2010-11 Suspension Thread [Archive]

puck_it

10-12-2010, 08:06 PM

is it sad that this thread is late? :crazy:

Wisniewsky got 2 games for some gestures made toward avery

for those that missed it:

Hjalmarsson checking Pominville from behind.... pretty bad hit.
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G-Vegas Caniac

10-12-2010, 08:47 PM

So let me get this straight...You get the same suspension for pretending to suck a wang and boarding somebody?? :crazy:

cmw00

10-12-2010, 08:48 PM

I posted about the Wisniewski suspension in the other thread:
James Wisniewski gets 2 games for, as the TORNOTO SUN (http://www.torontosun.com/sports/hockey/2010/10/11/15656011.html)
puts it, "Blowing Off" Avery.

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cmw00

10-12-2010, 08:49 PM

So let me get this straight...You get the same suspension for pretending to suck a wang and boarding somebody?? :crazy:

Yeah, I don't get it. Wisniewski doesn't need to be suspended at all I think, he should definitely appeal. Can't the league just issue lesser fines or something?

puck_it

10-12-2010, 09:30 PM

he deserved a suspension... run your mouth all you want, but gestures are obvious to fans, and as a professional athlete, you have to know that.

this wasnt a parabolic mic picking up trash talk, and errantly airing something that would undoubtedly cause controversy... a situation where I may or may not find the word choice reprehensible, but coudlnt support suspension, as it's not meant to be heard. you shouldnt have to filter what you say, with exception to things that might land you a game misconduct (racial slurs, etc)

this was clearly visible. you should know it's visible. it's clear glass.

see: craig adams throat slash, that dude who throat slashed earlier this season (and the first time he did it, too).....

nccanes

10-13-2010, 06:11 AM

Agree with puckit, if your gestures can't even be shown on replay....

The boarding suspension is interesting. Bob McK tweeted about how some hockey people thought it. wasn't suspension worhty. I guess those folks don't care about the injury risk. I thought Ryan Miller's very long, very pointed comments were awesome. Loved that he brought up how Savard's absence. Being without Savard hurts the league, let alone his own personal health and future.

SoCalcaniac

10-13-2010, 07:40 AM

The Wiz thing - I think it was in truly poor taste, very Avery like and Avery didn't do it, and I think it was suspension worthy, for being a dumbass. There are kids and fans in the crowd that don't need to see that, imo.

As for the Hjarmalsson hit on Pominville- I'm in the unpopular camp that believes that there shouldn't have been a suspension. Ryan Miller's very eloquent and empassioned comments on this hit and others really struck me, and I wholly agree with him on his points; however, this was a hockey hit, and it was a hockey hit where someone got hurt. I don't like to see anyone get hurt. But this for me, and again, I know it's an unpopular stance, wasn't a suspension worthy hit. Hjarmalsson is one of my absolutely favorite players, so I'm probably biased; he's a good solid young D on the rise, and it's not in his character at all- (but we can't read their minds either) I see it ultimately as an ill-timed hit gone completely wrong.

nccanes

10-13-2010, 07:51 AM

It does look like Pominville knew he was coming - he seemed to glance over and he wasn't square to the boards facing them.

BUT - the players (hitters and hittees) better figure out what the hell they are doing because the league really has no choice in addressing the head injury issue.

Players have to remember that the idea is to remove the guy from the play, and gain the puck. The idea shouldn't be to blast this guy into the boards/glass as hard as humanly possible because...I can (or to smash this guys skull with my hard plastic shoulder pad because...I can). When they get too close to that line they are putting their own at risk.

But for GOD's sake. I wish the TV broadcasters would learn to just STFU when a player is on the ice, condition unknown. I couldn't stand it when Tripp was yammering away about Ruutu's hit on Tucker and I can't take these guys repeatedly saying "Pomminville knew....Pomminville knew..." in order to clear Hjarmalsson instantly. Seriously - I wish the league would issue some directive.

Maybe Pomminville knew...and decided not to play the puck.

PS - I think it's very wise that the league jump on this one so early in the season. If Hjarmalsson has to suffer a 2 game suspension so that the rest of the league kinda wakes up and realizes they are actually doing something about head injuries...so be it. Let's see how they navigate going forward.

KaniacFever

10-13-2010, 08:22 AM

Wiz should have gotten suspended. I don't have kids, but I do have nephews/niece and I would not want to have to make up some story on what Wiz was doing there to Avery. And we seen how fast that gesture made it to youtube. You can't sweep things under the rug anymore like you used to. Its a disgrace to the league and I'm glad they gave him a suspension.

As for Hjarmalsson, last year that would not have been suspension worthy. He hit Pominville in the shoulder, grant it, it was the back of the shoulder, but he didn't hit him straight in the back. Last year, he would have gotten his boarding penalty and that's it. But this year, they said they were going to be stricter with hits. Unfortuntly for Pominville he now has a concussion, therefore, Hjarmalsson gets a suspension. I just hope that if a player does a straight on back hit (ie Orpik on Cole), the league really steps up and gives more than 2 games.

nccanes

10-13-2010, 08:29 AM

I think "back of the shoulder" when the end result is the guy's head hitting the glass is enough of "in the back". To me it looked like his shoulder hit the "9" of his jersey.

It's gonna be a long season if this stuff happens week in/week out.

And I found the whole Avery/Wiz thing odd in that the Puck Daddy column and Wyshinski's twitter was full of 12 year old puns. I would consider PD blog mainstream media, but yesterday it sounded like a HS locker room. Maybe it's stupid that I was surprised. :lol:

ssangste

10-13-2010, 03:00 PM

my own personal biases coming through...

That hit was not suspension worthy, imo even with the new rules. Dude had his head up and saw him coming. He chose to turn away and almost seemed like he expected not to get hit. Too bad.

Don't get me wrong, it was close to borderline, but that was a check that could have been avoided by Pomminville.

My biases:

I don't like that players get to wear body armor and that gives them a sense of freedom to do things without any potential harm to themselves. The old hockey gear was total crap, so you felt it as much as the guy you were hitting did.... and that was a good thing as there weren't as many careless hits.....

I also don't like that players are now taught to turn toward the boards so that they can avoid being hit or draw the boarding penalty. That's not how I was taught to take a check or play along the boards. Look at how Pomminville positioned himself there. I was taught always, always, always, always to keep your back to the boards unless you were on the rush in motion. Coaches and players are trying to bend things to their advantage to keep the hit away from them by turning either all the way to the boards or cheating that way in hopes of players backing off them. They're trying to buy themselves time and space and playing to the very fear of taking that boarding penalty. I have a big problem with that. Had Pomminville not also bent forward and had his head bang off the boards instead of the glass, he wouldn't have gotten hurt.

Ruutu has made at least 30 of those hits that i can remember right now. Could a case be made for charging since he came from several strides away to make the hit? Maybe. Was the player turning away from him to avoid having to be hit at all? In my opinion, yes.

This wasn't a blind side hit. Dude looked over and saw him coming and chose to play to the puck and turn away rather than turn towards the oncoming player and take the hit. At worst it's a minor penalty. Definitely not suspension worthy, imo.... and I'd feel the exact same if one of our Canes players were on the receiving end of it. I understand that others will feel differently.

nccanes

10-13-2010, 03:57 PM

There are hockey people that fall on both sides of the judgement of this particular hit, which is why I wrote:

BUT - the players (hitters and hittees) better figure out what the hell they are doing because the league really has no choice in addressing the head injury issue.

...thats the bottom line really

SouthernHockeyChick

10-13-2010, 04:52 PM

I thought that Wiz was suggesting that he and Avery share a popsicle after the game. What were ya'll thinking? :beatup:

As for the hit well, I think it's unfortunate that had Pominville popped right back up without injury, there would certainly have been no suspension and maybe even no call. That's how the league is NOT addressing the head injury issue.

nccanes

10-13-2010, 05:04 PM

As for the hit well, I think it's unfortunate that had Pominville popped right back up without injury, there would certainly have been no suspension and maybe even no call. That's how the league is NOT addressing the head injury issue.

From the on ice angle the ref at the blue line raised his arm immediately.

I think we'll have to wait and see about how they go forward. But I agree, if they start to back track on this issue then this call's worthless.

cmw00

10-13-2010, 06:43 PM

Patrick Kaleta will be next for throwing two headbutts at Zajac!

SouthernHockeyChick

10-13-2010, 06:50 PM

^ Aw, too bad. Guess the loser won't get his chance to take all that revenge on Hjalmarsson.

Canesluver

10-14-2010, 02:52 PM

I thought that Wiz was suggesting that he and Avery share a popsicle after the game. What were ya'll thinking? :beatup:

Great minds think alike! When I saw the video, I said to my husband, "I don't know what all the fuss is about, isn't that the universal pantomime for "Let's go to Baskin Robbins after the game for a cone????"

:evil:

cmw00

10-14-2010, 04:06 PM

Looks like one pretty blatant headbutt, and one or two attempts at leading with the helmet:
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puck_it

10-16-2010, 11:46 AM

and no suspensions?

cmw00

10-18-2010, 08:04 AM

Looks like just a fine for Kaleta:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/NHL-fines-Kaleta-for-attempted-headbutt-on-Zajac;_ylt=At4GPetmZ5k6RkDIuOnV.3V7vLYF?urn=nhl-277511

SouthernHockeyChick

10-18-2010, 02:52 PM

Guess he was going for the puck. :crazy:

livinthedream

10-18-2010, 03:49 PM

Shane Doan has been suspended (http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Coyotes-Shane-Doan-gets-3-game-suspension-but-;_ylt=Ak_i74va7tR_w7N09YGbKyF7vLYF?urn=nhl-277951) for three games for his hit on Dan Sexton.

Of significance for several reasons, but this means Doan won't be in the lineup against us on Saturday.

cmw00

10-18-2010, 03:50 PM

Shane Doan gets 3 games for this:
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He gets nothing for this one earlier in the game, but I'd bet it factored into the suspension:
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SoCalcaniac

10-18-2010, 05:21 PM

Yep, I'd agree on that point cmw- poor Cam Fowler, scores his first NHL goal, is flying high and then Kapow. Not how he'd like to remember the night he scored his 1st, but thank goodness it's "just" a broken nose.

On Doan- and him not being in the lineup for PHX when we play them. Yeah, I'm glad he's not playing, but mostly because he's a scoring threat, more than anything, and if I recall previous games vs PHX, he's done some damage, lol. In other news, #13 has been out w/ an upper body injury, another guy I'll hope is not in the lineup so he doesn't exact scoring revenge on his old team. :lol:

This isn't a typical Shane Doan "play" for sure, but the league had to do this after their lack of action on other hits. Plus this is textbook on what should be suspendable.

cmw00

10-18-2010, 07:22 PM

The hit on Fowler definitely looked like it could have been way worse than a broken nose.

Anybody taking bets on what Avery gets for this:
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puck_it

10-18-2010, 08:32 PM

nothing. it was already addressed. should they not cause injury, two handed slashes below the waist are acceptable, and are handled as slashing minors within the game.

goalie33

10-20-2010, 02:29 AM

Rick Rypien, come on down!

Jesus, what an idiot.

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nccanes

10-20-2010, 07:21 AM

Thanks for posting that - I saw all the tweets last night.

What a strange set up in the visitors hallway exit! Both sides are so exposed.

I hope that fan got to return to their seat. I have no idea what was said and it could have been foul, but give the fan credit for not reacting in anyway, not taking any swings and not escalating the situation. And wtf was the staff doing yelling at him after they removed Rypien?

So what does conventional wisdom say he'll get? a few games? 5 games? More?

And this quote from Malhotra? WTF is he thinking?

"The fan got a little bit too involved, and there's just no place for that in the game," Vancouver forward Manny Malhotra said. "There are boundaries that should never be crossed. We are in our area of work and we are all for the hooting and hollering and supporting your team and saying whatever is tasteful out there.

"But as soon as you cross that line and want to become physical with a player, we have to make sure we take care of ourselves."

He's seriously suggesting that the fan got physical first? And he's suggesting that Rypien was in some sort of peril, all decked out head to foot in protective gear and with the ability to simply walk away? Malhotra deserves a fine himself imo.

And I think it's safe to say -- look out if Vancouver is getting their asses handed to them. You never know who, on the ice or in the stands, is gonna be at risk! :crazy:

Jay

10-20-2010, 08:18 AM

I hope that fan got to return to their seat. I have no idea what was said and it could have been foul, but give the fan credit for not reacting in anyway, not taking any swings and not escalating the situation. And wtf was the staff doing yelling at him after they removed Rypien?

I've heard reports that the fan was simply relocated.

So, how long is he gone? 20 games? 40 games? Balance of season?

Darkwing

10-20-2010, 09:35 AM

8-10 games, get your bets in now.

KaniacFever

10-20-2010, 09:45 AM

I'll go with 8 games

Jay

10-20-2010, 09:54 AM

I'll bet no less than 15 games. He'll probably get 20+.

nccanes

10-20-2010, 10:25 AM

Puck Daddy has the Sportsnet video up where the announcers blame the fan. :lol: I guess it shows just how emotional sports are that normally sane people will just blabber on in defense of something that didn't happen. :lol: It's amazing how people that make a living in evaluating replays would just spout off without checking the video tape. Love the insult about him being worried about his beer. :lol: I'd love to know if the NHL Media people get on bozos like this.

But the other thing in these videos is how Rypien had the linesman's shirt in his fist before he finally decided to leave. Malholtra gingerly pulls his fist off the jersey. And then Malholtra's back is completely turned while Rypien goes after the fan (yet it didn't stop him from also accusing the fan).

Crazy stuff. :lol:

Alicia

10-20-2010, 10:27 AM

Fan attacked for clapping, hmm...I'll go 5 games.

goalie33

10-20-2010, 11:34 AM

He's seriously suggesting that the fan got physical first? And he's suggesting that Rypien was in some sort of peril, all decked out head to foot in protective gear and with the ability to simply walk away?

One of my favorite bits of commentary from the old Bruins/Rangers "shoe incident" goes something like this:

"Oh boy, now the Bruins are up into the stands, fighting with the crowd!"

"Yes, the Bruins are going to be at a bit of a disadvantage up there, standing in those skates."

I say eight games for Rypien, and two games for Avery and his George Washington routine last night.

SouthernHockeyChick

10-20-2010, 11:36 AM

And I think it's safe to say -- look out if Vancouver is getting their asses handed to them. You never know who, on the ice or in the stands, is gonna be at risk! :crazy:

That's ALWAYS been true, it's just been the Canucks fans you had to worry about in the stands and the players stayed on the ice. But they've long been a team that thugs it up when they're losing, IMO.

I have no idea what the suspension will be....but Rypien was flat out out of control. It needs to be long.

Alicia

10-20-2010, 11:39 AM

Watch him just get fined...

livinthedream

10-20-2010, 11:46 AM

Early word/rumor is indefinite suspension pending a hearing. Have no idea how long a hearing takes, but may be a little while longer before anything is certain.

nccanes

10-20-2010, 11:47 AM

I have no idea what the suspension will be....but Rypien was flat out out of control. It needs to be long.

Yeah - I wonder if there will be a discussion of abuse of official as well. I'm pretty sure you aren't supposed to contain the ref by clutching his shirt. If it weren't for the shove in the stands, it might be something that doesn't get a second look.

And I bet Minnesota is getting a call from the league to resolve that fan/visiting bench exposure issue.

The TSN guys tweeting that he's suspended pending a "in person" hearing.

livinthedream

10-20-2010, 11:51 AM

Pierre LeBrun just tweeted this:

Because it requires an in-person hearing, that means the suspension will be at least five games in length

SoCalcaniac

10-20-2010, 12:55 PM

I was completely distracted by the Rypien thing reading the tweets last night, I kept flipping back over to check it out. He's been thuggish before, and SHC is right, when shiz starts to happen to VAN they just go ape.

I think he'll get at least 15 games. The thing with the fan= horrid, the Malhotra quote- El Stupido. But the biggest thing is Rypien put his hands on an official. So all that combined is trouble, IMO and he deserves it. He looks crazy.

The bigger conversation is that Luongo got his a** handed to him & Vignault didn't bother to pull him til after the 6th goal. Luongo - still the most over rated goalie in hockey. He certainly didn't win Canada olympic gold and it drives me nuts that Cam is left out of conversations about "great young goalies" and Luongo's sorry behind is always in the conversation, for NO good reason.

ssangste

10-20-2010, 02:51 PM

Dude needs to sit for at least 15, if not more... it's one thing if the fan hits him first... that's not at all what happened... that was just stooopid on his part and completely inexcusable.

nccanes

10-20-2010, 03:00 PM

It was interesting to listen to Boomer/Thistel on XM today (the first show I've bothered to listen to all season) and then interview Greg Wyshinski (Puck Daddy editor). Wysh kept down playing this to a certain extent trying to make distinctions about how Rypien didn't throw any punches and how it doesn't deserve to be in the same sentence as the Artest incident. I have no idea why anyone would be so annoyed that it was in the same sentence. They don't have to be identical scenarios to be discussed in the same sentence - the are certainly fair to compare, but that doesn't mean that they are identical.

I thought Boomer and Joe were pretty spot on to point out that Rypien was out of control long before he went after the fan. They also pointed out that people stepped in before anything worse happened. Wysh said something about "so you suspend people based on what might have happened"....uh, I think yeah! I mean that's exactly what you do - you never want to see this happen again, you consider what could have happened (if he wasn't restrained or if the fan actually decided to fight back more forcefully) and factor that in. Wysh wasn't suggesting that he shouldn't be suspended, but that this talk of greater than 10 game was totally ridiculous.

And as an aside, does anyone think that Wysh seems to working very hard to be extra contrarian and full of negative snark? I know that's part of the PD schtick/angle, but I don't find him funny in the way I used to - because it's almost overkill. But it could be me - I may have just outgrown him. :lol:

cmw00

10-20-2010, 03:04 PM

Give him some anger management classes to. I understand he was mad as hell since Staubtitz threw some forearms in their fight earlier in the game. He was trying to get Brad to fight again, but the linesmen got there too quickly. Players have to control themselves better though.

I know there are fans close to the players benches and tunnels like that, but those fans look closer than any other arena I can think of at the moment. We're lucky this hasn't happened much before with fans being almost in the visitors bench.

KaniacFever

10-20-2010, 06:38 PM

nccanes

10-20-2010, 07:55 PM

According to Russo who spoke to the 28-year old fan, he is now seeking a lawyer.

Now I get Rypien should not have done what he did, it was wrong, but seems to me the 'fan' is looking for his 15 mins of fame. Or, I must in the minority, cause if it was me, I'd get a whole bunch of free sh!t like season tickets :lol: and leave it at that. No need to cause bad news to the sport for something I'm sure the 'fan' wasn't all innocent in.

"the fan" supposed brother said he said "way to be professional". I haven't read much, but I think wysh said he had not been contacted by anyone (Wild, Canucks, League, Rypien). Maybe he's just making noise because he DOES want to get the free **** and hasn't heard about it yet.

Yeah, people are sue happy, but that's part of the deterrent for not grabbing someone when you're pissed off. :lol: Especially on broadcast TV!

puck_it

10-21-2010, 07:10 PM

i bet it will be around ten...

so the 'violence' of the physical contact was low, and brief.... not like Domi's incident. but in domi's case the dude did fall into his box... in rypiens case the dude was clapping and maybe running his mouth.

seriously, wtf?

SouthernHockeyChick

10-21-2010, 11:04 PM

Not an excuse for Rypien in the slightest bit but, this guy was on XM this afternoon and he's obviously a total jerkoff, IMO.

To me, if you run your mouth in a bar and get shoved you don't get a lawyer to settle it; if you poke a bear in a zoo and get bit you don't get a lawyer to settle it; if you spill hot coffee on yourself and get burned at McDonalds you don't get a lawyer to settle it; and if you taunt an adrenalin addled hockey player who just got prevented from getting his adrenalin out in a fight and you get shoved/grabbed you don't get a lawyer to settle it.

Rypien has to know he can't do that and he needs to be disciplined. And the fellow players need to just keep their mouth shut. I understand why they would take up for each other and I understand there are reasons stuff like this happens that I totally get but when you describe them it sounds like you're making excuses...so just don't. And the jerkoff needs to just go away.

JMO.

caneshockeychick

10-21-2010, 11:38 PM

^QFT!!!
:thumbsup:

I heard him too. And then Espo was going off on the afternoon show. I was LMAO!!

puck_it

10-22-2010, 07:46 AM

nccanes

10-22-2010, 08:00 AM

From what I've read, they relocated the fans (which makes total sense) to some glass seats elsewhere and were not ejected.

I think a law suit is unjustified, but at the same time if you are standing there and make the remark "way to be professional" (or even something worse, but to my knowledge, no one has come up with anything else the guy said) you don't deserve to be grabbed by the shirt and pulled/shoved either. And it's not legal to do so, regardless of how minor it is.

The Wild absolutely have to resolve the issue of safety around the visitors bench (for players as much as fans) and in doing so, they kind of admit responsibility for allowing that kind of access.

Obviously I don't know the guy involved, but I do give him credit for helping to diffuse the situation immediately following it. He didn't swing back, he held his hands up to indicate he was not a risk and that he didn't initiate it. He was 100% compliant with the arena security.

I realize he may be open to criticism now, but he was accused of something he did not do by Malhotra and that made it into the press. He was accused incorrectly by the Sportsnet coverage. He was called a "smug fan" by Milbury (who like it or not is a national voice of the NHL media).

I'd probably be pretty pissed if I'd been described this way and not been contacted by the Wild about anything either.

edit: I just rewatched the video and you can see Kevin Bieksa bang the glass with this stick right in front of the guy after jawing at him. The assistant coach shoos him away. Gotta be a little unnerving to have a guy grab you, have Canucks coaches and other players start yelling at you, a player bang the glass and say something to you. I will give Malhotra and Bieksa a little bit of credit, after the coaches/staff push Rypien to the locker room, they could have done something themselves (and obviously at that point they were blaming the fan) but thought better of it even with no one holding them back from doing so.

KaniacFever

10-22-2010, 08:22 AM

I personally think the fan was just as stupid as Rypien. You just see a guy drop the gloves to fight, then have the officials jump in immediately, sucker punches his opponent and grabs a ref. You actually think that a guy with his blood pumping who was thisclose to fighting isn't going to lose control when you clap in front of his face and talk crap.

Everyone can sit here and say Rypien shouldn't have done that, and I agree he shouldn't have. But you see this crap everyday whether in bars, at concerts, and sporting events between fans, etc. Sh!t happens in the heat of the moment. Now if the fan was just standing there and Rypien shoved him, that's a whole nother story, but I feel the fan egged him on when he was already fired up.

IMO, I think Rypien and the fan are both to blame for this crap.

nccanes

10-22-2010, 08:55 AM

Love you SoCal, but the fan is NOT to blame for the incident. Unless arenas are going to ban/eject fans for heckling opposing players (and I find it a stretch to call this heckling), he did nothing wrong. He didn't leave his "seat space" , didn't lean over and get in Rypien's face and he did not initiate any physical contact at all.

Sure anyone can attack/push/shove anyone for not liking what was said to them, but the push/shove is against the law, not the insult.

Heckling opposing players is par for the course and it happens in every arena every night. It happens at the RBC any time someone is ejected from the game or a goalie is pulled. Aaron Ward talked about the guy in Buffalo that heckled him about heading to the off season during the '06 playoffs.

If the NHL is going to say that the fan is at fault because heckling invites a physical reaction, then they better start changing arena policies and what you can get kicked out for.

The fan is open to criticism for threatening a lawsuit I suppose, but not for the incident.

Heh, found Milbury's column at cbc.ca. Of all the people I've seen blamed, this one is new to me:

Just where were members of the arena staff? Caught up in the action? Not paying attention to the job? Chatting with a fan? Doesn't make a bit of difference. Neither does the excuse that they weren't ready for Rypien's departure.

They should have been prepared -- if they were this entire thing would never have happened. A player should never have to leave the game without that sort of protection.

Is he suggesting that some "event staff" was going to stop an NHL player in the blink of an eye before he grabbed the fan? I mean, do you think that's part of the training they get "Be prepared for an NHL player to grab a fan and step in before it happens". I just can't see it happening. And such an odd choice of words for the last sentence since I guess it's Rypien needed protection from himself?

Well - at least there's something to talk about. :lol:

SouthernHockeyChick

10-22-2010, 10:54 AM

Seriously, Milbury once beat a fan in the head with the fan's own shoe. It's a shame that anyone is mistaking him for a voice of credibility.

I personally think the fan was just as stupid as Rypien. You just see a guy drop the gloves to fight, then have the officials jump in immediately, sucker punches his opponent and grabs a ref. You actually think that a guy with his blood pumping who was thisclose to fighting isn't going to lose control when you clap in front of his face and talk crap.

Everyone can sit here and say Rypien shouldn't have done that, and I agree he shouldn't have. But you see this crap everyday whether in bars, at concerts, and sporting events between fans, etc. Sh!t happens in the heat of the moment. Now if the fan was just standing there and Rypien shoved him, that's a whole nother story, but I feel the fan egged him on when he was already fired up.

IMO, I think Rypien and the fan are both to blame for this crap.

I sort of agree. I guess I have a problem using the word "blame."

My analogy of poking a bear in a zoo wasn't made lightly.

There is almost no one in the NHL that likes to fight. They do it to keep their job. So we're asking these guys to do something they often hate, something dangerous (and something that, no matter what society says, IS legal in the arena they are working in). They have to be so full of adrenalin in that moment to even be able to attempt to fight someone, I'd imagine. Why do you think Matthew Barnaby used to cry in the penalty box after fights? Because it was his only outlet for the mess of crap that had built up in his body at the time. This is a biological response that's not like a light switch...they can't just POOF and turn that off. To taunt a player that is in the midst of that fight or flight state when you are within reach of him is just freaking stupid, IMO. He should not have done it. But a player cannot touch a fan. Rypien was out of control....and I understand why....he HAD to be. BUT, he also has to find a way to turn it off better than that or he just can't play. Ask Chris Simon.

KaniacFever

10-22-2010, 11:02 AM

That was Me not SoCal :lol:

What I mean is, if I'm at a bar and some dude is being escorted out and I stand there clap while he's walking by and make some comment, if he pushes me, I shouldn't be surprised. Is it right, no, but I think we all need to be aware that there could be consequences for your actions.

This so called fan, just witnessed Rypien sucker punch an opposing player, grab a linesman, and pushed a teammate out of the way. He was out of control and I don't think at that time was the right time to heckle or comment to someone and think they wouldn't react. Rypien was ready to hit anything and anyone. Players need to be responsible for their actions and I feel as a fan we need to be responsbile for ours. Pick and choose your battles, for me choosing a battle against someone whose ready to hit anything, is not the right decision.

puck_it

10-22-2010, 11:03 AM

ok, glad they were only relocated and not ejected.

i really cant see any fault on the fan before or during the altercation... maybe he said something, but really? gotta have tougher skin in a position where people talk **** to you all the time.

i also cant see the providing better security argument... you have to really reach in order to touch the players walking down the rubber mats... no different than our home bench here (before any one says visitor tunnel home fans, etc... anyone can buy seats near any tunnel).

Our arena almost had the same set up for visitors... im sure some have noticed the concrete indention behind the visitor bench... it's just better to make them go across the ice surface and wait for stopages when skates need sharpenings or people need gloves :evil:

nccanes

10-22-2010, 11:29 AM

That was Me not SoCal :lol:

Well I love you too! :kiss:

caneshockeychick

10-22-2010, 11:31 AM

I can feel the love :kiss:

:lol:

ETA: Heard it was 6 game suspension and $25000 fine for the Canucks.

SoCalcaniac

10-22-2010, 01:30 PM

Love you SoCal,

That was Me not SoCal :lol:

Well I love you too! :kiss:

:lol::kiss::lol: @ you two..... is there a deep meaning here, that this has happened twice in a week, (a post being attributed to me, and I wasn't in the convo)? :lol: Does this mean I'm rubbing off on KF or just that everytime there's a post that is complaint oriented, that ya'll think it's me? :laugh:;)

I agree with all ya'll's points- I heard that dude (fan) on XM yesterday and I truly thought Espo was gonna go through the phone and pop the kid, lol. Rypien was wrong. Plain and simple. I think the fan and his seemingly innocent comment, (I can hear the sarcasm coming out of his mouth and I don't even know him) was just plain ill advised, but it's his "right" as a fan to do it. The Wild most certainly need to remedy that whole covered tunnel/separate the players deal, period. No matter how fan friendly you want to be, it's this once in a blue moon type deals that get plastered all over the internet and ESPN reels- that you just have to manage and avoid.

I expected double digit suspension. Disappointing they didn't go there. That fine to the Canucks could have been higher too.

nccanes

10-22-2010, 01:56 PM

Did y'all have similar avatars or something? :lol:

KaniacFever

10-22-2010, 07:51 PM

I think it might be b/c we share the Ditz love. Blame it on him :lol:

SouthernHockeyChick

10-22-2010, 08:59 PM

Blame it on him :lol:

Happy to! I've gotten rather good at it! :lol:;)

puck_it

11-01-2010, 08:32 PM

briere three games for this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmeBMDr1Z00

definitely deserves it. would have loved to see dipietro kick his ass in all pink pads :lol:

Solracer

11-02-2010, 10:54 AM

briere three games for this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmeBMDr1Z00

definitely deserves it. would have loved to see dipietro kick his ass in all pink pads :lol:

Even funnier was reading Briere's comments on puck daddy... it was not a cross check he was just trying to play the puck and got his stick high..

Sorry Danny, but this looks like a cross check motion to me.

http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_nhl_experts__78/ept_sports_nhl_experts-186600458-1288667517.jpg?ym9VRBEDevlYuF_t

Fernando da Silva

11-02-2010, 08:25 PM

Definitely cross check, definitely deserved the suspension

puck_it

11-05-2010, 06:49 PM

Joe Thornton two games for this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m55RtBUyKcA

This hit troubles me. Is it blind side? it was square to his body, but not his head... Perron looked, nobodys there, thornton comes out and CRACK. Is it dirty? no, dont think so. puck was there...

This is one of those where the head contact rule is going to have to take time to re-train everyone. They need to regain the lost art of the hip-check. If thornton throws a hip check, you can still get the BIG hit energy factor and knock perron on his ass, but avoid his head.