Kadri should have been penalized more on the Backstrom hit.

Admittedly, I may be seeing it with Leafs-coloured glassed on, but I thought the hit on Phaneuf from behind in the dying minutes was a worse hit than Kadri's hit on Granlund (not that I saw either as being a serious hit).
- bullethead7

As I've admitted, the Granlund hit wasn't that egregious, but it was a hit to the head nonetheless. That being said, just some food for thought here... If Kadri knows he got away with the very egregious hit on Backstrom, you'd think maybe he'd be a little bit more careful not to get directly involved with a second hit to the head in the same game.

I have to watch the 3rd period again because I missed the hit on Phaneuf. Although there is no justification for a hit from behind or boarding hit, I think some of the Wild players, especially Niederreiter were being targeted and taking late hits all night long that were not being called. Again, not saying retaliatory hits that are deemed illegal is justification, but in my opinion there were a lot of hits not being called last night. I think the refs were letting them play for the most part until the shot on Granny.

The Granlund hit is exactly the type of hit the league is trying to stop from happening. A player with his head down that gets a shoulder launched directly into his face. It's an unnecessary and dangerous hit.
- MnGump

Clean hits to the shoulder: the hits the NHL are trying to get rid of.

As I've admitted, the Granlund hit wasn't that egregious, but it was a hit to the head nonetheless. That being said, just some food for thought here... If Kadri knows he got away with the very egregious hit on Backstrom, you'd think maybe he'd be a little bit more careful not to get directly involved with a second hit to the head in the same game.

I have to watch the 3rd period again because I missed the hit on Phaneuf. Although there is no justification for a hit from behind or boarding hit, I think some of the Wild players, especially Niederreiter were being targeted and taking late hits all night long that were not being called. Again, not saying retaliatory hits that are deemed illegal is justification, but in my opinion there were a lot of hits not being called last night. I think the refs were letting them play for the most part until the shot on Granny.
- MnGump

Interesting... so "letting them play" means no penalty on a dirty double team from behind, but a minor to Smithson for a good hit, and a major and a game for a clean hit by Kadri.

And you don't see how this may come off as biased reffing, especially when it favours the home team?

Ha ha ha! Delusional much? I suppose next your going to tell us that Kadri shouldn't have been penalized on the Granlund hit?! Nor should he be suspended for two blantent head shots last night?

Oh yeah, how exactly did the refs skew the game in the SO? I suppose the linesman somehow caused Kessel to lose the puck during his attempt?! You guys crack me up.

Can't win graciously or lose gracefully is the feeling I'm getting...
- MnGump

There was no head contact on the Granlund hit. The elbow has down and Kadri went straight into the chest. Watch it over and over if you have to. There is a reason the league has chosen not to look at it.

The major was for the head contact on the goalie. The refs blew it and so they made up for it on Granlund hit, its clear when the league chooses to look at one and not the other.

Leafs hit and fight, but they are not even close to being a dirty team.

take the ugly green goggles off. Your team couldn't score to save its life. If the Leafs had all that PP time it would have been no contest. Even with no Kadri, Bozak, or Bolland the Leafs would have scored at least 2 goals.

Your stuck with two losers in Parise and Suter. Yup, I said it. Neither of them can score. Big cap hits, big busts.

The Granlund hit is exactly the type of hit the league is trying to stop from happening. A player with his head down that gets a shoulder launched directly into his face. It's an unnecessary and dangerous hit.
- MnGump

There was no shoulder to the head.

Tell you player to get his head up!!

Yep, that and the refs. Wild goal tending and endurance to perservere had nothing to do with it. Right?!
- MnGump

Your team can't score worth a lick!

LOL "endurance to perservere"?

Our player scored on his own team. That puck was going away from the net when it hit Parise's skate.

Holy poop there are some serious panzy cry baby fans from Toronto! At one time I actually felt bad for them when they had to endure the playoff choke job heard round the world, but now I just feel sorry for them in general!

Interesting... so "letting them play" means no penalty on a dirty double team from behind, but a minor to Smithson for a good hit, and a major and a game for a clean hit by Kadri.

And you don't see how this may come off as biased reffing, especially when it favours the home team?
- Feeling Glucky?

Maybe you need a tissue?...

There was no shoulder to the head.

Tell you player to get his head up!!
- 13LEAFS01

Yes! I will text him to let him know. I'm sure he'll be greatful!

It's amazing what people choose to see when the outcome doesn't favor them...

Maybe you need a tissue?...
- MnGump

You're the ones crying about a clean hit!

Yes! I will text him to let him know. I'm sure he'll be greatful!

It's amazing what people choose to see when the outcome doesn't favor them...
- MnGump

People... like the folks at the NHL who aren't looking at this hit as anything suspendable?

Leafs are actually taking action to have the blatantly bad call rescinded. You don't see teams doing that on a regular basis.

You're the ones crying about a clean hit!
- Feeling Glucky?

Nope, not at all. You can spin it whatever way you want. Wasn't a clean hit. Just because a player has his head down doesn't mean his opponent can launch into him and make contact to the head. Yes, the head. Doesn't matter where he intended to land the hit if it the primary point of contact becomes the head, which it was. But again, I've already said I didn't think it was egregious or intentional. Obviously the on ice officials saw it different. Point is, when you've already gotten away with one blatent hit to the head, anything questionable beyond that is going to get called. Period. Wasn't even the reason the Leafs lost. There were plenty of questionable hits going on all night from Toronto players that were NOT called a penalty.

But Leafs fans are taking issue with a call that should have never happened in the first place because Kadri should have gotten the 5 and match for the hit on Backstrom.

People... like the folks at the NHL who aren't looking at this hit as anything suspendable?

Leafs are actually taking action to have the blatantly bad call rescinded. You don't see teams doing that on a regular basis.
- Feeling Glucky?

Quote from former NHL ref Kerry Fraser;TSN

The head contact Kadri delivered on Mikael Granlund was totally unnecessary, senseless, irresponsible, wreckless, and dangerous for starters. I could apply a host of other adjectives given the one goal lead the Leafs were protecting in addition to the separation between the two players and as Nazem Kadri approached to make what should have been a legal body check through Granlund's center mass.

I must repeat; whenever a player elevates his posture prior to and through a check, the head of his opponent is highly susceptible to becoming the main point of contact.

OMG! Kadri gets 3 game suspension and the Leafs blog is utter and mass delusion! I would love to know what color the sky is up there in Toronoto! A few level headed posters in there but the majority whining like a bunch of teen debutants that got stood up for prom... Priceless!

i don't see what he could have done except not hit him. Either way, minny should have sent someone to handle kadri (im dissapointed they didnt)
- clark_griswold

Brodziak tried to...apparently being over 5'8 and not Finnish disqualifies him from fighting Kadri. Either way Kadri is a female dog

Matt Cookes comments after the game in regards to the Wilds passive demeanor;

“When Nik got hit, none of us knew he wasn’t OK. Then it turns out a few minutes later he wasn’t OK. But people need to understand is by that time, you’re in a game. It’s 0-0. It’s not because we don’t want to stand up for Nik or stand up for our teammates because in the second period, you see Brodzy go in and get in there for Nino. I just don’t know what the response that’s called for in that situation. Obviously we’re there for each other, stand up for each other and will continue to do so, but sometimes, at what cost?”

They missed open nets. I still think they would have scored with out the turn over. I think what a lot people miss in hockey games he seeing others teams defenders sticks getting in the way especially making look like they missed the net or putting into the goaltenders chest. Also yeo told niederreiter on the bench Not to get upset niederreiter did stick up for himself later. You were defiantly sleeping.

Brodziak tried to...apparently being over 5'8 and not Finnish disqualifies him from fighting Kadri. Either way Kadri is a female dog
- SotaPopinski

This is where I get confused with "The Code". In my mind, if the Wild players think Kadri has done something far enough over the line where he should have to fight someone, then he shouldn't be let off the hook because he declines an invitation to fight.

Brodziak is hardly an intimidating figure in the fighting circle. I'm OK with Brodziak alerting him to the fact that he's going to need to answer for his actions with a fight. But then just go with him. How is fighting a deterrent when the violator of "The Code" gets to say no to the fight?

Yeo could be right. Had someone fought Kadri things could have escalated where there may have been several more fights, which would have been decidedly bad for the Wild. Still pisses me off they did nothing.

I must repeat; whenever a player elevates his posture prior to and through a check, the head of his opponent is highly susceptible to becoming the main point of contact.
- MnGump

I'm not sure exactly what Fraser means here but I take it to mean that Kadri "loaded up" before the hit and drove upward with the check and that is what I saw in the replay. I really thought that action was going to get him suspended for the Granlund hit and, in my mind, that is why he was given a match penalty on the play.

I was surprised that hit was dismissed away as it was in the League review. I thought the driving upward in checking was something they were trying to discourage. Had he taken a more straight line approach to that check and not driven upward, I wouldn't have a problem with it.

Quote from former NHL ref Kerry Fraser;TSN

The head contact Kadri delivered on Mikael Granlund was totally unnecessary, senseless, irresponsible, wreckless, and dangerous for starters. I could apply a host of other adjectives given the one goal lead the Leafs were protecting in addition to the separation between the two players and as Nazem Kadri approached to make what should have been a legal body check through Granlund's center mass.

I must repeat; whenever a player elevates his posture prior to and through a check, the head of his opponent is highly susceptible to becoming the main point of contact.
- MnGump

Kerry Fraser doesn't know what a high stick is.

edit: people still employed by the NHL think Kadri's hit on Granlund was clean:
John Shannon @JSportsnet

League did look at Kadri on Granlund. Viewed primarily as a full body hit. Head was not PPoC. Penalty on ice fit the crime.

Kerry Fraser doesn't know what a high stick is.

edit: people still employed by the NHL think Kadri's hit on Granlund was clean:
John Shannon @JSportsnet

League did look at Kadri on Granlund. Viewed primarily as a full body hit. Head was not PPoC. Penalty on ice fit the crime.
- Feeling Glucky?

Oh. Okay, I get it now. I think... So it was a "clean" hit and the punishment on the ice fit the crime...
What I don't seem to get is, if it was a "clean" hit as you've so exclaimed and the punishment on the ice fit the crime, why did he get 5 and a match?

That poop is just weird man, please enlighten me on that one wonder boy!

Oh. Okay, I get it now. I think... So it was a "clean" hit and the punishment on the ice fit the crime...
What I don't seem to get is, if it was a "clean" hit as you've so exclaimed and the punishment on the ice fit the crime, why did he get 5 and a match?

That poop is just weird man, please enlighten me on that one wonder boy!
- MnGump

That's the NHL for you.
Can't reprimand their referees, no matter how out of hand they get.

That's the NHL for you.
Can't reprimand their referees, no matter how out of hand they get.
- Feeling Glucky?

C'mon Gluck! Surely you've got something wittier than that!? This was just starting to get fun!

C'mon Gluck! Surely you've got something wittier than that!? This was just starting to get fun!
- MnGump

Doesn't need to be witty, just truthful.

NHL admits the hit is a good body hit, but continues to pretend the ref wasn't trying to help Minny out.

I didn't see it as targeting the head, honestly. If Granlund wasn't up against the glass, it wouldn't have been nearly as vicious. He did have his head down as he was attempting to control a rolling puck which is a big no-no, especially along the boards. At the same time, hitting a guy in such a vulnerable position with that much momentum is pretty reckless. The fact that it was delivered by Kadri makes it even more questionable. But it was technically a legal hit, imo.
Hopefully Granlund is okay and learns from this.