Official NHL/hockey thread

[A.F.F.]

Flames not giving up and surprisingly OJ has been a very good player in the last weeks !!! Does anybody know did he hurt himself last game???

Pittsburg sinking like Titanic in the chart....

[Mark in Oshawa]

Not sure on what is going on with Olli and the Flames AFF. Schmenke will enlighten us I am sure.

AS for Pittsburgh, without Crosby and Malkin they are vulnerable. The head shot Crosby took on Christmas Day may take him out for the season. Looks good on Pittsburgh when they have a guy like Matt Cooke dressing every night.

Mario Lemieux is upset by the violence in the NHL, but I guess he hasn't watched his boy Cooke in action. He has ended Savard's career, and has hurt Lecavilier's career wiping out his shoulder.....and is a master of taking out knees and pushing people into the glass head first....

[A.F.F.]

As for the Flames I read a talk from OJ. He said ethat everybody is playing for Sutter, the one who left. That's what got them playing... Olli I guess ate **** a spoonfull of too much and finally got his act together. Hopefully he isnt' too injured now that he is playing well??

It's amazing really.... I often think how important can those guys be for the team but now it seem obvious. Not talking about Pittsburgh alone but other teams with superstars as well.

[Mark in Oshawa]

AFF, no matter what team it is, a few players can make the difference between First place and missing the playoffs. With the points for ties and the number of games going into OT and to the shootout all giving losing teams points, it is a really tight race for the playoffs. Ground lost in the early part of the season is often hard to make up if you don't beat the teams in regulation you need to get past. So as a result, any injuries to many big stars can start to cost you games and points..and before you know it, you are making Tee time reservations in April...

[Mr. Mister]

Not NHL, but last night's Beanpot final. Wow. Boston College 7 - 6 Northeastern University in OT. I'm sure my avatar suggests which side I was on in that one. Wild game of college hockey.

AS for Pittsburgh, without Crosby and Malkin they are vulnerable. The head shot Crosby took on Christmas Day may take him out for the season. Looks good on Pittsburgh when they have a guy like Matt Cooke dressing every night.

Mario Lemieux is upset by the violence in the NHL, but I guess he hasn't watched his boy Cooke in action. He has ended Savard's career, and has hurt Lecavilier's career wiping out his shoulder.....and is a master of taking out knees and pushing people into the glass head first....

Thank you for calling out Matt Cooke. It makes me sick to know someone like that can maintain a career.

It's amazing to me the hypocrisy from the Penguins in light of Crosby's injury; the same ones who defended Cooke after the Savard hit are now asking for the NHL to do something. The only guy in the Pens locker room who called Cooke out that day was Bill Guerin. Ridiculous, though I suppose as a Bruins fan, I may have some bias there.

They need longer suspensions and, most importantly, they need stiff fines.

[A.F.F.]

Well, OJ's back....

[Mark in Oshawa]

They need longer suspensions and, most importantly, they need stiff fines.

That wont happen unless they get a commissioner who actually understands the game but isn't beholden to upholding the last 90 years of excuses for the mindless stuff.

[A.F.F.]

Way to go Kipper and rest of the Flames

[dunes]

At the beguining of the season i picked 8 teams to be in the playoffs. I think without checking I have 4 going in as of this weekend.
It stinks for pitts loss. To lose thier two most talented players half way through the season and have such a lasting effect is truely horrible. Hope sid gets cleared for future play and malkin makes it back; totally.

[schmenke]

The hit by Chara on Pachioretty, although perhaps not intentional, was one of the most sickening I've see in recent memory

It'll be interesting to see what the league's assessment will be. I wonder if being team captain will have any influence on a decision of a suspension, if any .

[Mr. Mister]

Saw the hit...felt absolutely sick. Couldn't watch the rest of the game. Horrible.

I may be a Bruins fan, but Chara needs to be suspended. I don't think it was intentional, but you have to be aware of what you're doing, and at best, Chara wasn't; at worst, he was aware, and in which case, he has no right to play in the league.

The NHL needs to get tough, and I know they won't, but there's really no excuse. They need a serious, consistent policy and, yes, they're going to have to make judgment calls on intent. Better than the alternative.

I don't care how much damage it will do to my team to have Valabik, Cohen, or Bodnarchuk join an already depleted defense; I don't want to see Chara in a Bs uniform against Buffalo and for more games beyond that.

Most importantly, frustration aside, I really hope Max Pacioretty makes a full recovery. Hate to see it to any player in any sweater.

[Mr. Mister]

No fine, no suspension for Chara. I really disagree with that decision.

[AndyRAC]

No fine, no suspension for Chara. I really disagree with that decision.

That's just ridiculous - honestly, what's going on regarding discipline this season? It might not have been intentional, but it was dumb/foolish. It surely warrants at least a 5 game suspension?

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=6197378

http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nhl...ory?id=6198238

[schmenke]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=357209

"...Zdeno Chara will not face further discipline for his hit on Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty on Tuesday night, the National Hockey League announced Wednesday afternoon.
"I conducted a hearing with Boston Bruins' defenceman Zdeno Chara with respect to the major penalty for interference and game misconduct that he was assessed at 19:44 of the second period for a hit on Max Pacioretty of the Montreal Canadiens," NHL vice-president of hockey operations Mike Murphy said in a statement.
"After a thorough review of the video I can find no basis to impose supplemental discipline. This hit resulted from a play that evolved and then happened very quickly -- with both players skating in the same direction and with Chara attempting to angle his opponent into the boards," continued Murphy. "I could not find any evidence to suggest that, beyond this being a correct call for interference, that Chara targeted the head of his opponent, left his feet or delivered the check in any other manner that could be deemed to be dangerous.
"This was a hockey play that resulted in an injury because of the player colliding with the stanchion and then the ice surface. In reviewing this play, I also took into consideration that Chara has not been involved in a supplemental discipline incident during his 13-year NHL career." ..."


Hmm... so Mike Murphy conducted an interview with Chara to review the incident. How about conducting an interview with Max Pacioretty to get his opinion of the event? Ah, of course not that would be impractical because Max is in a hospital with a concussion and a fractured vertebrae!

The message now being sent by the league is that this type of play, resulting in serious injury is o.k. Well done

[Mr. Mister]

It saddens me, as a Bruins fan, to see so many Bruins fans quick to ask for Randy Jones or Matt Cooke to get lifetime bans from the NHL, but then call this one a great call. Total hypocrisy and it's embarrassing to support the same team as them. Truly is.

And it's embarrassing, too, to be a hockey fan today. Just silly. "I also took into consideration that Chara has not been involved in a supplemental discipline incident during his 13-year NHL career." That sentence stands out in particular. So dumb on so many levels; it implies first offenses are excusable, and it implies every past decision was right.

It was an ugly hit and players cannot be careless like that (assuming Chara was careless and not malevolent; I can't judge intent though their past history makes this worse). I don't care if it wasn't supposed to cause injury; it did, and that's why it needs to be penalized. Preaching to the choir, I'm sure, but it really disappoints me to see the NHL let crap go and make inconsistent rulings, and to see my fellow Bruins fans disgrace the team.

[dunes]

True blue Detroit fan but a Bruins fan as well. The hit even though not intentional [and remorseful of Chara] still needs to follow presidence set by the league in other cases. Because he is not a bully nor a headhunter should not come into lieu of fines and suspensions. I'm not saying Chara is dirty or deliberate, nor am i saying hes losing his egde but a presidence has been set way back with burtuzzi and before.it must not be wavered upon. I like Chara as a player even against my Wings but IMO he needs to sit the rest of the year, or at least until the playoffs start.

[A.F.F.]

Auts...

Felt really bad watching that hit. I also think it wasn't intentional but still needs to be punished. This year has been pretty rough and that directiuon needs to be changed. This is still a sport, not a gladiator arena.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Well the NHL is consistent, and for anyone who thought Chara was going to get a suspension, I have some swampland I will sell you. The reality is that in today's game, interference isn't called. It is now Finishing your check to drill some poor schmuck who passed the puck. Also understand that how many players have been blindsided in deliberate attempts to injure? How many suspensions? How long will it be for Matt Cooke to finally be dealt with?

It is ironic that it takes an injured Hab to get corporate sponsors all excited, and of course, VIA and Air Canada; the two that are putting the league on notice (sort of) are based in Montreal? Did they not see the Savard hit? How about the blindside cheap shot that still has the best player in the league sitting out? OH yes, it only is bad when it is ON TV or my team...right.

The reality is, this BS has been going on for YEARS. It wont change because the league doesn't want it to change. They have this notion it sells the game. I see how well that is working for Bettman in Atlanta and Phoenix, but hey, what do I know? I just watch hockey and love it....or at least try to.

Chara should have gotten some games. Not sure what is the right number, but an acknowledgement that you cant drill guys into stanchions and partitions where the glass ends. You cant and do not hit a guy into the open door on a line change, why Chara didn't see the partition I don't know. I really cant judge his intent, and I like him as a player, but he should be sitting. The Bruin's faithful after all they have gone through with Savard would surely understand. But no....maybe because Jacobs and Bettman are best buds this didn't happen. I almost think hockey operations and their discipline department are told when to actually do their jobs or not.

The NHL is the worst run of the 4 major sports in North America and this week they proved it over and over again.

Meanwhile, Gary keeps insisting Phoenix is a viable market for the sport while the team loses 35 million a year with a winning record! With brains like this, I suspect someone will have to get killed or get a clue soon...but I keep waiting...

I will continue to spend my money on watching Junior games live, and paying little or no attention to NHL games other than the highlights.

[AndyRAC]

Just out of interest, which is the best run of the 4 Major US Sports?

I quite often think that some of our British sports (especially cricket, which is appallingly run) could do with some lessons from US Sports.

[A.F.F.]

NBA, NFL, NHL and ??? Nascar?