2010-2011 NHL Season Thread

[aurik]

Look, I don't make the rules. That hit was clearly late. The proper time to throw that check was at least 4 days ago.

[NynJa]

NHL needs to hire Scott Stevens and show people how to deliver a good clean heavy body check so this bullshit doesnt happen.

[Thoronas]

Wow NY Rangers are upping ticket prices 23% next year. Daaaaaamn

[Penthesilea]

I'm not sure if it's in the rule book or precedence from previous disciplines, but it seemed like he may have launched himself and left his feet for the hit. Maybe that's the cause?

[aurik]

Impact took him off his feet, point of impact seemed to be shoulder. The only thing wrong with that hit was that it was delivered shortly after Chara got nothing for his late hit that injured Pac

[Callisto]

But thats the key word, Chara's hit was Illegal...this above hit is textbook legal.

The Lessard hit was called as a charging which is technically true, he took at least 5 strides from a zone and a half away and never stopped taking strides til he blew up the puck carrier. Major/misconduct was overblowing it though.

Also re: the Kubina/Bolland hit, just because it doesn't seem as bad as Chara's doesn't make it not a blatant Rule 48 violation. He flew at Bolland's head with an elbow up well above the shoulders and aimed straight at his head. Easily worth the 3 games he got.

[Thoronas]

Add VIA Rail to the list of sponsors not super happy with the Chara hit.

http://www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-r..._Hockey_League

[aurik]

The Lessard hit was called as a charging which is technically true, he took at least 5 strides from a zone and a half away and never stopped taking strides til he blew up the puck carrier. Major/misconduct was overblowing it though.

What? He was coasting backwards and then took two steps, mainly to change his direction.
@1:10: gliding backwards
Then he shifts his weight onto right foot, lifting his left skate
Pushes onto left foot with skate blade forward to change his body position over his skates
Pushes onto right foot to complete the body position change and finalize his vector of attack for the check. Keeps left foot on the ice, but all weight is on the right
Lowers his body behind his left shoulder to ensure he's going to make the point of contact with the body, not the head.
@1:12: the collision sends him back against the boards, skates still @ ice level. The half-boards cause him to topple over, lifting a foot off the ice, clearly after the check has occurred.

Totally clean.

[vagus]

Seems Bettman's contract was quietly renewed in November for 5 more years. This guy is smart in some areas, but when it comes to common sense & basic marketing he really fails. I suppose it's no shock since he's a lawyer. His response to Air Canada & the Chara incident have been horrible handled.

[Callisto]

I disagree. While the sponsors have a good point in this case, the on-ice product should never, ever, ever be swayed by threats of sponsorships pulling dollars. The NHL needs to fix things for themselves, but not because Air Canada is making threats. Also his point was entirely valid that AC makes a lot of the money they spend on the NHL back from teams using their services to travel.

[Thoronas]

I disagree. While the sponsors have a good point in this case, the on-ice product should never, ever, ever be swayed by threats of sponsorships pulling dollars. The NHL needs to fix things for themselves, but not because Air Canada is making threats. Also his point was entirely valid that AC makes a lot of the money they spend on the NHL back from teams using their services to travel.

Totally agree. FYI: Air Canada pays something ridiculous like 1.4 mil a year for the naming rights on the ACC. That's an amazing return on investment.

[Callisto]

Something only loosely related that may work out well in the NHL's favor: The NFLPA was unable to reach a new agreement with the NFL team owners, they're basically disbanding the players' union which means there's a pretty solid chance of some sort of work stoppage in the next NFL season. Even if there isn't a lockout, just the uncertainty of whether or not there will be one will make it more likely that the NHL will be getting more TV money, as the NBA's CBA is also up after this season and the grossly overpaid players in that league are not likely to take a pay cut laying down. The NHL is basically the only North American major sports league that plays during the winter that is guaranteed to not have another lockout any time soon.

[Chips]

The NHL is basically the only North American major sports league that plays during the winter that is guaranteed to not have another lockout any time soon.

I'm salivating at the thought of an NBA lockout. <3

[NynJa]

I believe I've said it before, but at the rate the NHL is going...someone is going to die on the ice within the next 5 years (I say 5 years because Bettman's contract is up then, and hopefully then they DONT let him renew). Does this sound like good business:
ESPN/TSN: in devastating news, *team* *player* was knocked unconscious from yet a vicious blow to the head, and attempts to revive him were unsuccessful, and he is in the hospital in critical condition. *bla bla bla*
*cut to commercial*
Air Canada...proud sponsor of the NHL.
ESPN/TSN: breaking news in regards to the previous incident...*player* has been declared deceased.
*some crude sarcasm on my part is added in here on out*
*player who dealt hit*: Its, its unfortunate, he just happened to lean over and jump into my elbow with his face.
Bettman: We are devastated by the loss of *player*, ultimately, it was a clean hockey play which happens every day, its very devastating here to the NHL.

These are the same companies who will beg on all fours to appease ANYONE who is displeased with their service, who will bend over backwards because a client was displeased with an employee who was doing exactly as his/her boss(es) tell them to do, just because they never want to look bad. When commercials air, "proud sponsor of the NHL" will look beyond horrible when someone ultimately dies on the ice because the head honchos are more concerned with $$ instead of protecting the athletes.


Back to the Chara incident...He went on record stating he didnt even know it was Pacioretty he was hitting? Is this clown for real, an all star defenceman is unaware of which opponents are on the ice? When I played fucking pee-wee house league hockey I took notice of which players were on the ice...if nothing else just to see if the other teams stronger players were on.

[aurik]

Chara was also quoted as saying he wasn't sure what period it was, who the other team was, and in fact wasn't even sure what sport they were playing.

[vagus]

More retarded announcers as there saying this hit from Umberger is the same as the Chara hit. Only thing the same is the turnbuckle.

[Flarega]

Doughty returned too, plus his momentum wasn't going into the turnbuckle from the sides.

[NynJa]

Doughty's chest and shoulder caught majority of the hit fortunately...nor was Umburger holding his head. But who am I kidding, Pacioretty jumped into the stanchion.

But, since the chairman of the board isnt the CBJ owner, and the head disciplinarian's son doesnt play for CBJ...6 games to Umburger.

[Chips]

Doughty's chest and shoulder caught majority of the hit fortunately...nor was Umburger holding his head. But who am I kidding, Pacioretty jumped into the stanchion.

But, since the chairman of the board isnt the CBJ owner, and the head disciplinarian's son doesnt play for CBJ...6 games to Umburger.

Seriously, let it go. I get it, you're upset with the no call. Every fucking suspension from here on out will be "YET CHARA GOT DICK ALL, DUM DE DUM." Yes, Chara should have gotten a few games. Yes, most people agree about that, and yes, the NHL fucked up the call. Reminding us all about it will not change anything, and it's becoming quite annoying. What makes things worse, is that I guarantee you wouldn't be acting this way had it been between two other teams.

[NynJa]

Seriously, let it go. I get it, you're upset with the no call. Every fucking suspension from here on out will be "YET CHARA GOT DICK ALL, DUM DE DUM." Yes, Chara should have gotten a few games. Yes, most people agree about that, and yes, the NHL fucked up the call. Reminding us all about it will not change anything, and it's becoming quite annoying. What makes things worse, is that I guarantee you wouldn't be acting this way had it been between two other teams.

holy shit, tufache much? The only reason THIS hit got any exposure all of a sudden was cuz of....dum de dum, the chara hit. So posting this said hit allready brings up chara.

I didnt even know I was making this post, it just kinda jumped out there and landed on the page.