Softening of the NHL

by purinton on Apr 20, 2011 12:14 AM EDT

I have noticed that this year has been filled with an obsession over illegal hits and plays. The general media is notorious for highlighting the negatives and not giving much deserved attention to achievements in any area of the NHL. The Yahoo! Sports Blog is littered with posts (Here are the most recent controversial hits) that analyze suspect hits, to the point of nausea. There are claims of preferential treatment (e.g. the regular season Chara hit on Pacioretti) for better players while more physical players bear the brunt of the suspensions (Trevor Gillies). Chara's hit seemed to be a great hit gone very wrong and I felt as though Cal Clutterbuck's initial hit was as reckless as what Gillies did. Ten years ago, I would have to say that Gillies would have gotten two minutes for elbowing. More...

The Rangers-Capitals series has grumblings over Mike Green headshots, dirty play, and Ovechkin hits. I feel as though the series has been played hard by both sides and nothing has been noticeable in terms of cheap plays, etc. Both teams have crossed the line a bit but nothing out of the ordinary for playoff hockey. The games have been enjoyable and typical of the sport. I am just wondering if I am being overly-nostalgic, hearkening back to (not even that long ago) days where hard, physical play was considered part of the game and there was little need to discuss every little item. Any blatant attempt to injury people was dealt with by the league (the Pronger stomp) but it seems now it has become an obsession that is taking away from the intensity. I feel as though 75% of the suspensions are either way too harsh or completely unnecessary. My question is...I am being too nostalgic? Is it the internet and ease of access to replays, comments, and message boards that are creating a stir big enough to get the league's attention to every little item? Is the league just adapting with the growth in the size and strength of the players? Have you been noticing that the Rangers-Capitals series has been overly aggressive?

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I don't think the Rangers series has been unusually aggressive

The Rangers hit a lot, it’s part of their game plan, everyone knows that.
A lot of Caps fans are analyzing video of every hit on Green in slow mo like it’s the freaking Zapruder film. They aren’t a particularly physical team, so Tortorella’s game plan seems excellent to me, and putting Avery in for MZA was obviously crucial.

(The Penguins series and Vancouver series have had more dirty hits. From what I’ve seen, Vancouver is the dirtiest team, with Torres, LaPierre and Burrows.)

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by Joe1969 on Apr 20, 2011 2:36 AM EDT reply actions

It’s just that there have been a couple of clear hits where Rangers were looking for the head—Boyle tried to finish a check on Green with his fist at Green’s head height (Green sidestepped the hit), and Staal got him with the elbow to the head on Ovechkin’s goal last game. It could just be luck (in fact, I bet that’s what it is) that two such plays occured within three games.

Yeah, other series are dirtier.

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by red army line on Apr 20, 2011 9:04 AM EDT up reply actions

or it could just be blatant homerism

by jigblahdah on Apr 20, 2011 9:17 AM EDT up reply actions

It’s more because it’s Green that’s in the line of sight. Not to say there wouldn’t be backlash if Backstrom was being targeted, but I don’t think we’d be seeing the montage of two questionable hits followed by a couple others, one of which wasn’t even Green being hit)

In the .gif age, friggin everything is micro-analyzed now. Sometimes, shit happens.

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by George E. Ays on Apr 20, 2011 9:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Blueshirt Banter *It's just pain.*
"On this team, we fight for that inch. On this team, we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch. Because we know when we add up all those inches, that's gonna make the fucking difference between winning and losing! Between living and dying! I'll tell you this - in any fight, it's the guy who's willing to die who's gonna win that inch."

by Caerid112 on Apr 20, 2011 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions

But then how am I going to have any for the Game 7 OTL?

by red army line on Apr 20, 2011 11:05 AM EDT up reply actions

the hit on lovejoy was definitely excessive and suspension-worthy, but DAMN what a hit it was you can’t deny when you saw that you let out an exclamation of some sort

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by BombersGmenBlueshirts25 on Apr 20, 2011 9:49 AM EDT reply actions

You must take into consideration that there is a growing amount of evidence to suggest head injuries are on the rise, and what those head injuries are doing to players five, ten, fifteen years from now. Is that due to better diagnostics, faster, stronger players, a faster game, who knows. You can’t argue that concussions are on the rise, the numbers say so, and there is more and more evidence to support exactly what those head injuries are doing to people who suffer from them numerous times.

Now, I am by no means a Sidney Crosby fan, but let’s for arguments sake, from a marketing standpoint, say his head injury is career ending. How much money does the NHL lose in marketing and revenue over the course of his ‘would-be’ career if it was cut short due to a preventable head injury? You bet your ass we are talking seven figures plus, from just this one guy. Do I like the fact that the NHL is trying to take out hits that all but a few years ago would end up as the #1 highlight of the night on NHL on the Fly, no. But I also realize it’s for the greater good of the athletes of today, and the health of those people tomorrow. You have to take into consideration that the climate around the league is changing due to more and more evidence that head injuries aren’t just injuries that can keep you off the ice and end careers, they are injuries that can affect the core of who you are.

If you want to call the NHL ‘soft’ for trying to protect its assets, the players that ultimately make the money for the NHL, and not just protecting the player, but the person, than I think you are just being short-sighted. All it will take is one guy who can’t remember his name for the rest of his life for us to say, "would have, could have, should have… but didn’t." Is the NHL changing with the climate on head shots, they are, albeit at a slower place then the climate itself is changing.

by Ranger84 on Apr 20, 2011 2:26 PM EDT reply actions

Thanks...

for the input. Its a great point that many times we lose sight of the fact that these guys have families and lives outside of the game. I often times read about the plights of NFL linemen who made good money when they played but not enough to cover all of the medical expenses incurred later in life which was a direct result from their careers. I threw this out there as a means for discussion. I think blatant disregard for anyone’s livelihood must be met with stern opposition especially when it steps outside the realm of the game. I still think it goes back to teaching respect for others early in players’ careers. Many of these plays could be avoided if there was a basic respect for others and knowing where the line between a great hit and one that could possibly cause injury. The line is so damn fine and factor in the speed of the game…maybe we have to analyze each hit for the overall well-being of the league.

by purinton on Apr 20, 2011 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions

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