Abdelkader hit on Sobotka

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Yes it was. Hit aimed at the head of an opponent who wasn't even looking at him, that's a game misconduct in the NHL as well. No idea what makes you think that something like this would be allowed in the NHL, the rules certainly don't agree with you.

He did not jump though, the left went up after contact. Doesn't change the fact that this is 5+game in every league.

Hits that contact the head can be perfectly legal in the NHL as long as the hitter also makes solid contact to the body, which Abdelkader did.

[NHL]123678[/NHL]


What makes Abdelkader's hit questionable is the runup to the hit.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

It is not an IIHF hit, that is for sure.

It also is a really big hit for outside of say an NHL playoff or Olympic setting in terms of why do it? Then again we get crushed a lot for not looking at the World Championships as a be all end all, maybe Abdelkader was amped up rocking the C, I don't think you should be doing it at a tournament of this stature though in terms of KO'ing a guy in his off-season.

In any event a lot like the Nash play on Kopecky without nearly as much elbow that the NHL openly said they didn't like but was not supplemental or even fining territory.

I even think it should have been a two and ten by international rules. It didn't break down that way and he very likely will have a lengthy international suspension that will be hard to burn off given who he is, meaning not much of an international future. For some that will be fine, but this isn't as dirty as I am reading about. He shouldn't finish that high internationally, but make no mistake he runs through the body and comes up off the ice after contact.

By the way you could still get charging back in the day for striding into a hit like that and accelerating right up and through contact, wonder whatever happened to that. It also was really right on the timeline in terms of late and pushing that beat after puck release on a pass or shot. It is what it is, he shouldn't go for it and he certainly shouldn't go for it in an IIHF game, though I honestly would encourage that especially in the post-season for my NHL club.

Also Sobotka and Cole (actually got caught with a suspension) have targeted Abdelkader a couple times over the years in terms of they were division rivals. I am sure his eyes got a little wider when he realized what guy he was going to take advantage of. None of this really makes it right, after all this boarder-line major that really probably should have been a 2 and 10 in my opinion cost his team the game, that is kind of the ultimate price for a player. Wrapped up a pretty miserable tournament for him when he got the honor of wearing a C and I bet he looks at whether it was seriously worth it to make that kind of a hit which is what a lot of you're hoping for anyway. The penalty here was pretty real and I doubt it escaped him more than anything that could happen suspension wise or with internet people now labeling him dirty if they weren't Ducks or Finland fans entering this game.

 

[magic school bus]

Hits that contact the head can be perfectly legal in the NHL as long as the hitter also makes solid contact to the body, which Abdelkader did.

[NHL]123678[/NHL]


What makes Abdelkader's hit questionable is the runup to the hit.

Except he should know better than that. International hockey is played incredibly close by the officials.

 

[Corto]

I have no idea how anyone could argue that hit is or should be legal.

Throwing yourself into the head of an unsuspecting player with absolutely nothing to gain on the play?
No respect for the game or the opposing player.

 

[Hooomr]

Dirty hit

This was unsportsmanlike and dirty hit. But I was waiting for it, because Abdelkader was hateful from the beginning. It was a matter of time before he hurts someone. Behind those actions must fall severely punish. Team USA can thank him for losing the match!

 

[QnebO]

Hits that contact the head can be perfectly legal in the NHL as long as the hitter also makes solid contact to the body, which Abdelkader did.
.

If you watch the gif, the head is the only part that takes contact first, and that's why I think it would be illegal in NHL, too.

 

[Woodhouse]

Used the gfy tag so that you can slow down the two alternate angles here if you wish:

 

[Ralgo]

LoL Woodhouse was first again (doesnt matter its his gif anyway )


Why are you guys discussing the gif with WORST angle from all the cameras there?

Heres the proper one.

As you can see, Abdelkader is in "jump" move right before the hit and is JUMPING (you can see that on his body move) to hit Sobotkas head. It was deliberate and fully prepared attempt to destroy/ injure one of the oponnents team most important players.

Crucifying Abdes would be proper punishment - but refs made a good call. I think "crucify" is still not on their list of allowed punishments.

If someone calls that clean, hes welcome to play Sobotka and Ill take Abdes role.

 

[InsideOut*]

When someone's head is sticking out past the front of their body like that, the options are: To make contact as Abdelkader does, which is legal in the league he usually plays in. Or, limbo into the check.

Also, stop with the "dirty / clean" nonsense. It means nothing.

nonsense? its like black and white lol. just because they're mainstream terms used to describe hits doesnt mean you have act like a rebel and say they mean nothing.

 

[InsideOut*]

It clearly wasn't "dirty". Stop using buzzwords. Especially when they're wrong.

dude if youre not happy with these words then make a new thread about your own hockey dictionary.

 

[Vladiator16*]

Bad hit.

 

[Yeti of the Flow]

dude if youre not happy with these words then make a new thread about your own hockey dictionary.

Or, you can use words that mean something. Dirty doesn't mean illegal, clean doesn't mean legal. They're useless terms.

 

[rduck1]

Or, you can use words that mean something. Dirty doesn't mean illegal, clean doesn't mean legal. They're useless terms.

Dirty basically means 'I don't approve'. It's not about whether it's allowed, but whether it should be. Considering this is a topic where we are supposed to discuss the hit generally and not just its legality, I think personal opinions are just as relevant as what the book says. If you don't place any value in such judgments feel free to ignore them.

 

[QnebO]

Or, you can use words that mean something. Dirty doesn't mean illegal, clean doesn't mean legal. They're useless terms.

No other words means anything any more than dirty and clean. They are only a way to describe whether hit is against the rules, or not. There is no one official term that is more right.

Dirty and Clean hits are commonly used words in Hockey scene and their meaning can be expected to be understood correctly, specially in hockey boards. There is nothing wrong with them.

"Dirty hit" is imo the best term in cases where there is no respect shown for player getting hit. Clean or not clean = against the rules or not.

 

[penalty reviver]

But guys, he had his head on, sticking out! Uh.. What do you want Sobotka to do? Grow a shell like a turtle and peek out when he feels safe?

Even if the play was ok by NHL rules (which it wasn't), I will always despise these hits, and consequently the hitter.

 

[Ralgo]

Well, dunno what are we talking about here. This hit would be major in every hockey league in the world - as every deliberate hit with possible brain/ spinal cord damage should be. Only A-holes and trolls do not see it there.

 

[maclean]

Used the gfy tag

hehe that's a funny name for those tags, i can think of a few situations where they'd come in handy...

What made me dislike Abdelkader most about it was his vocal protesting against the call or there being anything wrong with the hit. You jumped into the guy's head buddy, be glad you didn't break his neck.

 

[rduck1]

hehe that's a funny name for those tags, i can think of a few situations where they'd come in handy...

What made me dislike Abdelkader most about it was his vocal protesting against the call or there being anything wrong with the hit. You jumped into the guy's head buddy, be glad you didn't break his neck.

I think what got him mad was that the call did seem to come very late, after Sobotka was noticed lying on the ice, had gone to the dressing room, and the the referees had a little consultation among themselves. This kind of made it look like the call was made in reaction to the injury rather than the hit.

 

[maclean]

well, it did come late yes, i'll admit i don't know about the rules on that, is that a problem? only one linesman saw it, the others were all looking at the net, that's why they had to consult.

 

[rduck1]

well, it did come late yes, i'll admit i don't know about the rules on that, is that a problem? only one linesman saw it, the others were all looking at the net, that's why they had to consult.

Calling penalties retroactively is considered 'bad'. Calls should generally be made on the play itself and not the consequence, so calling it late makes it look like the injury changed the referees' mind about the hit. I don't think it's against the rules, but I can see how it could annoy the player being called. They don't usually think they've made a dirty hit, so to them it looks like the guy lying on the ice got them kicked from the game.

 

[Ralgo]

Well considering they usually kicked that guy, who is on the ice face down, out of the game at first - whats wrong there?

Main referees are usually watching the puck, not what happens in the area WITHOUT the puck. Nothing should happen there, too.

So delay and consultation is perfectly ok - thats why there is so much referees...

 

[rduck1]

Well considering they usually kicked that guy, who is on the ice face down, out of the game at first - whats wrong there?

Main referees are usually watching the puck, not what happens in the area WITHOUT the puck. Nothing should happen there, too.

So delay and consultation is perfectly ok - thats why there is so much referees...

Like I said, not a problem from my point of view and something they should do if they feel it's necessary, but from the point of view of the player getting kicked it seems 'unfair'. They made the hit, there was no call and so they feel good about that, then some time passes and suddenly they're getting kicked out. I can understand how someone could get upset about that.

 

[maclean]

You do something bad, get away with it, then you get caught, who among us can say we've never been there

 

[PaulieVegas]

It was dirty. Not even Abdelkader's mother would disagree.

 

[Botta]

Well here's one of the jokers I was talking about. So Sobotka isn't allowed to shoot the puck? And what does ''doesn't protect himself'' even mean. HE IS TAKING A SHOT ON GOAL. That's how hockey is played. You expect players to surrender into a protective position every time the puck leaves their stick, just in case someone's coming to hit them? And a ''no look shot''? Do you know what a ''no look shot'' is bro?
A no look shot is when you're shooting while not looking at the net. THAT'S a no look shot. Sobotka, here, is looking head up, straight at the net, while Abdelkader is checking him out from the side, sees him as vulnerable and hits him. You don't attack people while they're vulnerable. We're not in a jungle or a ****** zoo.

Disturbing that some people think this is a clean hit. It is that simple. In my mind a hit is something you deliver to get the puck(after all the puck is what you score the goals with) not to punish people in a vulnerable position. The players should show some respect for their opponents