The second incident with stick work involved was a one-way ticket to insanity. What was this guy thinking? Or more importantly who does he think he is? Antoine Vermette plays hockey for the Anaheim ducks. He is one of about 7,000 people who ever tugged on a game sweater and heard the anthem from the ice in an NHL game in the league's 90+ year history.
The other evening a young NHL linesman, Shandor Alphonso, dropped a puck at an innocuous neutral ice face-off dot. Gravity not withstanding player Vermette, an expert in puck drops did not like the way that he did his job and expressed his displeasure by swatting the linesman on the back of his leg with his stick.
In comparison to the other stick work this week in the NHL, this was a mere flicker vs a flame of stick work. Yet the implications are much more to do with the integrity of the game versus the entitlements and the manner of expressions of his opinion.
The rule for abuse of an official calls for three categories depending on the circumstances and the severity of the abuse to the official. Rule 40, category 2, calls for a 10 game suspension to the aggressor or transgressor in this case. Yet the loophole is that the player can appeal to the Commissioner. That there is a loophole at all demeans the process. There should be no slack. The guarantee of safety for all on ice officials should be sacrosanct with no wiggle room. This is the reason that the rule was put in the book. Rule 40 calls for 3 games, 10 games or 20... Enter the Players Association and all those who spout off about the player being a great guy and this is not his character.... Bunk, rubbish and a deflection of responsibility.
If Vermette didn't like the drop then it's up to the coach and GM to get to officiating head Walkom and hold the linesman accountable. That's their job. It is not Vermette's job to spank the linesman for what he thinks is a bad drop... He is there to play hockey... Oh how the world has changed... Vermette, a proud son of Quebec should be spanked for his action with no reprieve... No appeal and no grace... After all, another proud son of Quebec was Jean Belliveu... I just can't see number 4 acting like this guy... Serve your 10 and don't appeal...
Need a reminder about abuse of an official? Just ask Wideman and Henderson. One is back playing. The other is missing two discs in his neck and will never skate again. There are rules and there are reasons for the rules.