Around the League Thread | Pre-Season Approaches

[Coffees]

 

[JT Milker]

Goodbye ligaments.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

It’s funny to see the hoard of leafs homers defend the knee on knee hit

 

[bandwagonesque]

I don't get too worked up about the fortunes of other teams but I was really looking forward to Montreal's season. I hope Laine's knee isn't badly injured.

As far as intent goes, it's a way more complicated thing than arguments on the internet about it can take into consideration. Players use their legs to impede each other all the time without causing injury and they don't have time to determine whether a certain instance of doing it presents more risk. A lot of supposedly clean players have done exactly what Pare did. On the other hand, it's a still a choice on his part. The solution is probably to send death threats to his family on Twitter and Instagram.

 

[andora]

Absolutely no intent I mean if you watch it in slow motion he just turns to try and get him up high with his arms his leg goes with them it's pure reactionary

 

[bandwagonesque]

Absolutely no intent I mean if you watch it in slow motion he just turns to try and get him up high with his arms his leg goes with them it's pure reactionary

I think he knew where his leg was. But when you do it over and over again throughout your career and there's almost always just glancing contact, you're going to assume that will happen again.

People seem to expect players to constantly consider these things, but the reality is that no player committed to thinking that way would be able to make a pro roster.

 

[StickShift]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1840426721327411304

Not sure if I’m surprised by this or not.

Xhekaj’s punch from behind didn’t really connect—so I guess it gets just a shrug from the league. But if he did hit him, it would have been a very similar blindside attack as the suckerpunch that Bertuzzi landed on Steve Moore. It’s only because he missed Paré that they both flailed to the ice.

Wish the league would’ve drawn more of a line in the sand that any suckerpunch or blindside punch is not acceptable. Regardless of whether there was a serious outcome or not. By being soft on this vigilante justice they will only encourage it to happen more often.

 

[Dana Murzyn]

It's such a gross look. If I wanted to see someone attack an unwilling combatant from behind and land several punches while he's down and vulnerable, I'd watch street fights on Twitter. That it doesn't even merit a suspension in this league is insane. Can't wait for the next broken neck, and all the somber commentary that follows.

 

[andora]

I think he knew where his leg was. But when you do it over and over again throughout your career and there's almost always just glancing contact, you're going to assume that will happen again.

People seem to expect players to constantly consider these things, but the reality is that no player committed to thinking that way would be able to make a pro roster.

As a kid playing against NHL players in that moment probably not, the only thing he's thinking about is holy shit he's coming at me fast I got to do something and instinctively extends his arms

 

[tyhee]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1840426721327411304

Not sure if I’m surprised by this or not.

Xhekaj’s punch from behind didn’t really connect—so I guess it gets just a shrug from the league. But if he did hit him, it would have been a very similar blindside attack as the suckerpunch that Bertuzzi landed on Steve Moore. It’s only because he missed Paré that they both flailed to the ice.

Wish the league would’ve drawn more of a line in the sand that any suckerpunch or blindside punch is not acceptable. Regardless of whether there was a serious outcome or not. By being soft on this vigilante justice they will only encourage it to happen more often.

I think your last sentence is the key. The league sells a violence game with violent acts and it sells. It is in their financial interest to "encourage it to happen more often."

Some years ago in a lawsuit against the league an email chain between NHL executives became public in which NHL VP (in charge of player safety) Colin Campbell stated "We sell hate."

The purpose of the DOPS is ostensibly to protect the players, but I infer from it being soft on vigilante justice, being inconsistent and generally only meting out really serious penalties when actual damage takes place regardless of intent that protecting the players isn't really the main purpose. In my view they have the the DOPS and penalize when there is serious damage primarily to provide a defence to lawsuits and criticism, allowing the league to say it has rules against violence and a system in place to punish violent offenders while designing that system in such a way as to ineffective, leaving violence in the game well beyond what the rules permit and ensuring enough crap takes place that teams really don't like each other.

The concern seems to be that seriously reducing the violence would reduce the number of viewers paying for tickets, buying merchandise and watching or listening on tv and other media.

 

[David Bruce Banner]

Yeah you’re right. I didn’t realize Ylonen had played that many games and got my Geekies confused.

But yeah that must be the worst roster since the veteran rule was put in about 20 years ago.

Who did we ice in that blowout pre-season game last year?