Updated:
Call Ripley's!
Believe it or not, the NHL Department of Player Safety have summoned Flyers D Radko Gudas to Manhattan to answer for his illegal hit on Bruins rookie Austin Czarnik.
Gudas has refused and waived the invitation to the in-person hearing. He will instead face the music by phone on Monday.
(1/2) Philadelphia's Radko Gudas has been offered an in-person hearing for interference on Boston's Austin Czarnik.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) October 9, 2016
(2/2) Gudas has waived his right to an in-person hearing. A hearing will be held tomorrow via telephone.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) October 9, 2016
Is this not an admission of guilt?
Why is Gudas waiving a right to an in person hearing? It's a right that has been collectively bargained by the NHLPA. Is it a path of least resistance for Gudas? The veteran line crossing D-man is now facing a ban of 5+ games for his punk shot on Czarnik.
See video below for his illegal check on the Bruins prospect.
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While Tim Murray was assessing his training camp roster in anticipation for the final cut down to the 23 man roster, Dan Bylsma was running his players through the paces in preparation for Thursady night's home season opener versus the Montreal Canadiens.
After the Sunday brunch get together, Bylsma gave updates on his four walking wounded veterans.
Kyle Okposo is still “uncertain… for his Blue & Gold debut. Okposo was dotted by an errant slap shot that found the unpadded area of his left knee at last Monday's practice. Okposo and the power play unit were running a drill when he was felled by a hot shot.
“Long term, there’s not a concern, just the progression back to the ice. It hasn’t happened quickly,… Bylsma said.
Bylsma said Okposo has improved “exponentially… in the past few days. Okposo visited Sabres team doctors following the ine injury.
The Sabres signed Okposo to a seven year, $42 million free agent contract on July 1. The Sabres are committed to hell or high water make the playoffs for the first time in six seasons. Okposo can't help the club while in teh cold tub.
Zach Bogosian suffered a groin strain ten days ago. He began skatung on his own last week. Bylsma said that Bogosian will practice with his teammates on Tuesday as the team has the day off Monday in observance of Canadian Thanksgiving and Columbus Day.
On Sunday Fun Day, Bogosian, Dmitry Kulikov and Ryan O’Reilly skated on their own away from the squad.
Kulikov suffered a brutal buttocks/back bruise when he was checked into an open bench gate against the Toronto Maple Leafs nine days ago. Bylsma said that Kulikov might practice Tuesday.
O’Reilly suffered a back "tweak" (spasms) midway through the first period of Wednesday night's shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.
"Ryan (O’Reilly) mostly left the game for precautionary reasons but had a spasm in his back and midsection, is still obviously off the ice with that," Byslma said.
"Day-to-day, precautionary really at this point in time".
I've said it before and I'll say it again:
I HATE NHL exhibition hockey games.
Star players suffer injuries in meaningless garbage games. Injuries that eventually undermine the success of teams.
NHL teams can't earn a playoff berth in October. However, they sure can lose a playoff spot vis a vis injuries and dumb luck in October.
**
Marcus Foligno missed Sunday's skate due to feeling under the weather.
••
Speaking of star players getting seriously injured in ridiculously insignificant NHL exhibition games....
More terrible news for the Florida Panthers who will have to play the first 3-4 months of this season without their number one left winger Jonathon Huberdeau who suffered an ugly lower body injury, according Harvey Fialkov of the Sun-Sentinel.
Huberdeau suffered the leg injury, believed to be an Achilles tendon, in a battle along the boards early in Sunday's preseason battle between the New Jersey Devils and Florida Panthers.
looks like skate coming down on back of left ankle, as observed by the Florida broadcast pic.twitter.com/gG5b7NE2vr
— Stephanie (@myregularface) October 9, 2016
I knew it was serious when I first saw the injury because Huberdeau could put his body weight on his leg, and he had to be assisted off the ice and into the room.
It looked to me like the skate of Devils forward Sergey Kalininclipped Huberdeau’s left ankle. The way he reacted when he reset his leg suggested Achilles tendon damage.
Last week, Cats' number one center Nick Bjugstad broke his hand. Bjugstad will now miss the first 4-6 weeks of the regular season.
Losing Huberdeau and Bjugstad to long term injuries right off the hop is going to be a daunting task for head coach Gerard Gallant.
**
Throw The Whole Library At Gudas https://t.co/dVytBgjkjh pic.twitter.com/rzZmWoFr3I
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) October 9, 2016
Stop me if you've heard this one before.
The sky is blue.
Water is wet.
Radko Gudas has smashed another NHLPA member with a greasy, illegal hit.
This time Boston Bruins prospect forward Austin Czarnik was the victim.
Gudas is the NHL Freshmen Class Welcoming Committee.
Gudas welcomed the young buck to the NHL. Czarnik has a strong chance of making the Bruins roster out of training camp.
The hit occurred early in the third period. Gudas was given a minor penalty for boarding on the play.
According, CSN New England the NHL is FINALLY reviewing Gudas' questionable hit.
Gudas boarding minor; Czarnik appears to be injured on the play pic.twitter.com/grsVvbHUCX
— Stephanie (@myregularface) October 8, 2016
another angle pic.twitter.com/F1nBqNGeh0
— Stephanie (@myregularface) October 8, 2016
“I just looked at [the hit]. There’s no update. We saw the shoulder to the head. Somehow he seems to have a knack of getting himself in trouble every game. I didn’t like the hit personally,… said Bruins coach Claude Julien told CSN.
“I thought it was a little bit late, and a shoulder to the head. It’s disappointing. Here’s a young player [in Czarnik] having a good camp and really playing well, and then he ends up with a hit like that in the last few minutes.…
Gudas was assessed only a boarding minor penalty.
There is nothing minor about the Gudas shot on Czarnik.
Gudas is the playground bully who preys on the younger kids.
Last week, Gudas was ejected for boarding NY Rangers fab freshman Jimmy Vesey. Was Gudas suspended for his jackassery? Hell no. Gudas has a horseshoe in the patoot that protects him from the harsh rays of the NHL discipline sun.
If Gudas had been suspended for smearning Vesey, he surely would have been suspended for Saturday's game vs. Boston and the Czarnik hit would have never happended because Gudas would have been sitting in a leisure suit , eating popcorn. In the press box.
Here is the Vesey hit.
Gudas hit on Vesey pic.twitter.com/vWzHesVSKa
— Stephanie (@myregularface) October 3, 2016
Shame on Vesey for not knowing that Gudas was on the ice for his shift. Rangers veterans should have warned the kid to keep his head on a swivel. Vesey can get away with a late turn off playing against 19 year old boys at Harvard or at summer shinny games in Foxboro. Not against men in the NHL. Not against a headhunter like Gudas. No sir.
What makes it so dangerous and cheap is Gudas didn't stop when he saw Vesey in a vulnerable position. Gudas knew what he was doing to whom he was doing it to. He targets the other team's skill players. Always has. That's why he deserved a suspension.
boarding major assessed to Gudas pic.twitter.com/IU2BEqmOCG
— Stephanie (@myregularface) October 3, 2016
Let's hope that this is the time that Gudas is finally held to the same standard as the other 725 members of the NHLPA.
Forget throwing the book at Gudas for his repeated goonery.
I'd throw the entire library at Gudas.
I'd give Gudas a ten game vacation for his most recent punk shot on Czarnik.
How about you?