I don't even see why Nystrom was given a roughing penalty on the play. Letang put himself in an awkward position trying to avoid the check, but it was a clean hit. Elbow down, from the front, not a head shot or boarding or anything...
- jtommyt

Probably because he didn't make a play at a loose puck instead of taking the body.

I don't have an issue with the hit. Like I said last night, if Letang stays verticle instead of ducking to poke the puck the contact is to his chest/shouler. Because he lowers and extends himself the point of contact becomes his head. Similar to the Doug Weight/Brandon Sutter hit a couple years ago.

I don't even see why Nystrom was given a roughing penalty on the play. Letang put himself in an awkward position trying to avoid the check, but it was a clean hit. Elbow down, from the front, not a head shot or boarding or anything...
- jtommyt

My take on it is this...

Nystrom had enough time to lean into Letang...watch the replay, you'll see it...and at that point Letang was in a vulnerable position.

If he had enough time to lean into him, then didn't he also have enough time to try and avoid him, given that Letang was face first, with his head out?

I can't disagree about what Letang did...because he did make himself vulnerable (Letang was not trying to avoid a check, he was poke checking the puck and ended up in the vulnerable position)...but Nystrom made sure he got a piece of Letang...and he probably could have avoided him entirely.

If this scenario isn't a textbook case of what the league is trying to eliminate, then I don't know what is.

Nystrom should be suspensed.

tru, you DON'T have to play the puck. And when you don't, you must be more aware of the your hit you are going to deliver. Not just in this situation, but all situations.

For those of you who decided to drop by today, if Matt Cooke delivers that hit on Jamie Benn, what is your response?
- ryman1566

If Matt Cooke delivers that hit, it's one of the cleanest of his career!

My take on it is this...

Nystrom had enough time to lean into Letang...watch the replay, you'll see it...and at that point Letang was in a vulnerable position.

If he had enough time to lean into him, then didn't he also have enough time to try and avoid him, given that Letang was face first, with his head out?

I can't disagree about what Letang did...because he did make himself vulnerable...but Nystrom made sure he got a piece of Letang...and he probably could have avoided him entirely.

If this scenario isn't a textbook case of what the league is trying to eliminate, then I don't know what is.

Nystrom should be suspensed.
- icedog97

Nystrom corrected his path to catch Letang, I'll agree with that. When you've committed to the check, and a guy's trying to avoid you, you either correct, or you miss (possibly taking the guy's knee out... which is never a good situation).

It's not Nystrom's responsibility to avoid hitting a guy who's looking right at him, because the other player's awkwardly trying to dodge the incoming check.

If his back was turned, or if he was awkwardly close to the boards, I would agree with you... but that's not what this was.

I also don't see this hit as a clear head-shot. Even with the lunge from Letang, it looks to me like a clear shoulder-to-shoulder impact.

My take on it is this...

Nystrom had enough time to lean into Letang...watch the replay, you'll see it...and at that point Letang was in a vulnerable position.

If he had enough time to lean into him, then didn't he also have enough time to try and avoid him, given that Letang was face first, with his head out?

I can't disagree about what Letang did...because he did make himself vulnerable...but Nystrom made sure he got a piece of Letang...and he probably could have avoided him entirely.

If this scenario isn't a textbook case of what the league is trying to eliminate, then I don't know what is.

Nystrom should be suspensed.
- icedog97

So from now on players should make a habbit of avoiding players, in case they might put themselves in a vulnerable position?

Letang should be suspended for putting himself in that position...all these hits happen because guys like Letang are complete morons. What does he expect to happen on that play? Nystrom is gonna slowly skate into the corner, give Letang a handshake and politely ask for the puck? Give me a break ...this league is a joke and half the players out on the ice are clueless. This league is soft ...lets just ban hitting

This is true and how I saw it as well. You don't try and avoid a hit and leave your head sticking out at the last second. He's lucky Nystrom didn't break his neck. Nystrom was playing the man, not the puck and Letang should have just absorbed the hit rather than try and poke it forward. He put himself in a spot. I wish more kids would start playing to protect themselves rather than leaving themselves in vulnerable spots. This is an example of it.
- Lohaus

I couldn't agree more.

So from now on players should make a habbit of avoiding players, in case they might put themselves in a vulnerable position?
- tootooisapunk

If you have time to adjust your hit, why not throw a hip check instead? Or do you have to make every attempt to get as close to the head as you can??

The key moving forward is not playing the puck vs. playing the body. It is when you do decide to engage physically, your primary goal should be to acquire puck possession, not inflicting personal damage.
- Gunner Staal

Again, I don't see this hit as a deliberate kill shot. If Letang prepares for the hit instead of attempting to dodge it, he's on his ass, but he's not devastated...

Letang should be suspended for putting himself in that position...all these hits happen because guys like Letang are complete morons. What does he expect to happen on that play? Nystrom is gonna slowly skate into the corner, give Letang a handshake and politely ask for the puck? Give me a break ...this league is a joke and half the players out on the ice are clueless. This league is soft ...lets just ban hitting
- keatondixon

under your own theory you should be suspended for putting yourself in a position of being a Flyers fan......

Nystrom corrected his path to catch Letang, I'll agree with that. When you've committed to the check, and a guy's trying to avoid you, you either correct, or you miss (possibly taking the guy's knee out... which is never a good situation).

It's not Nystrom's responsibility to avoid hitting a guy who's looking right at him, because the other player's awkwardly trying to dodge the incoming check.

If his back was turned, or if he was awkwardly close to the boards, I would agree with you... but that's not what this was.

I also don't see this hit as a clear head-shot. Even with the lunge from Letang, it looks to me like a clear shoulder-to-shoulder impact.
- jtommyt

Watch the replay...Letang poke checks the puck and ends up in a vulnerable position.

He's not trying to avoid any hit.

Get the facts straight.

Again, I don't see this hit as a deliberate kill shot. If Letang prepares for the hit instead of attempting to dodge it, he's on his ass, but he's not devastated...
- jtommyt

I didn't say it was a deliberate kill shot. But if Nystrom is taking the body with the intent of gaining puck possession, that is most definitely not the path he takes towards Letang, thus the incident avoided.

If you have time to adjust your hit, why not throw a hip check instead? Or do you have to make every attempt to get as close to the head as you can??
- ryman1566

It's not like he threw his elbow or shoulder out and targeted his head. His arm is tucked in. The way the game is now players don't have to make efforts to avoid checks, it is a full contact league.

If you have time to adjust your hit, why not throw a hip check instead? Or do you have to make every attempt to get as close to the head as you can??
- ryman1566

When you're the one moving at a (relatively) stationary target, if you try to throw a hipcheck there, you likely blow Letang's knee out and take a clipping penalty.

Nystrom doesn't rise into this hit, he just runs right through Letang. Yes, it sucks that your guy got injured, but it's not a dirty play.

So from now on players should make a habbit of avoiding players, in case they might put themselves in a vulnerable position?
- tootooisapunk

Watch the replay please...poke check by Letang...his head is leading the way...Nystrom can avoid a potentially dangerous hit, but he chose to make sure he hits him.

If they want to eliminate plays that cause concussions...is this not one of them?

When you're the one moving at a (relatively) stationary target, if you try to throw a hipcheck there, you likely blow Letang's knee out and take a clipping penalty.

Nystrom doesn't rise into this hit, he just runs right through Letang. Yes, it sucks that your guy got injured, but it's not a dirty play.
- jtommyt

He doesn't rise to the hit for sure, but after Letang poke checks the puck, Nystrom adjusts to a better position to hit Letang. He had time to adjust.

When you're the one moving at a (relatively) stationary target, if you try to throw a hipcheck there, you likely blow Letang's knee out and take a clipping penalty.

Nystrom doesn't rise into this hit, he just runs right through Letang. Yes, it sucks that your guy got injured, but it's not a dirty play.
- jtommyt

Wrong...watch the replay already!!!

He doesn't rise to the hit for sure, but after Letang poke checks the puck, Nystrom adjusts to a better position to hit Letang. He had time to adjust.
- ryman1566

He does lean into him...watch the replay!!!

Watch the replay...Letang poke checks the puck and ends up in a vulnerable position.

He's not trying to avoid any hit.

Get the facts straight.
- icedog97

Watch it again. After the poke, Letang tries to cut hard to his left to avoid the check but his upper body doesn't get out of the way as quickly as his feet. Nystrom corrects, and runs right through an off-balance Letang. If Letang pokes the puck and stays along the boards a collision still occurs, but the play goes on.

Nystrom's committed to the check, and has no responsibility to avoid a player who has time to see him coming.

...In my opinion.

When you're the one moving at a (relatively) stationary target, if you try to throw a hipcheck there, you likely blow Letang's knee out and take a clipping penalty.

Nystrom doesn't rise into this hit, he just runs right through Letang. Yes, it sucks that your guy got injured, but it's not a dirty play.
- jtommyt

No but he didn't need to make the hit at all

To the point, there is nothing in the rules about having to play the puck. Body checking, by definition, is separating the man from the puck. That was all Nystrom's trajectory was about. he had Letang squarely set up to be hit and Letang jumped out of the way and tried to poke the puck forward. I put the fault on Letang for the reason I said previously in this thread.
- Lohaus

Agreed, it was Letang's fault and unfortunately he'll likely be out a while now for it. (frank)in way she goes

Wrong...watch the replay already!!!
- icedog97

Leaning into him is not the same as rising into his head.

Watch it again. After the poke, Letang tries to cut hard to his left to avoid the check but his upper body doesn't get out of the way as quickly as his feet. Nystrom corrects, and runs right through an off-balance Letang. If Letang pokes the puck and stays along the boards a collision still occurs, but the play goes on.

Nystrom's committed to the check, and has no responsibility to avoid a player who has time to see him coming.

...In my opinion.
- jtommyt

Please look at the 40-50 second mark of the replay...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unVArLOITOY

Wrong...watch the replay already!!!
- icedog97

Hit him square in the chest ...stupid play by Letang ...no suspension... end of story

No but he didn't need to make the hit at all
- edro721

He doesn't need to, but he's definitely allowed to. Nystrom's on the team because he's a physical player. He starts passing up hits like this and he's in the AHL.