Rumor: Ilya Kovalchuk will be signing a 2-3 year deal with NYR

[NYR Viper]

So I am not advocating for Voynov, let's be clear. But for the sake of discussion, at what point does a person get a second chance, even from something as egregious as what Voynov did?

Evander Kane chocked a girl in a Buffalo bar

Patrick Kane was accused of raping a girl and he punched a taxi driver

Danny Heatley killed his best friend racing a car

Varlamov's issue with his girlfriend (this one I don't know all of the details)

NHL Players and the Law

 

[nyr2k2]

So I am not advocating for Voynov, let's be clear. But for the sake of discussion, at what point does a person get a second chance, even from something as egregious as what Voynov did?

Evander Kane chocked a girl in a Buffalo bar

Patrick Kane was accused of raping a girl and he punched a taxi driver

Danny Heatley killed his best friend racing a car

Varlamov's issue with his girlfriend (this one I don't know all of the details)

NHL Players and the Law

As far as I'm concerned they can all have second chances, assuming they've shown contrition and remorse and did whatever the courts required of them (if applicable).

I just don't want the second chance to be granted by the Rangers.

 

[Levitate]

So I am not advocating for Voynov, let's be clear. But for the sake of discussion, at what point does a person get a second chance, even from something as egregious as what Voynov did?

Evander Kane chocked a girl in a Buffalo bar

Patrick Kane was accused of raping a girl and he punched a taxi driver

Danny Heatley killed his best friend racing a car

Varlamov's issue with his girlfriend (this one I don't know all of the details)

NHL Players and the Law

If it were up to me? When they've shown remorse and taken some steps to show they know what they did was wrong and are trying to be a better person.

I don't have any influence over whether the Kane's continue playing hockey in this league, whether Heatley should have been kicked out, whether Varlamov should have been disciplined, or whether Voynov should be allowed to return. None of us do. It's just an opinion to say "I would rather my favorite team did not employee a person who beat his wife bloody, got kicked out of the league for it, and to my knowledge has never shown any remorse for his actions". As for the other people? I can either want to continue watching sports in general and just focus on my favorite team, or I can care about the entire league and how it treats athletes and decide not to watch at all. At times I feel like I want to lean towards the latter, to be honest, because what we as a society let people get away with sometimes is ridiculous, but in the meantime as I said I'd just prefer it if my favorite team didn't encourage abhorrent behavior whenever possible.

Other people don't have to agree with that.

 

[NYR Viper]

As far as I'm concerned they can all have second chances, assuming they've shown contrition and remorse and did whatever the courts required of them (if applicable).

I just don't want the second chance to be granted by the Rangers.

If it were up to me? When they've shown remorse and taken some steps to show they know what they did was wrong and are trying to be a better person.

I don't have any influence over whether the Kane's continue playing hockey in this league, whether Heatley should have been kicked out, whether Varlamov should have been disciplined, or whether Voynov should be allowed to return. None of us do. It's just an opinion to say "I would rather my favorite team did not employee a person who beat his wife bloody, got kicked out of the league for it, and to my knowledge has never shown any remorse for his actions". As for the other people? I can either want to continue watching sports in general and just focus on my favorite team, or I can care about the entire league and how it treats athletes and decide not to watch at all. At times I feel like I want to lean towards the latter, to be honest, because what we as a society let people get away with sometimes is ridiculous, but in the meantime as I said I'd just prefer it if my favorite team didn't encourage abhorrent behavior whenever possible.

Other people don't have to agree with that.

I agree with all of this. If part of the signing was for him to prove he had signed up for anger management, continue with anger management and other steps had already been taken that no one was privy to (considering he was in Russia, who the hell really knows). But assuming this was the case and he had indeed shown remorse and taken those steps, would people accept him or push him out the door. I am sure this answer will be split.

I am mainly just curious

 

[eco's bones]

I would stay away from Voynov and I think you have to consider what if it happens again and now he’s your player.

 

[Off Sides]

From what I have read it looks like he left before a deportation hearing could take place. If so I assume he would have to go through that due process before even being allowed back into the country. If that court decides he should be allowed back in, would that be the right decision?

What if he were not a professional athlete?

To me it's a no, I don't think the US should be issuing visas to anyone who have had domestic violence charges sustained against them by a US court system. He pleaded no contest to the charges, it's not like this was alleged.

 

[Rangers in 7]

its been said by others before but if the guy has cleared up his act i dont see an issue with it

i hope everyone is aware that this type of crap happened all the time in the 70's, 80's and 90's but you just didnt hear about it or it never came out

some of your favorite rangers probably toed the line of criminal activity and im sure many of them crossed it

voynov is talented and if he shows that he has moved on from what happened and is a different person im all for signing him

 

[Levitate]

its been said by others before but if the guy has cleared up his act i dont see an issue with it

i hope everyone is aware that this type of crap happened all the time in the 70's, 80's and 90's but you just didnt hear about it or it never came out

some of your favorite rangers probably toed the line of criminal activity and im sure many of them crossed it

voynov is talented and if he shows that he has moved on from what happened and is a different person im all for signing him

I mean, I like to think that maybe we have progressed a bit as a society and can say "this thing that used to be acceptable is no longer acceptable because what the hell it's never OK to abuse your spouse or other people" and just because something was intentionally ignored in the past doesn't make it OK today.

If I learn that some of my favorite players have done some bad things? They're not going to be my favorite players anymore and I will hope that they won't be Rangers much longer.

 

[Rangers in 7]

I mean, I like to think that maybe we have progressed a bit as a society and can say "this thing that used to be acceptable is no longer acceptable because what the hell it's never OK to abuse your spouse or other people" and just because something was intentionally ignored in the past doesn't make it OK today.

If I learn that some of my favorite players have done some bad things? They're not going to be my favorite players anymore and I will hope that they won't be Rangers much longer.

im not saying its ok today, im also not saying what he did is ok....but people make mistakes

athletes today are under a microscope unlike ever before

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

its been said by others before but if the guy has cleared up his act i dont see an issue with it

i hope everyone is aware that this type of crap happened all the time in the 70's, 80's and 90's but you just didnt hear about it or it never came out

some of your favorite rangers probably toed the line of criminal activity and im sure many of them crossed it

voynov is talented and if he shows that he has moved on from what happened and is a different person im all for signing him

What he did to his wife was certainly not happening all the time in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Perhaps it was during the last ice age.

You can find the transcripts online. This isn’t some empowerment issue. He really hammered her. The guy is an animal.

Also don’t think he’s that great either. It’s just the Red fever going on here.

 

[Miamipuck]

So I am not advocating for Voynov, let's be clear. But for the sake of discussion, at what point does a person get a second chance, even from something as egregious as what Voynov did?

Evander Kane chocked a girl in a Buffalo bar

Patrick Kane was accused of raping a girl and he punched a taxi driver

Danny Heatley killed his best friend racing a car

Varlamov's issue with his girlfriend (this one I don't know all of the details)

NHL Players and the Law

Some of the incidents above were accusations (I am not saying they didn't happen only it's not 100% certain), much different than the police coming in and finding his wife beaten like she just fought Apollo Creed and Voynov rinsing off blood from his knuckles.

I think Voynov can get all the second chances he wants as long as it's not on the Rangers.

 

[Levitate]

im not saying its ok today, im also not saying what he did is ok....but people make mistakes

athletes today are under a microscope unlike ever before

Ehhhhh can't say I'm crying for athletes being "under the microscope" when for the most part it's just vaguely getting them to the point of being held to the same standards as the rest of us.

I agree people make mistakes and do bad things and then sometimes change for the better and should be given a chance to be that better person. Generally I want to see something that indicates that is happening though. I don't think that's the case here with Voynov

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Ehhhhh can't say I'm crying for athletes being "under the microscope" when for the most part it's just vaguely getting them to the point of being held to the same standards as the rest of us.

I agree people make mistakes and do bad things and then sometimes change for the better and should be given a chance to be that better person. Generally I want to see something that indicates that is happening though. I don't think that's the case here with Voynov

Not to mention they get paid a shit load of money for being public entertainers.

 

[haveandare]

So I am not advocating for Voynov, let's be clear. But for the sake of discussion, at what point does a person get a second chance, even from something as egregious as what Voynov did?

Evander Kane chocked a girl in a Buffalo bar

Patrick Kane was accused of raping a girl and he punched a taxi driver

Danny Heatley killed his best friend racing a car

Varlamov's issue with his girlfriend (this one I don't know all of the details)

NHL Players and the Law

All of these "where is the line" kind of questions are seeking answers that don't exist.

Where the line is will change from person to person and obviously from team to team when a potential player is involved. There is no objective answer and never will be.

In my opinion, Voynov's actions obviously not being accidental in any way combined with them being absolutely proven to have happened is way past the line.

Accusations are troubling but we don't punish people solely based on accusations in the legal system and I don't think we should in the court of public opinion either. Evander Kane's issue didn't go much beyond accusations last I heard though I admittedly haven't followed it much since. Patrick Kane's rape accusation didn't go past an accusation ultimately either if I recall correctly.

Patrick Kane hitting the cabby was beyond stupid and reflects very, very poorly on him. Having said that, he wasn't preying on someone who he is in a position of trust with and last I heard he didn't come near doing the same damage that Voynov did to his wife. I'm not saying what Kane did is ok, but I think there's a pretty clear and logical argument that was Voynov did is way, way worse.

Heatley's thing, obviously he was driving like an idiot but one can at least argue that he didn't mean to hurt or kill anyone. Yes, hurting/killing someone is a foreseeable potential outcome of driving the way he was, but plenty of people drive like idiots without hurting anyone. Nobody beats their wife without hurting anyone. Nobody beats their wife by accident.

There are no hard and fast rules, everyone will decide for themselves and compare the situations in question.

 

[kovazub94]

So I see a lot of "if he addressed his issues then getting a 2nd chance in the league is fine... as long as it is not with the Rangers". The way I read is that it's fine but I wouldn't hire him. So if Gorton decides to hire him - are you going to be up in arms (sending angry emails, giving up your season tickets etc) or accept it acknowledging that GM did his due diligence here?

 

[Kovalev27]

I’m amazed at some of the stuff I’m reading in this thread. Gross.

 

[KOVALEV022473]

I thought I clicked on the Kovalchuk to sign a 2-3 year deal thread, but apparently this is a non sequitur, sanctimonious crap weasel thread.

 

[eco's bones]

Beyond whatever the law is people should have some moral standard/code to live accordingly by. Voynov’s IMO seem to me to be set really low and personally knowing enough of what he did to his wife I wouldn’t want to be around him. OTOH I’d have no problem welcoming Kovalchuk to our team—I just don’t want Voynov.

 

[nyr2k2]

I thought I clicked on the Kovalchuk to sign a 2-3 year deal thread, but apparently this is a non sequitur, sanctimonious crap weasel thread.

It's the off-season and Kovalchuk can't actually sign for months. Of course the discussion is OT. What is there to discuss at this point that hasn't been stated and restated dozens of times over?

 

[Machinehead]

So I am not advocating for Voynov, let's be clear. But for the sake of discussion, at what point does a person get a second chance, even from something as egregious as what Voynov did?

Evander Kane chocked a girl in a Buffalo bar

Patrick Kane was accused of raping a girl and he punched a taxi driver

Danny Heatley killed his best friend racing a car

Varlamov's issue with his girlfriend (this one I don't know all of the details)

NHL Players and the Law

The Rangers are not the Morals Police.

Don't embarrass our organization and contribute on the ice. The past is the past.

 

[NYR]

I’m amazed at some of the stuff I’m reading in this thread. Gross.

I'm amazed myself but then again...
Perhaps some of these people should experience an ass kicking them selves then come back to this thread.
JG said he was looking for "Character" not a bunch of f*** ups..

 

[Fvital92]

I'm amazed myself but then again...
Perhaps some of these people should experience an ass kicking them selves then come back to this thread.
JG said he was looking for "Character" not a bunch of **** ups..

Well, his wife got one and came back for him. I will never understand the mind of some victims in domestic violence.

 

[NYR]

Well, his wife got one and came back for him. I will never understand the mind of some victims in domestic violence.

I don't get it either.
You're a Lawyer and depending on what type of law you practice, you may have witnessed your fair share of domestic violence incidents..but..let's just say that the value's of some are a bit behind the times in that side of the world.
With that said, unless you've grown up in a f***ing barn, there's absolutely no excuse for hitting a woman..EVER!
That's not character.
That's a POS that this team simply doesn't need regardless of how glutten for punishment his wife may be..

 

[Alluckks]

So I am not advocating for Voynov, let's be clear. But for the sake of discussion, at what point does a person get a second chance, even from something as egregious as what Voynov did?

Evander Kane chocked a girl in a Buffalo bar

Patrick Kane was accused of raping a girl and he punched a taxi driver

Danny Heatley killed his best friend racing a car

Varlamov's issue with his girlfriend (this one I don't know all of the details)

NHL Players and the Law

He fled the country from deportation, subsequent court monitoring, and only faced minor consequence. He has shown the opposite of remorse, reconciliation, or rehabilitation.

Get back to me when any of that can be answered better.

Several hours after the Kings played an afternoon game, police said Voynov punched, kicked and choked Varlamova, sending her to an emergency room with injuries.

...

Voynov accepted a plea deal shortly before his scheduled trial, and he spent two months in jail before his release two weeks ago, when he was taken into custody by federal immigration officials. Voynov seemed likely to lose his work visa, which would result in deportation.

- Kings' Voynov returning to Russia after domestic violence troubles | CBC Sports

 

[Alluckks]

If you received any of these things at another high profile job you would be terminated by your boss. Many professions that require a continual license for practice can take your license away for a DUI. Athletes are given too much leeway for this horrible crap. They are held to a lower standard rather than a higher one. I would never want to see Voynov play here again. Why does he need a 2nd chance at playing a sport on tv for millions of dollars? Nobody is denying him a 2nd chance to make a living, live his life, or turn his morals around.