Eklund: Fair/UnFair? Jack & Jake with 2 Game Suspensions. Standings, Picks, Buzz@1

Both suspensions were fair.

Agreed.

Both suspensions were laughable and the NHL should be embarrassed with the level of inconsistency the DOPS demonstrates. You can intentionally try to swing your stick at a guys (frank)ing head and get one game, but heaven forbid you try to brace for impact along the boards, that’s gotta be two games!! Give me a (frank)ing break. These chimps are ruining the game of hockey

Both suspensions were laughable and the NHL should be embarrassed with the level of inconsistency the DOPS demonstrates. You can intentionally try to swing your stick at a guys (frank)ing head and get one game, but heaven forbid you try to brace for impact along the boards, that’s gotta be two games!! Give me a (frank)ing break. These chimps are ruining the game of hockey
- Richieattack18

Agreed, to me it should have been :
Vorachek 1 game
Eichel 2
Malkin 5

Both suspensions were laughable and the NHL should be embarrassed with the level of inconsistency the DOPS demonstrates. You can intentionally try to swing your stick at a guys (frank)ing head and get one game, but heaven forbid you try to brace for impact along the boards, that’s gotta be two games!! Give me a (frank)ing break. These chimps are ruining the game of hockey
- Richieattack18

If Eichels hit gets 2, then Zadorovs hit to the head on Eichel after the whistle should be 3.
Since Zads hit was allowed in the first period then for the rest of the game the message is, it's open season.

How can flyers jump to 3rd. They have 7% chance of making playoffs and almost 0% to get to 3rd in the Metro. That would mean they would have to go 11-1-2 and at that rate in 82 games would be 141 point season. Which would break records and be better then Tampa.

I don't have a problem with the Eichel suspension - I think he intended to hit Soderberg, and intentinoally or not, the point of contact was the head. This is the kind of play that the League is trying to eliminate.

My sense of the unfairness here is that Eichel's hit was almost certainly in response to a pretty late, and very high, hit he took earlier in the game from Zadarov - after the whistle, Zads hit him (with his left arm) in the neck/head, and ripped his helmet off for good measure. He got 2:00 for roughing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaTljDqCA-E

If the league is trying to eliminate those hits, they have to at least look at Zadarov for that hit.

How can flyers jump to 3rd. They have 7% chance of making playoffs and almost 0% to get to 3rd in the Metro. That would mean they would have to go 11-1-2 and at that rate in 82 games would be 141 point season. Which would break records and be better then Tampa.
- BigDog912

18-5-2 in their last 25. I've seen weirder things happen.

It IS a stretch though with their schedule.

Without reading the blog, Ek agrees with Eichel suspension but thinks Voracek suspension is too harsh?

Both things can be true. The Voracek hit was dirty, and the league can be inconsistent. Of course the stick swinging incident should have received a higher punishment, but that has nothing to do with this. And this whole argument that Voracek was simply bracing for impact is being viewed through biased eyes. Voracek clearly looks over his shoulder, sees Boychuk, and jumps up and back and hits him in the head. It doesn't mean Voracek is a bad person or a dirty player, it just means he made a mistake. I'd rather see NHL players (especially star players) own their mistakes and stop giving excuses. How hard is it to say "hey the game is fast, I didn't mean to do that, I'm sorry I caused an injury."

Regarding EK saying should be 2 games instead of 1, I agree, but come on. That's what we're picking on player safety for? The real crimes are not punishing the egregious head shots and stick swingers more severely.

Eklund,

Boychuck's head was the initial point of contact.

The end.

Without reading the blog, Ek agrees with Eichel suspension but thinks Voracek suspension is too harsh?
- BestRapperAlive

You sure you didn't read the blog?

18-5-2 in their last 25. I've seen weirder things happen.

It IS a stretch though with their schedule.
- Hckygoalie31

So, even at that they would finish with 10-3-1 and 95 points. Which would be out of the playoffs. But most important they will be playing 10 of last 14 games against playoff teams. Not happening.

You sure you didn't read the blog?
- mixturebill

I didn't. Did I nail it??

Today @ 12:56 PM ET
18-5-2 in their last 25. I've seen weirder things happen.

It IS a stretch though with their schedule.
- Hckygoalie31


So, even at that they would finish with 10-3-1 and 95 points. Which would be out of the playoffs. But most important they will be playing 10 of last 14 games against playoff teams. Not happening.

That's why I said it was a stretch.

Eklund,

Boychuck's head was the initial point of contact.

The end.
- jimbro83

Exactly right, Boychuck skated head first into the back of Voracek! Voracek never threw a hit, only braced for a big hit. DOPS is a joke!

Well deserved suspensions. Its good to see the the league is treating players the same regardless of their status. Now its time to suspend players who attack an opponent after they make a clean hit on one of their teammates.

I didn't. Did I nail it??
- BestRapperAlive

You hit that nail as square as humanly possible.

18-5-2 in their last 25. I've seen weirder things happen.

It IS a stretch though with their schedule.
- Hckygoalie31

Turn out the lights, the party is over

Turn out the lights, the party is over
- Crushers68

Yours ended in October

Exactly right, Boychuck skated head first into the back of Voracek! Voracek never threw a hit, only braced for a big hit. DOPS is a joke!
- bsw31usa

you're out of your mind

Without reading the blog, Ek agrees with Eichel suspension but thinks Voracek suspension is too harsh?
- BestRapperAlive

Soderberg was chasing a puck so no way was he thinking he'd be hit

IMO the Voracek hit was clear interference deserving of a 2 min penalty with the major being a bit of overkill.

To me getting a suspension out of it just insane. I'm not even worrying about multiple other hits that should have been equal to or other suspensions.

It's just another example of a third rate league like the NHL maintaining the inconsistency that permeates it now.

Mantha hits Giroux from behind and pushes his head into the boards , nothing. Voracek initiates a hit vs taking a hit (aka the Forsberg), granted it was interference, and gets two games for that.

Bush league call from a bush league.