Sun-Times' Lazerus Nails the 'Retaliation' Talk

[Raskolnikov]

I thought it was a clean hit that was a little harder than it needed to be. Just one of those perfect hits that develop as its happening. Did he leave his feet? I didn't really see that...maybe one skate came up on the follow through a little.

I have seen so many worse hits not get penalized of course, doesn't mean this is perfectly in the rules. I don't know the rules, but as an objective big game and NHL playoff fan it didn't seem unusual to me in any way. Just that Toews grabbed his shoulder....

but as I speculated before maybe his AC joint was already hurt because you don't usually feel the acute pain of an injury that fast. I think he was already dealing with a minor seperation and they will let the AC heal as long as they can.

I'm taking this from Rugby, where we also all play with AC sprains of varying degrees. Its unavoadable to tackle without pads and not bust up your AC.

 

[Raskolnikov]

yeah...he left his feet. Is that illegal? Going back to the AC thing, the height of Orprik puts a huge force on the top/rear of the shoulder at an awkward angle with speed and the explosive force as he steps into it and launches upward. Very awkward angle for the upward force of the hit. I would say it for sure is a bad AC sprain or they wouldn't shut him down for the regular season. Hopefully we get word....they say 100% by playoffs but these things actually take 6-12 months to heal and rehabilitate totally. (unless its a 4 or a 5 out of 5, total seperation requires surgery to put back or you can leave the collar bone out.

http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2014/3/...hawks-captain-hurt-after-big-brooks-orpik-hit here is a good gif with an outsiders perspective on "one of the biggest hits of the year"

 

[Captain Iago]

Guys like Brouwer/Laddy/Buff from 2010 would've went after Orpik.

Not this charmin soft team. Your captain gets smoked & not one Hawk is there to step in.

I seem to remember you saying the same things about that 2010 team that you're referencing.

 

[Captain Iago]

Twitter blew up this morning with more arguments about this whole scenario. David Kapman and Len Kasper, in particular. I'd recommend checking it out.

Also, there's this from Bollig after today's morning skate, pulled from Mark Lazerus' Twitter account:

I don't think I could bring myself to ever follow Kaplan.

Edit: Did I misread that name or fill in the typo correctly?

 

[Captain Iago]

In an ideal world, I'd love it if hockey returned to the era you've referencing when (correct me if I'm wrong) 4th line plugs (like, say Raffi Torres) wouldn't take runs at All-Stars (like, say Marian Hossa). When that all changed, I don't know.

What I do believe, though, is that this whole idea of retaliation in hockey died the moment Todd Bertuzzi broke Steve Moore's neck. That was a pre-meditated act based on retaliation for something Moore had done to Canucks' captain Markus Naslund earlier in the season. Did Bertuzzi cross the line? Absolutely. But that one moment is the reason the instigator rule exists and the reason why you'll probably never see the NHL revert back to that era of acceptable retaliation or eras prior to that.

I also think the money involved is a huge factor, just can't quite put the proper words to it. But it's there.

I don't understand. Plugs running stars has always been a part of the game.

 

[DMelt36]

I don't understand. Plugs running stars has always been a part of the game.

I agree. Taking away the instigator rule put the onus on the league to legislate those plugs out of the game. Hasn't worked so well.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

 

[southern_cross_116]

Fwiw - I would go by Kerry Fraser's description of events before Bollig's or anyone else's every day of the week. His blog on TSN is probably the best dispassionate breakdown of NHL officiating that you are going to get.