Jason Lewis: Where Do We Lay the Blame When it Comes to NHL Discipline?

Jason Lewis: Where Do We Lay the Blame When it Comes to NHL Discipline?
- Jason_Lewis

Blame is all around.

Players, NHL, Teams all have a part in it. Until they get more serious and more consistent with punishments its going to remain a joke.

The Player and the PA fight hard against fines and suspensions. Yet its the players in the end that need to be ultimately accountable.

The league and the player safety dept are accountable because they are extremely inconsistent. When star players get a lesser fine despite their actions it diminishes the whole process. Players like Keith, Weber, Neal are repeat offenders that get off all the time for actions that net lesser players 10 + game suspensions. Until they are all treated equally and they escalate the punishments more each time it will be a joke.

The teams are also to blame because they are the employers and need to take control of their assets. Not having guys in games due to suspensions or injuries hurts owners big time. Time for them to step up their own involvement and enforcement internally.

Jason Lewis: Where Do We Lay the Blame When it Comes to NHL Discipline?
- Jason_Lewis

The NHL is going the way of the NFL and while I understand the need to reign in the blatant attempts to injure (they should be banned as baseball does with steroids, 50, 100 games.) The problem is sometimes proving intent. Out on the street if some of these things happened they would be charged with a crime.
Both the NFL and the NHL are afraid of major lawsuits. I get that, but as far as concussions it's my view if you choose to play both games you know the risks.

Punishment needs to be handled by somebody. Shannahan has proved to me with his inconsistency that he isn't the guy to do it. When there wasn't an instigator rule the players policed themselves.

I think the problem is that the NHL is trying to land somewhere in the middle of allowing the players to police with the help of NHL discipline. In my opinion it seems that they need to do one or the other.

A) Remove the instigator rule so guys have to answer the bell.

or

B) Adopt a ban on fighting similar to the OHL.

If you remove fighting from hockey you remove the cavemen from the game (Thornton). But you can't remove the morons who can play hockey (Lapierre, Cooke, Neal etc.)

IMO option B wouldn't work. To me Thornton's actions were somewhat isolated. I can't get over the fact that Neal only got 5 games. I guess because Marchand wasn't injured on the play the suspension is less?

Scale down the equipment so it's not as lethal and start handing out sizable punishments.

And there should be a new introductory penalty for goons forcing guys to fight after a clean hit. If the refs deem a guy to be somewhat dangerous in his play and a guy forces the fight than they don't need to hand out that penalty. Clean hits are apart of the game and I hate to see the forced fight.

If fourth liners are targeting star players or rookies than yes they need to answer for themselves. That is good hockey. But when there is a good hockey hit and the play continues I hate seeing it halted for a fight. There is no easy answer, but the fact that the NHL won't make adjustments indicates to me that they don't see that there is a problem.

I cannot stand when someone says oh its just "boys being boys" with their antics on the ice. Some of the recent intent to injure scenarios that I have seen and the league does absolutely nothing about it is an absolute disgrace. The ironic thing is these players will sue the NHL for concussions down the road. These are men that either need to control their emotions or get out of Hockey either by choice or forced out by the league.

The league needs to make an example out of a player. This goes back to when Donald Brashear gets a hockey stick to the dome, Bertuzzi ends a players career, or when Hollweg is slashed in his throat with an on purpose baseball swing to the face. I know there are plenty of other instances but I just wanted to name a few. Players that go away from playing the game to purposely try to injure and possibly end careers need to be removed from hockey all together. Erase their name from all record books.

Punishment needs to be handled by somebody. Shannahan has proved to me with his inconsistency that he isn't the guy to do it. When there wasn't an instigator rule the players policed themselves.

I think the problem is that the NHL is trying to land somewhere in the middle of allowing the players to police with the help of NHL discipline. In my opinion it seems that they need to do one or the other.

A) Remove the instigator rule so guys have to answer the bell.

or

B) Adopt a ban on fighting similar to the OHL.

If you remove fighting from hockey you remove the cavemen from the game (Thornton). But you can't remove the morons who can play hockey (Lapierre, Cooke, Neal etc.)

IMO option B wouldn't work. To me Thornton's actions were somewhat isolated. I can't get over the fact that Neal only got 5 games. I guess because Marchand wasn't injured on the play the suspension is less?

Scale down the equipment so it's not as lethal and start handing out sizable punishments.

And there should be a new introductory penalty for goons forcing guys to fight after a clean hit. If the refs deem a guy to be somewhat dangerous in his play and a guy forces the fight than they don't need to hand out that penalty. Clean hits are apart of the game and I hate to see the forced fight.

If fourth liners are targeting star players or rookies than yes they need to answer for themselves. That is good hockey. But when there is a good hockey hit and the play continues I hate seeing it halted for a fight. There is no easy answer, but the fact that the NHL won't make adjustments indicates to me that they don't see that there is a problem.
- blarneylad

You forgot to mention Subban and Patches mate. Nice try pretending your team doesn't have "that" type of player. Same thing with the Kings or any other team in the league.

I guess as long as your team isn't involved we should throw the book at them. Freaking hypocrites. Let the league figure it. Save the crying for when one of your "dirtiest player" in the league has a bonehead moment.

I agree with your argument and the "I want it both ways" with respect to the players and the NHLPA. That lawsuit should be thrown out. The NHLPA does everything it can to fight the changes to increase safety and minimize accountability and suspensions. This retributive head hunting going on needs to be stopped. No sport puts up the bullpoop that goes on during play after whistles as does in the NHL. Pss poor officiating does not help the cause either.

You forgot to mention Subban and Patches mate. Nice try pretending your team doesn't have "that" type of player. Same thing with the Kings or any other team in the league.

I guess as long as your team isn't involved we should throw the book at them. Freaking hypocrites. Let the league figure it. Save the crying for when one of your "dirtiest player" in the league has a bonehead moment.
- Sell My Monkey

Subban isn't a dirty player. He can be a bit of a snake but not dirty. Pacioretty was a victim remember not an offender.

I'm sorry that I used the Neal example as an example. Kind of relevant considering how recent it was.

The dopes need to quit tying the result of an illegal hit (injury or not) to suspension.

How many remember Feb 10th 1994 Kings vs Blackhawks when Tony Granato hit Neil Wilkinson over the head with his stick?

The answer is probably no one outside of Kings and Hawks fans because Wilkinson played rest of the game after that.

No one really cares all that much unless a player is seriously injured. If Neal breaks Marchand's neck with his knee does he still get 5 games? To me, that's where the problem lies.

How many remember Feb 10th 1994 Kings vs Blackhawks when Tony Granato hit Neil Wilkinson over the head with his stick?

The answer is probably no one outside of Kings and Hawks fans because Wilkinson played rest of the game after that.

No one really cares all that much unless a player is seriously injured. If Neal breaks Marchand's neck with his knee does he still get 5 games? To me, that's where the problem lies.
- Anjin

100% agrEEd.

I blame Bettman and his cronies. When you let Ryan Clowe blatantly cheat by playing the puck from the bench, then lie about it, and then take no action and actually laugh about it, then you set the tone that bad behavior is acceptable.

Sooooooooooo

Kings vs Habs tonight

Doughty vs Subban

Should be a good game, damn I hope the Habs show up or else they will get killed.

Sooooooooooo

Kings vs Habs tonight

Doughty vs Subban

Should be a good game, damn I hope the Habs show up or else they will get killed.
- Symba007

My kids will be at the game tonight. They are big Kings fans but they are excited about experiencing a hockey game at the Bell Center with a true Canadien crowd. It should be a great experience for them.

My kids will be at the game tonight. They are big Kings fans but they are excited about experiencing a hockey game at the Bell Center with a true Canadien crowd. It should be a great experience for them.
- DesertKing

They will have a blast, the Bell Center is known as one if not the best rink in the NHL to attend a game. MTL fans don't get to see the Kings often, hope it's a close game

They will have a blast, the Bell Center is known as one if not the best rink in the NHL to attend a game. MTL fans don't get to see the Kings often, hope it's a close game
- Symba007

Don't think anyone expected this. Montreal didn't play that bad other than the 2nd period. LA just capitalized, and that hole was too great.

Don't think anyone expected this. Montreal didn't play that bad other than the 2nd period. LA just capitalized, and that hole was too great.
- bluecoconuts

Haven't seen the habs that bad in one period this year

Quick who? Trade him well his value is high and run with Scrivens and Jones, they're both better than Quick anyway. Quick can't stay healthy.