Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Time for the NHL to do something about Torres

January 1, 2012, 8:09 PM ET [ Comments]
Aaron Musick
Colorado Avalanche Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
When Brendan Shanahan took over as the director of player discipline, it was to cut down on boarding calls and hits to the head.

There were even rules added for these kinds of hits, to try to curb the onslaught of concussions in the league.

However, there is still one player that continues to make the same hits he did before the rules changed. That player is Raffi Torres. The Phoenix Coyotes left wing has made a history for himself of hitting with the elbow extended, trying to hit the head, a clear attempt to injure players.

Last year, while playing for the Vancouver Canucks, Torres delivered a belligerent hit to Edmonton Oilers foward Jordan Eberle, a hit that earned him a four game suspension, two of them in the playoffs.



Then, he came back in the playoffs and delivered this hit to Brent Seabrook:



His first game back, he turns an elbow to the head of a player who is looking away. Luckily Seabrook and Eberle are okay but the pattern was established. Torres was branded as a dirty player, a player who will make a dirty hit to opposing team's players no matter the situation.

There is an argument that that could be a good thing for a team, a physical guy who will mix things up with everyone but that is carrying it too far. Dustin Brown and Cal Clutterbuck have perfected this style of play, Torres just is reckless.

Once the new rules were instituted, there was hope that players with a bad reputation would amend their ways and play the game cleanly. Matt Cooke, the player who essentially ended Marc Savard's career, has reformed himself this year. Torres has not.

Case in point? The last week of 2011 for Torres.

Torres has had three questionable hits this week alone: one to Boston Bruins' Andrew Ference, one that Adam McQuaid took exception to and fought Torres; one to Colorado Avalanche defenseman Jan Hejda and also most recently to Minnesota Wild defenseman Nate Prosser.

Andrew Ference



Not a terrible hit, certainly not as bad as the one on Eberle but Torres appears to elevate his shoulder to the head of Ference after the two had a little separation.

Jan Hejda



A great analysis of the hit from Avalanche color guy Mark Rycroft. The only thing questionable about this hit is whether Hejda falling down affected things greatly. Torres does appear to change direction, going out of his way to hit a defenseless player but was Hejda defenseless because he was falling at the time?

Torres was fined for this hit but not suspended.

Nate Prosser: will be on the edge of the right side of the screen



Here Torres skates across the ice to hit Prosser, arms up, elbows extended. Is that not the hit the NHL is trying to get rid of?

One of these by itself isn't all that bad as sometimes bad hits happen but three in a week is just going too far. Torres has been bloodied by Quaid, fined by the NHL and now he has to be suspended.

Torres has been good up until the last week of 2011 but he has to be curbed or else he is going to seriously hurt someone. He already has the stigma of being a dirty, reckless player and it is his third questionable-at-best hit of the week. The NHL needs to step up and suspend him, both to stop him from hurting someone and to make sure everyone (players, fans, coaches) know the rules are still there and will still be enforced.

It is time for the NHL to take a stand and make Torres sit for 3-5 games before Torres injures someone- or someone injures him- and the NHL has a PR nightmare on its hands.
Join the Discussion: » Comments » Post New Comment
More from Aaron Musick
» Farewell Hockeybuzz
» We are the 18.8 percent
» Joe Sacco fired
» Is Semyon Varlamov the Goalie of the Future?
» Sami Aittokallio to make his NHL debut