If someone wants to go chase Kronwall and try to get him to drop his gloves then fine. I think it's wrong though because it was a clean hit, but it's not my face or money on the line. Let's have a fight after every hard hit. Oh wait, we're almost at that stage now anyways. Sheesh.
- rockychocbill

Because they've tried to regulate enforcers out of the game.

Who's gonna bust up his face? We've seen these retribution things before. They never work out. The guy turtles or they wrestle and maybe the "attacker" gets one maybe two punches in while the other guy just hangs on until the linesmen come in. Unless you're gonna go Bertuzzi on Moore and just flat out sucker the guy, it's meaningless. Or you could just go Clarke and slash his ankle or something and take the minor.
- rockychocbill

"If I hadn't learned to lay on a two-hander once in a while, I'd never have left Flin Flon."

-Bobby Clarke

Don't be flabbergasted or give up. Your analysis earlier was well reasoned but I thought you were a little too sure of yoursef. Perhaps you should just concede that it was a close call and that Shanahan is more qualified to make the correct call than you based his experience.
- 2731color

Is this HockeyBuzz, or MJLBuzz?

How is it clean? Intentions are not married to results. Whether or not he aimed for his shoulder or head; he made contact with the head. That's all you need to know. It was a head shot, which is usually penalized or grounds for suspension. Instead, it was nothing, and Kronwall will have no reason to second-guess that hit in the future. As someone alluded to earlier, once it happens to Crosby or another face of the NHL, we'll see the hammer drop. Shame, really.
- steelydan

+1

Anyway, about the game.
Team is playing much better defensively. I know they got three goals last night but I'm worried about the offense. Oh and the highest paid man on the team is now 20 games and two months removed from lighting the lamp. If he's injured or not I can't tell but at this point I'm not expecting much from Briere in the playoffs. You don't just save it for the playoffs. I suppose it's time the team sat him down and had a meeting. He's your second line center and needs to produce all season.

As for the Jersey retirement that is about 10 years overdue, it was an eye watering event that brought back a lot of memories from my childhood. Gene's voice really reverberated through me last night. If the Flyers ever win another cup I don't know if that team will replace the 87 team as my favorite. I still think there's a couple others on that team that deserve enshrinement in the hall one day but that's for another conversation. For now I'm glad the Flyers finally got off their asses and retired Howe's #2.

Bill, you are definitely the most in tune with this team out of all the other media people and you cover other teams. I don't know what you're career goals are but I think you deserve a more mainstream position. You would inform a lot of people with real knowledge on the team/game and be a big help in unifying a much divided fanbase.

How is it clean? Intentions are not married to results. Whether or not he aimed for his shoulder or head; he made contact with the head. That's all you need to know. It was a head shot, which is usually penalized or grounds for suspension. Instead, it was nothing, and Kronwall will have no reason to second-guess that hit in the future. As someone alluded to earlier, once it happens to Crosby or another face of the NHL, we'll see the hammer drop. Shame, really.
- steelydan

body-on-body hit. not a straight shoulder to the head. there's a big difference between that hit last night and say the cook hit on savard.

body-on-body hit. not a straight shoulder to the head. there's a big difference between that hit last night and say the cook hit on savard.
- OrangeBlack27

Shoulder to head = body on body?

Everyone knows what icing is. Everyone knows what offsides are. Heck, even delay of game via pucks over the glass is black and white.

The NHL is continually irritating fans of 29 bases at a time when crap like this, which is clearly against Rule 48, happens and is merely glossed over.

I'm out before I say things I regret like, "I'm done with hockey," etc.
- Flyskippy

It is what it is. I don't agree with the sentiment that doing more than what's been done will be tantamount to removing hitting from the game. The NHL is still soft on hits to the head, despite steps in the right direction. Of course, the license to league protected recklessness the instigator rule offers is a factor. I'm just going to accept disappointment and keep cheering for my team.

So you say. I'll probably have to see him on "Project Runway" when my wife watches that. He'll probably get a permanent seat on the judging panel.


- Flyskippy

I was disappointed the night he was a judge. He didn't really say that much (or what he said was so boring it was edited out). He didn't bring what I expected. Thought he'd be more effective.

Screw that. Just like any player who steps on the ice should be expecting to get lit up; any player who steps on the ice should be expected to answer for a play/hit that the other team doesn't like. This guy lined up Jake and aimed for the head. Simply put, that's all the Flyers need to know. If Sestito/Shelley was on the roster yesterday, they should have every right to go out there on Kronwall's next shift and pull his jersey over his head. Where's the fairness?

We have a hit that *many* people (including non-Flyers fans) consider a dirty hit, yet there was no penalty, no suspension, no retribution, etc. What happened yesterday that will make Kronwall think twice when it comes to aiming for the head? Exactly. Nothing.
- steelydan

You are entitled to your opinion. No problem. The referee didn't call a penalty on the play (as per Bill's quoting of Rule 48 in his blog today should have occurred) and the hockey disciplinarians saw it as a hockey hit. Something they "don't" want taken out of the game. It's unfortunate that Jake's head took the brunt of the impact but it was not targeted imo, plain and simple.

True. Not debating, disagreeing or defending that for one second.
- rockychocbill

looks like he may have actually cleaned his game up. now he literally just stands and turns his back into people. look at this hit on hemsky. hemsky is supplying all of the momentum. no idea how kronwall is that strong that he can just stand there and not even budge.

also, notice the turtle job he does lol.

Shoulder to head = body on body?
- wolfhounds

kronwall went right through him. not like it was one of those shoulder to head clip jobs.

Don't be flabbergasted or give up. Your analysis earlier was well reasoned but I thought you were a little too sure of yoursef. Perhaps you should just concede that it was a close call and that Shanahan is more qualified to make the correct call than you based his experience.
- 2731color

Obviously, the NHL thought differently then I did. I was sure of my opinion because I thought it was a textbook case of an illegal hit. The ruling contradicts statements that Shanahan himself has made. I've seen players such as Rinaldo get suspended for a weaker hit. So I guess I don't know what the rule is. Not sure anyone does at this point.

body-on-body hit. not a straight shoulder to the head. there's a big difference between that hit last night and say the cook hit on savard.
- OrangeBlack27

Stop dude. I don't care if the bodies made contact. The first contact was shoulder-to-head. Any additional contact afterwards is moot.

Clearly that's not the case.

Kronwall destroys Jake = nothing. Rinaldo taps a Detroit player = penalty.

What happens if Rinaldo hits Zetts like Kronwall hit Jake?
- wolfhounds

82 game suspension

Obviously, the NHL thought differently then I did. I was sure of my opinion because I thought it was a textbook case of an illegal hit. The ruling contradicts statements that Shanahan himself has made. I've seen players such as Rinaldo get suspended for a weaker hit. So I guess I don't know what the rule is. Not sure anyone does at this point.
- MJL

We can be sure that hits will continually be graded inconsistently.

Is this HockeyBuzz, or MJLBuzz?
- steelydan

I'm Through With Buzz.

looks like he may have actually cleaned his game up. now he literally just stands and turns his back into people. look at this hit on hemsky. hemsky is supplying all of the momentum. no idea how kronwall is that strong that he can just stand there and not even budge.

also, notice the turtle job he does lol.


- OrangeBlack27

Stands? He took many strides right toward Hemsky.

100% Agree, but the league has made "textbook hockey hits" kinda vague these days. They gotta put their foot down one way or the other. intentions aren't always discernable so they have to take a stand. Either contact to the head is a clearcut suspension or it isn't. Right now it seems some guys can do it and some can't, which is not good for the game.
- Lexington Flyer

I'm not sure about that. I didn't like the Paciorety hit on Letang. I think that deserved 3 games. Last night's didn't. It's a real tough job, but I think they've got it right more than wrong this season. The real problem lies with the general respect level of the players. Heck, Cooke seems to have finally got the message this season. So the suspensions might have worked in his case.

Stop dude. I don't care if the bodies made contact. The first contact was shoulder-to-head. Any additional contact afterwards is moot.
- steelydan

I disagree. But, I will adhere to your request for me to stop. I despise debating the legality of hits anyway. However, I do think it's absurd to play the, "if it were Crosby..." or "if Jake weren't a Flyer..." card.

He got 2 minutes for a routine shove after the whistle that happens umpteen times a game.
- MJL

i was talking about his suspension... but i agree. I couldnt believe they made that call.

Hitting conversation aside, I gotta say I really like Grossman's game. He reminds me a lot of another big former Dallas D-man who came to Philly (after a layover in Detroit). Soild positioning. Plays a very physical game. Has a bit of sneaky dirty in him. Not quite as mean as the guy below, but I really see a lot of similarities in Grossman's game to that of the old road grader.

Hitting conversation aside, I gotta say I really like Grossman's game. He reminds me a lot of another big former Dallas D-man who came to Philly (after a layover in Detroit). Soild positioning. Plays a very physical game. Has a bit of sneaky dirty in him. Not quite as mean as the guy below, but I really see a lot of similarities in Grossman's game to that of the old road grader.


- Lexington Flyer

Loved Hatcher. If you pissed him off, you better go hide!

Stands? He took many strides right toward Hemsky.
- wolfhounds

sure, a little overstated. but huge difference between that and the launching into people he used to do.

Obviously, the NHL thought differently then I did. I was sure of my opinion because I thought it was a textbook case of an illegal hit. The ruling contradicts statements that Shanahan himself has made. I've seen players such as Rinaldo get suspended for a weaker hit. So I guess I don't know what the rule is. Not sure anyone does at this point.
- MJL

you're not wrong. The simple fact is politics played into this. It's a violation of the rule. Like some of the other guys said, if he lays out Crosby or someone of that stature they'll do something.