Just when Brendan Shanahan thought he could put his feet up and watch the playoffs after a busy day of hearings.
This night on the Stanley Cup trail won't be remembered for New Jersey choking a three goal lead or Phoenix winning in overtime or Nashville putting the Wings one game from extinction by taking a pair at Joe Louis Arena. It will be remembered for this...
I find it interesting that the Coyotes colour man (sorry don't know who he is) calls that a clean hit. It is debatable, but at the end of the day Torres does leave his feet. The question is why? The hit would have been a solid one and a clean one if he stays on his feet. Raffi Torres is a good two way hockey player who plays the game with intensity. However, Raffi Torres is also dumb. He just doesn't get it. Matt Cooke learned (at least he has so far) that you can't play the game the way he wanted to anymore. You can't be a headhunter. Torres has yet to accept that. Because of that, he is going to get suspended and that suspension should be a long one. If Phoenix beats Chicago, I would not expect him to play in the 2nd round. That is the sentiment of many. How many games he will get depends on Shanahan and as Jonathan Toews said after the game that he doesn't know what to expect anymore and either does anyone else. That is the statement of these Stanley Cup playoffs.
For what its worth, and yeah I expect to get crucified for this. I don't find the hit that James Neal gave to Sean Couturier on Sunday or the Torres hit to be that bad. When I first saw the hit, I didn't think it was bad until I saw that he had to leave his feet and propel himself at Hossa. The Duncan Keith elbow on Daniel Sedin was worse and so was the Brent Burns elbow on Scott Nichol which surprisingly did not get the San Jose defenceman an appointment for a potential "Shanaban". Guys will get hit violently during a hockey game and sometime the player won't get up. Its the physical nature of the game. However, Torres showed a lack of respect by going one step--or perhaps a half step--over the line. If he doesn't leave his feet, we might just categorize that hit in the same manner that Dustin Brown wallpapered Henrik Sedin in Game 3 of that series or the Mike Richards hit on Alex Burrows at the end of Game 1 of same series.
I will also ask this as I get back on my soapbox. Would Hossa have been taken out on a stretcher had Torres been wearing thin shoulder pads and not the armour that he and others wear. Would he even have hit Hossa with such force? I think we know the answer to that. Until equipment makers and the NHL realize it (which they do) and act on it, its not going to change and you know that. At least I hope you do.
8 comments:
Suspend Torres for the rest of 2012 NHL playoffs and first 10 games of next years regular season.
Shanahan said he was going to suspend Webber after what happened between him and Zetterberg but he didn't after finding out he wasn't hurt. If that is the case, Shanahan would have seen Hossa get stretchered off the ice meaning 15-20games should suffice.
Toews statement is what all players are thinking. That and could I be the next one.
Can we go back in the archives and ask Joel Quenneville what he thought of the officiating the night Duncan Keith flattened Sedin with his elbow in what was a terrible cheap-shot?
For that matter, can we ask Joel what he thought about the elbow? I really have a problem with him coming out and making the comments he did after one of his players did something that I think was worse just a few weeks ago.
Trevor
Torres had one foot planted, ans the initial contact came with Hossa's body, not his head. Was it late? I would say he commited to the check when the puck was in Hossa's posession and contact came less than a second later. Once apon a time in hockey this check would have never been considered for suspension, but now Torres, who Crawford summed up nicely as a player who 'finishes his checks,' is likely going to pay steep price for a check that wasn't dirty.
You are spot-on Mitchell about the equipment. It's not 'protective gear' anymore, it's gladiator armour.
The hit was marginally late. If this was anyone else but Torres, he might get off. Neal didn't get suspended for Couturier hit but hit on Giroux. Same thing.
Torres is a wrecking ball. He is a hockey player that brings you the energy that is needed, but he is dumb. If Matt Cooke gets it, why can't he.
I think the bigger question here is what are the refs doing? They have been the biggest disappointment in these playoffs. Yes, its a matter of bitching about officiating, but at some point the officials need to control these games.
I can't really argue with this. I do agree with the guy commenting about Quenneville spouting off yet he was quiet when Keith hit Sedin. Can't have it both ways.
Barry
This series has now had two hits that I don't think are even suspendable.
Shaw certainly didn't deserve three games for hitting Smith behind the net and Torres should be credited for a clean hit in my mind. Hossa had his head down and you have been taught for ages to never do that. He paid the price.
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