Just a few facts. I checked Orpik's career stats. He has played 699 regular season games and 87 playoff games. Assuming three hits per game over his career, in 786 NHL games played he has executed approximately 2,258 hits. He was suspended once in his career for the hit against Eric Cole which occurred over 8 seasons ago. The suspension was for three games.

The lawsuits against the NFL had a direct result of significant changes to the way the game is officiated meant to reduce the risk of head injuries. You can dismiss that if you choose, but NHL legal counsel is surely watching that, and if the biggest sport in the USA is afraid enough of lawsuits to make substantial changes, you can bet the NHL will follow suit. The NHL doesn't have the kind of deep pockets that the NFL does, so the downside risk of a class action lawsuit is even more potentially catastrophic.

*edit* the primary difference between the leagues is that the NHL apparently isn't smart enough to get out ahead of the issue, even when guys like Boogaurd start dying....they will end up being reactionary when something really catastrophic happens that truly threatens their wallets.
- Emperor Filonius

and that's when guys like orpik are out of a job and the game resembles that of Europe

- SolidGoldBricks

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=37257

It's kind of funny that Douglas Murray got a match penalty for laying out a guy with a vicious elbow to the head on Tuesday night and we are still here talking about a clean check for which no penalty was assessed...simply because of the players involved in the play.

The audacity of someone delivering a clean hard check!

Yep, Crosby is the only one that WHINES.
- acdc1206

When has Toews whined? Some of his fans have, including me. Orpik launched, was late and off the puck, and the hit was dirty. So I am whining now. But you haven't heard Toews whine.

Reading these are just the funniest things ever, so many whiny middle aged guys acting like its middle school rumors and gossip with the most over inflated fantasies and delusions about what really happened in the games.

You stay classy internet.

It's kind of funny that Douglas Murray got a match penalty for laying out a guy with a vicious elbow to the head on Tuesday night and we are still here talking about a clean check for which no penalty was assessed...simply because of the players involved in the play.
- Emperor Filonius

There you go, Sherlock.

Chicago won't win the cup this year.
- AlfieisKing

Hey look, it's Jean-phucking-Dixon. Here's hoping the right ping-pong ball bounces your guys' way.

By the time all those Western teams batter one another in the playoffs in order to reach the Finals, My Habs will be there waiting to take home aanother Stanley Cup.

When has Toews whined? Some of his fans have, including me. Orpik launched, was late and off the puck, and the hit was dirty. So I am whining now. But you haven't heard Toews whine.
- Tugboat

Yeah, he's talking about you guys, not Toews, genius. Maybe you should take a cue from Toews and get on with your lives instead of pissing and moaning about a legal check.

And the ones who employ the players? or pay to watch? Are they happy when the team gets scored on when one of their defensemen are in the box? or placed on IR? More and more players are coming out against "the code" and fighting in the league. this trend will continue over the years thank goodness
- ChrisMS

Who the fhaq has come out against "The Code"? ..... Nobody!!!

Yeah, he's talking about you guys, not Toews, genius. Maybe you should take a cue from Toews and get on with your lives instead of pissing and moaning about a legal check.
- Emperor Filonius

It would be the other way around if it was Crosby who got nailed. You guys are funny

By the time all those Western teams batter one another in the playoffs in order to reach the Finals, My Habs will be there waiting to take home aanother Stanley Cup.
- jillann

Yay. A three thumbs up for assault! Guess that's about right for a man brave enough to call for a mans wife to leave him over an internet chat board. You seem to be the kind of man who watches NASCAR to watch people get hurt or die in car crashes. Gee what fun!
- ChrisMS

You're sense of humor really sucks bud. Do us all a favor and step on a lego barefoot you (frank)ing baby.

yup and take himself out of the game for 5 minutes... real smart hockey. thank god fighting is being slowly phased out of the game... maybe hockey can stop being a secondary sport in this country when it does. "better drop the gloves" what a joke
- ChrisMS

Yes, let's continue to wussify the NHL and hockey in general! This is exactly the kind of bullpoop that fans of a guy like Orpik like to spew out like dysentery vomit.

And players like Orpik are the precise reason fighting IS NEEDED in the sport. Taking away the ability for player policing on the ice will do nothing but give cowards like Orpik free reign to skate around taking runs at key players. The guy deserves to get haymakered until he's bloodied.

I'm no hockey purist, but fighting has been apart of the game since it's inception, if the league wants to increase penalty time or have some sort of supplimentary discipline for staged fights or whatever I'm fine with that, but removing fighting from the game is wrong and will only lead to more injuries due to players being allowed the freedom to take cheap shots without having to answer for them.

If agitators like McLeod, Lapierre, Burroughs, Marchand etc... know they never have to worry about being challenged or forced to drop the gloves, this sport will become extremely difficult to watch.