to the fight, but I think the broadcasters doing the Howard Cosell routine on fights is silly.

And, the "Tale of the Tape" graphics can go too.