You're over exaggerating the actions of my comment. Remember I said the guys 'milking' penalties would get warned, fined suspended. Guys 'hit' the boards all the time I realise that but they stay on their feet, it's when they are checked into the boards - ie: Doan on Tanger, Rinaldo on who ever the player is in the blog, & go arse up is when it becomes dangerous. I'm not advocating a 'hands off' approach!

But while there is tolerance to illegal play there will be the Rinaldos of the world that everyone complains about. Teams/coaches/players/organisations are smart, they will always find ways to get the puck away from the player, it may not always be in a manner that is dangerous.

You cannot complain about illegal play if you justify it's existence.
- Aussiepenguin

So, let me ask you this: if you crush a guy with a hard, legal hit with the full intent to hurt a player, or you accidentally legally knock a guy off the puck 2 feet from the boards and he falls awkwardly and is injured, which player is more deserving of the suspension, and which player (under your proposed rules) would get the suspension?

Again, you can't have a "no hitting zone" because, well, you just can't. The game is played at too high of a tempo for that.

What if that 1st was Connor McDavid?
- TheGame316

Except that it wasn't.

While you are doing that, I'll be in the film room on my birthday. My highschool sweetheart wanted to take me out for a lovely dinner, but she knows we have an agreement: we can go out for three hours Saturday nights but every other night is for film.
- Victoro311

All you left out was the promise rings and how you wish you could volunteer at the homeless shelter more than once a month, but going to med school in-between practice and games just leave you so little time to help others...

So, let me ask you this: if you crush a guy with a hard, legal hit with the full intent to hurt a player, or you accidentally legally knock a guy off the puck 2 feet from the boards and he falls awkwardly and is injured, which player is more deserving of the suspension, and which player (under your proposed rules) would get the suspension?

Again, you can't have a "no hitting zone" because, well, you just can't. The game is played at too high of a tempo for that.
- jmatchett383

I gotta agree here. There's no way of eliminating concussions from the game of hockey just like there's no way of eliminating knee injuries from the game of football. The only thing you can do is making the dangerous plays illegal and enforce the poop out of them unlike the half ass measures now. Guy hits a player in the head area? Suspended. Guy leaves his feet to make a hit? Suspended. Guy rams a player's head into the boards with forceful intent? Suspended. No questions asked. But hits like Doane on Tanger will happen from time to time. Clean but unfortunate. Can't do nothing about it.

So, let me ask you this: if you crush a guy with a hard, legal hit with the full intent to hurt a player, or you accidentally legally knock a guy off the puck 2 feet from the boards and he falls awkwardly and is injured, which player is more deserving of the suspension, and which player (under your proposed rules) would get the suspension?

Again, you can't have a "no hitting zone" because, well, you just can't. The game is played at too high of a tempo for that.
- jmatchett383

Important word is 'legal'. It's in the rules & is thought to be ok. If wasn't it would be 'illegal'. You accidentally do something once, you may rectify (or your coach might), your technique. Accidents happen, but are less likely to injure when harsh sanctions are given out. Doan (example), says he didn't mean to hurt Letang then that would be deemed accidental injury, but did he need to hit Letang? No he didn't. Now if he knew that he would be sanctioned would he go after Letang that way again & risk suspension? I think you will find a lot of 'accidents' would be avoided due to players not doing extra things (like Doan), that may cause accidents.

So the legal hit that injures is fine because it's legal - you would then take that up with the stake holders about what is legal & what is not. The accident would get sanctioned.

See it's pretty simple!

I gotta agree here. There's no way of eliminating concussions from the game of hockey just like there's no way of eliminating knee injuries from the game of football. The only thing you can do is making the dangerous plays illegal and enforce the poop out of them unlike the half ass measures now. Guy hits a player in the head area? Suspended. Guy leaves his feet to make a hit? Suspended. Guy rams a player's head into the boards with forceful intent? Suspended. No questions asked. But hits like Doane on Tanger will happen from time to time. Clean but unfortunate. Can't do nothing about it.
- Victoro311

Yes you can. Doan admitted he wasn't letting Letang get around him, he didn't have to hit him, it wasn't spur of the moment. Doan had intent to stop Letang. You can say it's all part of the play but it wasn't a necessary hit that couldn't be avoided. He had time to think about it & Letang didn't have the puck. Letangs concussion could have been avoided. Now there are many other impacts that can't be avoided & finish in injury & I'm not saying they all get sanctioned, but there are those that can be avoided.

Yes you can. Doan admitted he wasn't letting Letang get around him, he didn't have to hit him, it wasn't spur of the moment. Doan had intent to stop Letang. You can say it's all part of the play but it wasn't a necessary hit that couldn't be avoided. He had time to think about it & Letang didn't have the puck. Letangs concussion could have been avoided. Now there are many other impacts that can't be avoided & finish in injury & I'm not saying they all get sanctioned, but there are those that can be avoided.
- Aussiepenguin

I think you're strongly misinterpreting Doan's comment. Every hockey player ever hits with the intent to "not let the other player get around them". The purpose of a hit is to knock a player off the puck. When Doan lined up the hit, Letang had the puck. By the time he got rid of it Doan was already engaged. Unfortunately Letang did not position himself well to absorb the hit and tried to almost dance around it rather than protect himself so he flew backwards. People keep saying the hit wasn't necessary but it was just as necessary as any other hit.

Why the hell is this blog here? Why isn't there a "Scuderi certain he’ll play: ‘I’m not worried’" blog?

Important word is 'legal'. It's in the rules & is thought to be ok. If wasn't it would be 'illegal'. You accidentally do something once, you may rectify (or your coach might), your technique. Accidents happen, but are less likely to injure when harsh sanctions are given out. Doan (example), says he didn't mean to hurt Letang then that would be deemed accidental injury, but did he need to hit Letang? No he didn't. Now if he knew that he would be sanctioned would he go after Letang that way again & risk suspension? I think you will find a lot of 'accidents' would be avoided due to players not doing extra things (like Doan), that may cause accidents.

So the legal hit that injures is fine because it's legal - you would then take that up with the stake holders about what is legal & what is not. The accident would get sanctioned.

See it's pretty simple!
- Aussiepenguin

We're just going to disagree. Once the NHL enforces a place where players aren't allowed to be bodychecked, I'll go become a basketball fan.

All you left out was the promise rings and how you wish you could volunteer at the homeless shelter more than once a month, but going to med school in-between practice and games just leave you so little time to help others...
- wolfhounds

Just trying to channel my inner JJ Watt

I think you're strongly misinterpreting Doan's comment. Every hockey player ever hits with the intent to "not let the other player get around them". The purpose of a hit is to knock a player off the puck. When Doan lined up the hit, Letang had the puck. By the time he got rid of it Doan was already engaged. Unfortunately Letang did not position himself well to absorb the hit and tried to almost dance around it rather than protect himself so he flew backwards. People keep saying the hit wasn't necessary but it was just as necessary as any other hit.
- Victoro311

Agreed. I'm not going to go so far as to say Letang is to blame, but he also didn't do his best to properly absorb the hit. It sucks, it was unfortunate, and it won't be the last time it happens in the game, and there's no way to eliminate it no matter what actions you take.

Why the hell is this blog here? Why isn't there a "Scuderi certain he’ll play: ‘I’m not worried’" blog?
- chimpira

While I agree with this blog you're definitely right. That's the discussion that our fanbase should be having right now. For a character guy that was a pretty entitled and poopty thing to say. The comment about offensive defensemen really ircked me

I think you're strongly misinterpreting Doan's comment. Every hockey player ever hits with the intent to "not let the other player get around them". The purpose of a hit is to knock a player off the puck. When Doan lined up the hit, Letang had the puck. By the time he got rid of it Doan was already engaged. Unfortunately Letang did not position himself well to absorb the hit and tried to almost dance around it rather than protect himself so he flew backwards. People keep saying the hit wasn't necessary but it was just as necessary as any other hit.
- Victoro311

So Doan saying he wasn't letting Letang get around him, is Doan saying he was hitting Letang off the puck? Could Doan have ended up with the puck if you say he was lined up when Letang had the puck? If he couldn't have got the puck what was his intention? Could the hit been avoided? From my memory the puck was gone & Letang had changed direction to chase it that's when Doan hit him to stop Letang.

Ok, what about Rinaldos hit in the blog. Could he have not hit the player? Did he have to hit him? Did he end up with the puck?

NO MORE HITTING! YOU COULD INJURE SOMEONE IN A HOCKEY GAME!

While I agree with this blog you're definitely right. That's the discussion that our fanbase should be having right now. For a character guy that was a pretty entitled and poopty thing to say. The comment about offensive defensemen really ircked me
- Victoro311

What did he say? Is there a link?

We're just going to disagree. Once the NHL enforces a place where players aren't allowed to be bodychecked, I'll go become a basketball fan.
- jmatchett383

I'm not saying take the hitting out of the game - you are exaggerating what I'm saying, I'm just saying there are occasions where there are hits that are dangerous & don't have to be in the game.

Hockey is a contact sport, why are people getting sued?

A lot of what I see is people blaming fighting for the concussion issues, & ignoring the incidents where illegal play causes concussion but is allowed to go unsanctioned.

NO MORE HITTING! YOU COULD INJURE SOMEONE IN A HOCKEY GAME!
- jmatchett383

I've told you 100,000,000,000 times NOT to exaggerate!

What did he say? Is there a link?
- jfkst1

Its from DK. I'm not a subscriber so I'm just going off of what people are saying. Basically something along the lines about how management has to play him because they can't play six offensive defensemen. I think that displays an over inflated amount of self-worth, self-unawareness, and a fundamental lack of comprehension of Johnston's system

Its from DK. I'm not a subscriber so I'm just going off of what people are saying. Basically something along the lines about how management has to play him because they can't play six offensive defensemen. I think that displays an over inflated amount of self-worth, self-unawareness, and a fundamental lack of comprehension of Johnston's system
- Victoro311

I would have bought him out right there and then if I were his boss. That kind of attitude is detrimental in a team environment.

I would buy him out right there and then if I were his boss. That kind of attitude is detrimental in a team environment.
- chimpira

Not to mention the fact that he plain sucks as a defensive defenseman. For every one "good" play he makes, there are 10 where he is like a deer in the headlights.

I'm not saying take the hitting out of the game - you are exaggerating what I'm saying, I'm just saying there are occasions where there are hits that are dangerous & don't have to be in the game.

Hockey is a contact sport, why are people getting sued?

A lot of what I see is people blaming fighting for the concussion issues, & ignoring the incidents where illegal play causes concussion but is allowed to go unsanctioned.
- Aussiepenguin

Right, there are hits that are dangerous. My problem is that you are focusing on a few specific hits (Doan on Letang and Rinaldo last night). If you start outlawing those hits, and then keep going, you'll find more and more plays of the same nature, and in the end, you WILL basically be disallowing physical contact. Because they happen all over the ice, sometimes accidental, sometimes not, sometimes open ice, sometimes not. That's why there are no black and white rules, because you cannot just say "no dangerous hits." It's an undefinable term unless you totally eliminate hitting. It is impossible to do, especially at the speed the game is played.

It sucks. People get injured. It's a contact sport. I'm sorry, but it happens, and there's no way to prevent it in a black and white manner. You're going to have to accept that it's a part of the game and there is no way to make a "golden rule" that will eliminate those hits.

Now, if you want to argue that players who exist solely to injure perople should be shunned and eliminated, that's a different story.

So Doan saying he wasn't letting Letang get around him, is Doan saying he was hitting Letang off the puck? Could Doan have ended up with the puck if you say he was lined up when Letang had the puck? If he couldn't have got the puck what was his intention? Could the hit been avoided? From my memory the puck was gone & Letang had changed direction to chase it that's when Doan hit him to stop Letang.

Ok, what about Rinaldos hit in the blog. Could he have not hit the player? Did he have to hit him? Did he end up with the puck?
- Aussiepenguin

You're over complicating the concept of hitting. Hitting is done to knock the player off the puck, not to get the puck yourself. When a DB strips a wide receiver he does it understanding that there's a very slim chance he'll recover his own forced fumble. He's doing it to give someone on his team a chance (whether it be him or someone else) to establish possession. Hitting someone off the puck is the hockey equivalent of a fumble. Probably won't get the loose puck yourself, but a loose puck is better than the opponent having the puck.

http://youtu.be/TVojePI-vXM

Watch the film. Doan was clearly engaged while Letang has the puck and hits Letang only moments after Letang gets the puck away and Letang's movement is him trying to dance around Doan's incoming hit not join the rush. Could the hit have been avoided? I guess it could have in the same sense any other hit could have been avoided: if the checking player decided to go for a different play than trying to knock the puck handler off the puck. But why would you not try to cause a turnover?

Its from DK. I'm not a subscriber so I'm just going off of what people are saying. Basically something along the lines about how management has to play him because they can't play six offensive defensemen. I think that displays an over inflated amount of self-worth, self-unawareness, and a fundamental lack of comprehension of Johnston's system
- Victoro311

Was there any mention of the word 'denial'? As in 'in denial'?

I threw this out last blog to get the season started;

Tanger, Maatta
Cole, Dumo
Lovejob, Clendening

Unless Pouliot plays a lot better he carries the drinks. With Scuds I suppose as it doesn't look like anyone has told him he may not be playing starting 6.

You're over complicating the concept of hitting. Hitting is done to knock the player off the puck, not to get the puck yourself. When a DB strips a wide receiver he does it understanding that there's a very slim chance he'll recover his own forced fumble. He's doing it to give someone on his team a chance (whether it be him or someone else) to establish possession. Hitting someone off the puck is the hockey equivalent of a fumble. Probably won't get the loose puck yourself, but a loose puck is better than the opponent having the puck.

http://youtu.be/TVojePI-vXM

Watch the film. Doan was clearly engaged while Letang has the puck and hits Letang only moments after Letang gets the puck away and Letang's movement is him trying to dance around Doan's incoming hit not join the rush. Could the hit have been avoided? I guess it could have in the same sense any other hit could have been avoided: if the checking player decided to go for a different play than trying to knock the puck handler off the puck. But why would you not try to cause a turnover?
- Victoro311

Doan should have known that there was a possibility than Letang would not protect himself and simply given him a kiss on the cheek instead.

Not to mention the fact that he plain sucks as a defensive defenseman. For every one "good" play he makes, there are 10 where he is like a deer in the headlights.
- chimpira

That's what I would say. He's good at blocking shots but overall he isn't good defensively. He's too damn slow. Even last night there were a couple instances where he gets beat or can't support because he can't get there in time.

EDIT: And that's not something that is going to change with a new system. He is too slow in any team's system to be good defensively.