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Los Angeles Kings Blogger •
There’s been a multitude of articles on recent headshots that have left players injured or hospitalized. Phaneuf on Okposo, Richards on Booth, Liambas on Fanelli and most recently Glencross on Drury.
I asked the Kings veterans Ryan Smyth, Matt Greene and Sean O’Donnell about what they thought about this alarming trend.
RYAN SMYTH
“I knew this question would be coming up. It seems to happen at the start of the year a lot. I think they’ve done a fairly decent job of handling all of the situations that arise. It seems.. I don’t want to say there’s more and more of it… guys are bigger and stronger so you’re seeing a little bit of a change in the game. But I think the league has done a good job of it.”
When asked about the Okposo and Booth hits, Smyth replied, “I don’t think any player… I’m speaking from a lot of players I’ve played with and know around the league, intend to hurt players. We know it’s a job, we know it’s a physical game and we know that hitting is a huge part of it, but nobody intends to go out there and hurt somebody. Now, you get in vulnerable positions… I don’t know… maybe guys don’t know it at the time when they’re hitting a guy but… I’ve watched the Booth hit and the Okposo hit and they’re clean hits. But you gotta know when you’re going across the ice and you’re receiving a pass you gotta know that you’re either gonna get hit or there’s a guy gonna be right on top of you so you gotta be prepared and well set for it. I’m not getting on those players for being in a better position but it’s knowing and anticipating that you might get hit, so be careful.”
When asked if these hits were just a part of the game or should they be eliminated, Smyth immediately replied, “It’s part of the game. I think the league has done a good job on clamping down on the things that they think is not appropriate and when it comes hits that are clean that people think that are maybe borderline, that’s obviously the leagues call but as players I think most players respect each other around the league and you just have to anticipate getting hit and being prepared.”
MATT GREEENE
The Kings defenseman and NHLPA player representative said, “I don’t think anyone is throwing them consciously. Things happen. I don’t think anybody is intending to hurt another player. Everybody’s playing fair and injuries happen. I think the NHL is doing a good job on cutting down on the headshots.”
Asked about if Richards and Phaneuf were good solid plays, Greene replied. “It’s a physical game. I think the plays that happen, whose to know what could happen at the last second when you have a guy lined up. Maybe he puts his head down a little bit more or maybe he gets his head up a little bit. You never know what’s going to happen in those situations.”
“There wasn’t a penalty called on the play, either one of them. I‘m just gonna go with the referees decision… and go with what’s done by the league.”
“In terms of the respect issue among guys, I thing guys have respect for everyone.”
SEAN O’DONNELL
If Greene and Smyth believe the players respect one another, they haven’t talked to longtime veteran defenseman Sean O’Donnell, who sees things a bit differently.
“I think for now they’ve done a pretty good job. It’s so hard because hits that were legal 20 years ago that are legal now are so much more dangerous because the guys are so much bigger and so much faster.”
“I only saw it one time but the Richards hit was a clean hit. He didn’t leave his feet, he didn’t bring his elbows up. But the players are only going to get bigger and faster and I think at some point they’re probably going to have to take a look at a clean shot to the chin or to the head is a penalty or is some sort of fine or a suspension, because as much as you don’t want to take hitting away, there’s times where guys could hit to the body or hit to the shoulder when they really want to hit somebody hard and someone’s really, really, really gonna get hurt badly, not that there already hasn’t been.”
When asked if the rules should be changed, O’Donnell replied, “I think it’s time the NHL could look into something. I think you’re gained enough momentum where the guys, they could start to make something where even when a guy’s exposed or its clean, even if there’s a shot to the head…”
“I didn’t feel that way until recently, that the NHL should start to looking into making that some sort of penalty or a fine or a suspension. Some sort of deterrent.”
But unlike Greene and Smyth, O’Donnell disagrees on the respect issue. “I don’t think there’s enough respect. I don’t know if this goes back to the instigator rule, I don’t know exactly where that starts. There’s a certain lack of respect. It used to be if a guy saw someone vulnerable, they would hit ‘em, but maybe let up a little bit, whereas now there’s too many guys in the league that see someone vulnerable and their eyes light up and they see a chance to really hurt someone and I don’t know where that comes from. I don’t know what it is.”
“In my history I seem to sense a shift where there’s guys that specifically don’t even look for the puck out there. They’re out there to make a name and really if they can if someone is in a vulnerable spot, really try and hurt someone.”
“Unfortunately they’re going to have to start doing something to really make it a deterrent for some of those guys to have a little more respect for the other players that are playing.”
When reminded that O’Donnell once skated with feared crusher Scott Stevens, who played a fine line, O’Donnell responded, “I don’t have the answers. Scotty was a guy that played 20-22 minutes a night and he answered the bell and he took those hits and he gave those hits. I don’t know if he ever took an elbowing penalty or a high sticking penalty. He came across and hit guys hard. He was kind of the exception to the rule, and now it seems that there are more guys that are the rule and there’s more guys that aren’t playing 22 minutes a night that aren’t key guys, that aren’t captains, that are playing 3-4-5 minutes a night that are doing that kind of stuff. Like I said, it just goes back to a respect thing. Scotty had respect for the game and respect for other players, he just played it hard.”
“Players are bigger, they’re stronger, they’re faster. Equipment, unfortunately is more protective of the player but it gives them more punishment.”
“I think something needs to be done. I don’t have the answers but something needs to be done.”
_____________________________________
Erik Ersberg may get the start in goal tomorrow night in Carolina according to Rich Hammond and Randy Jones may get to see action as well. Jonathan Quick worked out with goaltending coach Bill Ranford today.
_____________________________________
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I asked the Kings veterans Ryan Smyth, Matt Greene and Sean O’Donnell about what they thought about this alarming trend.
RYAN SMYTH
“I knew this question would be coming up. It seems to happen at the start of the year a lot. I think they’ve done a fairly decent job of handling all of the situations that arise. It seems.. I don’t want to say there’s more and more of it… guys are bigger and stronger so you’re seeing a little bit of a change in the game. But I think the league has done a good job of it.”
When asked about the Okposo and Booth hits, Smyth replied, “I don’t think any player… I’m speaking from a lot of players I’ve played with and know around the league, intend to hurt players. We know it’s a job, we know it’s a physical game and we know that hitting is a huge part of it, but nobody intends to go out there and hurt somebody. Now, you get in vulnerable positions… I don’t know… maybe guys don’t know it at the time when they’re hitting a guy but… I’ve watched the Booth hit and the Okposo hit and they’re clean hits. But you gotta know when you’re going across the ice and you’re receiving a pass you gotta know that you’re either gonna get hit or there’s a guy gonna be right on top of you so you gotta be prepared and well set for it. I’m not getting on those players for being in a better position but it’s knowing and anticipating that you might get hit, so be careful.”
When asked if these hits were just a part of the game or should they be eliminated, Smyth immediately replied, “It’s part of the game. I think the league has done a good job on clamping down on the things that they think is not appropriate and when it comes hits that are clean that people think that are maybe borderline, that’s obviously the leagues call but as players I think most players respect each other around the league and you just have to anticipate getting hit and being prepared.”
MATT GREEENE
The Kings defenseman and NHLPA player representative said, “I don’t think anyone is throwing them consciously. Things happen. I don’t think anybody is intending to hurt another player. Everybody’s playing fair and injuries happen. I think the NHL is doing a good job on cutting down on the headshots.”
Asked about if Richards and Phaneuf were good solid plays, Greene replied. “It’s a physical game. I think the plays that happen, whose to know what could happen at the last second when you have a guy lined up. Maybe he puts his head down a little bit more or maybe he gets his head up a little bit. You never know what’s going to happen in those situations.”
“There wasn’t a penalty called on the play, either one of them. I‘m just gonna go with the referees decision… and go with what’s done by the league.”
“In terms of the respect issue among guys, I thing guys have respect for everyone.”
SEAN O’DONNELL
If Greene and Smyth believe the players respect one another, they haven’t talked to longtime veteran defenseman Sean O’Donnell, who sees things a bit differently.
“I think for now they’ve done a pretty good job. It’s so hard because hits that were legal 20 years ago that are legal now are so much more dangerous because the guys are so much bigger and so much faster.”
“I only saw it one time but the Richards hit was a clean hit. He didn’t leave his feet, he didn’t bring his elbows up. But the players are only going to get bigger and faster and I think at some point they’re probably going to have to take a look at a clean shot to the chin or to the head is a penalty or is some sort of fine or a suspension, because as much as you don’t want to take hitting away, there’s times where guys could hit to the body or hit to the shoulder when they really want to hit somebody hard and someone’s really, really, really gonna get hurt badly, not that there already hasn’t been.”
When asked if the rules should be changed, O’Donnell replied, “I think it’s time the NHL could look into something. I think you’re gained enough momentum where the guys, they could start to make something where even when a guy’s exposed or its clean, even if there’s a shot to the head…”
“I didn’t feel that way until recently, that the NHL should start to looking into making that some sort of penalty or a fine or a suspension. Some sort of deterrent.”
But unlike Greene and Smyth, O’Donnell disagrees on the respect issue. “I don’t think there’s enough respect. I don’t know if this goes back to the instigator rule, I don’t know exactly where that starts. There’s a certain lack of respect. It used to be if a guy saw someone vulnerable, they would hit ‘em, but maybe let up a little bit, whereas now there’s too many guys in the league that see someone vulnerable and their eyes light up and they see a chance to really hurt someone and I don’t know where that comes from. I don’t know what it is.”
“In my history I seem to sense a shift where there’s guys that specifically don’t even look for the puck out there. They’re out there to make a name and really if they can if someone is in a vulnerable spot, really try and hurt someone.”
“Unfortunately they’re going to have to start doing something to really make it a deterrent for some of those guys to have a little more respect for the other players that are playing.”
When reminded that O’Donnell once skated with feared crusher Scott Stevens, who played a fine line, O’Donnell responded, “I don’t have the answers. Scotty was a guy that played 20-22 minutes a night and he answered the bell and he took those hits and he gave those hits. I don’t know if he ever took an elbowing penalty or a high sticking penalty. He came across and hit guys hard. He was kind of the exception to the rule, and now it seems that there are more guys that are the rule and there’s more guys that aren’t playing 22 minutes a night that aren’t key guys, that aren’t captains, that are playing 3-4-5 minutes a night that are doing that kind of stuff. Like I said, it just goes back to a respect thing. Scotty had respect for the game and respect for other players, he just played it hard.”
“Players are bigger, they’re stronger, they’re faster. Equipment, unfortunately is more protective of the player but it gives them more punishment.”
“I think something needs to be done. I don’t have the answers but something needs to be done.”
_____________________________________
Erik Ersberg may get the start in goal tomorrow night in Carolina according to Rich Hammond and Randy Jones may get to see action as well. Jonathan Quick worked out with goaltending coach Bill Ranford today.
_____________________________________
TICKETS, VIDEOS & HOCKEYWOOD
lakings.com
hockeybuzzbarry
KINGS FAN BOARDS
letsgokings.com
kingsunderground.com
READ JON MONCRIEF
http://www.examiner.com/x-2690-Los-Angeles-Kings-Examiner
BLOG WORLD
lakingsnews.com
frozenroyalty.net
lakingsinsider.com
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