Morgan Rielly suspended for five games for cross-checking Ridly Greig in the head (Mod note in OP); upd: Rielly appealing his suspension (upheld)

[93gilmour93]

 

[Peasy]

Well, I’ve hardly been rational this entire time, but sometimes that’s what being a fan is all about.

Just don’t read my post history.

I'm sure the same can be said for many of us during this whole ordeal

 

[NyQuil]

I thought all of this was always really obvious, but we were just continuing this discussion because it's fun to dunk on the Leafs.

And vice versa I’m sure.

Sometimes I just need to lay it out again for closure or something , I don’t know.

 

[Peasy]

I was basing it off of how the clown show of the dpos has been forever.

I have a comparable from this season on the Rielly one.

Yeah thats fair. Hopefully they remain harsher and more consistent with head shots going forward.

 

[Petrus]

There is certainly a downside. It takes considerable time and resources to appeal. It's not just 'hey can you reconsider'. You have to prove your case. In the case of Spezza a couple years ago it took so long that he served the games anyways.

I would think if Spezza’s suspension is reduced even if he has served it, Spezza would only lose salary for the 4 days instead of the full 6 days.

 

[swiftwin]

Of course he leaves out the differences. He craps on biased leafs media while still choosing to ignore things like:

-Rielly has no history of ever being dirty

That's why Rielly got 2 fewer games (when you factor in that Perron was ejected in the first period)

-Rielly didn’t hit Grieg straight into the head. Even though the DoPS video acknowledges that he put up his hand in defence

DoPS acknowledged the exact same thing in the Perron suspension video.

-Perron gave Zub no chance to react

Neither did Rielly.

-oh yeah…zub had sfa to do with the situation lol

Irrelevant.

-and Zub was hurt from the cross check

NO HE WASN'T! Zub didn't miss a shift. Why do Leafs fans keep repeating this lie? Do you have no shame?

 

[Micklebot]

It’s like charging and sentencing in criminal law.

There are too many variables in each incident to come up with some kind of reasonable single outcome.

Wyshynski Was chatting today with marek and imo was a total hypocrite. He rightfully judged people that see the Rielly cross check as a non issue that deserved nothing more than a fine.

He goes on to ramble about how he compares it to the Perron one and how lucky Rielly was for only getting 5 because of all the similarities.

Of course he leaves out the differences. He craps on biased leafs media while still choosing to ignore things like:

-Rielly has no history of ever being dirty
-Rielly didn’t hit Grieg straight into the head. Even though the DoPS video acknowledges that he put up his hand in defence
-Perron gave Zub no chance to resct
-oh yeah…zub had sfa to do with the situation lol
-and Zub was hurt from the cross check

But I guess they’re exactly the same and Rielly was lucky to only get 5.

And Shitski is saying all of this as if he’s some unbiased neutral “reporter”

All you gotta do is look at his Twitter history and you’ll see his take on the leafs and their fans.

Let’s see how the appeal goes. I’d like to see it dropped a game just to hear his shock filled reaction lol

Zub wasn't hurt, he finished the game.
Zub also raised his hand to defend himsf, though he got slightly less of the stick
Reilly didn't give Greig any more time to react, unless you're counting in milliseconds
While Zub did nothing, a Slapshot in an empty net as motivation seems to be less severe than the perception that a player was involved in a dirty hit on your team mate,


Perron got an extra game, and served a little over two thirds of a game by way of his game misconduct, so in essences practically missed two more games worth. That and his past fine likely are why Rielly got what he did and Perron what he did

 

[HTFN]

No. It isn't.

Can't wait for you to explain which headshots after the whistle are justified and how....

 

[93gilmour93]

NO HE WASN'T! Zub didn't miss a shift. Why do Leafs fans keep repeating this lie? Do you have no shame?

Rumour has it Zub missed a few shifts

 

[Petrus]

Well, days later, here’s a summary of thoughts on the whole affair.

1. Greig’s slap shot, while amusing to Sens fans and others, was undoubtedly provocative.

Whether you agree that it should be, or not, is a separate issue regarding hockey culture in general.

Personally, I tend to side with those players and ex-players who have said that you can do whatever you want provided you are prepared to deal with the consequences.

2. A response, while not automatic, was a reasonable expectation.

I don’t think Grieg was expecting the lumber but rather the typical jawing, shoving, punching that occurs during a lot of late game shenanigans. His hand comes up belatedly and fails to deflect the stick adequately enough to avoid the contact.

But to say that it wasn’t inflammatory is false.

3. There is never any excuse for hitting someone in the head with a stick. And whether it rode up or not is irrelevant, because the outcome was that he took it to the face.

I agree with Button on that score.

Whether Rielly intended it or not, it was a rash action that resulted in a suspendable offence.

When Havlat kicked opposing players (more than once!), there were Sens fans arguing about Hal Gill holding his arms, the size discrepancy, etc.

Doesn’t matter - never any excuse to kick anyone, just like there isn’t for hitting a guy in the face with lumber, particularly when it’s after the play is over and can’t be deemed as accidental as a result of ongoing play.

I do think the punishment is fair as a result, and consistent with what Perron received.

I don’t think 10+ games or any harsher penalties as have been idly discussed are warranted in this case. Rielly is not a dirty player even if this play ended up being so.

4. If Rielly had exercised virtually any other kind of retributive play, not involving a stick, he would not be suspended and this whole affair would have been regarded as a curious footnote at best.

5. I don’t think Rielly is a goon or a villain, I just think he made a mistake in the moment. I know why he did it, but it shouldn’t impact on the punishment.

Provocation is no excuse for risking injury. Whether we like it or not, we regard stick offences as more serious than roughing or fighting offences which is probably why you don’t usually see guys swinging sticks or cross checking each other in the head at the end of games, even when provoked.

6. I can understand why Leaf fans feel like they gained something positive from the affair.

In light of the accusation that the team lacks emotional involvement in some of their games, to see one of their leaders not take defeat lightly is a welcome change.

7. I can also understand why Sens fans feel like they gained something positive from the affair.

Winning against a rival is a rare positive experience in yet another likely wasted season.

Games in Ottawa against the Leafs (and Habs) are always spirited affairs with fan loyalties so divided and Greig made the likely impulsive decision to react emotionally, just as Rielly did.

Unlike Rielly, he didn’t do anything that was suspendable under the rules.

And while we are once again in Groundhog Day of the team stringing wins together after being effectively eliminated, all we can do as fans is hope that their recent run of improved play under different management and coaching is a sign that things may turn around eventually.

Vancouver is a team that benefitted significantly from a coaching and culture change, and while many more teams fail to turn it around like that, the alternative is to junk the team for pennies on the dollar and start all over again.

8. I think a lot is made of guys being out of the lineup but predicting doom when players are injured or suspended is always premature. It wouldn’t surprise me if Toronto strings a bunch of wins together due to rallying around the adversity, particularly during the post-All Star game grind leading to the playoffs.

9. One thing most people agree on is that the BoO has been pretty muted for some time, and maybe this will ignite a little more fire into the rivalry, and that this is a good thing for the fans as spectators.

10. Has Greig learned his lesson? Maybe, because I doubt he will do that again. I don’t think it will change how he plays the game though, which is to instigate, play physical and be a general pest.

He’s been taking shots from the opposition all season long, if not in such spectacular fashion.

Just as Leaf fans and players are excited about Rielly showing emotion and stepping up for his team’s honour, Sens fans fans and players have enjoyed the spunk and competitiveness that Greig brings to the team.

In both cases their efforts may have been misguided to an extent, but in the end we have another memorable chapter in the provincial rivalry.

Thank you for this. You are good guy! Happy to buy you drink when I am in Ottawa next year. But I’ll be wearing my knock off Rielly jersey.

 

[NyQuil]

Thank you for this. You are good guy! Happy to buy you drink when I am in Ottawa next year. But I’ll be wearing my knock off Rielly jersey.

LOL, looks like I’ll need to pick up a #71.

There are really good posters out there, even ones like me who get sidetracked into silly pillow fighting from time to time, and I remember who they are.

 

[The Hockey Tonk Man]

Poor guy missing out on $200k.
Gonna be cutting coupons for the next month or so.

 

[swiftwin]

Rumour has it Zub missed a few shifts

edit: The hit happened at 13:50 of the 1st. Zub was on the ice the very next shift. So, no he didn't miss a shift.

 

[NyQuil]

It’s a bit unusual that both plays involved our team, so we’re pretty familiar.

 

[Micklebot]

Rumour has it Zub missed a few shifts

He was on the ice for the very next play, the red + is the stoppage for Larkin getting hurt, neither he or Perron played another shift, while Zub is on the ice before and after.

 

[Raging Bull]

Gotta admit the funniest one I seen on twitter was some Scott Moir chirp towards Rielly. Good stuff.

 

[swiftwin]

Poor guy missing out on $200k.
Gonna be cutting coupons for the next month or so.

I love how Leafs fans are the ones saying it was worth it when they're not the ones literally paying for it. I guarantee you Rielly doesn't think it was worth $200k out of his pocket.

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

It would be better for everyone if they just wrote down these "unwritten rules" & "the code" so we, & all the players in every sport, know them.

Kinda defeats the purpose of having ‘unwritten rules’ I’d say.

 

[NyQuil]

I guarantee you Rielly doesn't think it was worth $200k out of his pocket.

I don’t know - it seems like a lot but he also makes a ton of money.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

I bet he doesn't take a slapshot into an empty net anymore.

Greig is a pest. It seemed to do exactly what he wanted it to.

 

[BB79]

uhhhh, what did last night show? Greig scored a goal and was the 3rd star of the game.

Personally I'd like to see more slapshot empty netters, it was hilarious

 

[NyQuil]

Kinda defeats the purpose of having ‘unwritten rules’ I’d say.

If they wrote them down, the culture would come up with more.

It would be an interesting idea for a thread. We can add this one to the list.

I generally only really think of them when I’m trying to explain hockey to a person unfamiliar either the sport, because they are often subconscious at the point.

“No, they can’t cross that centre line at warm up, not even a little bit.”

“Why not?”

“Well, probably just to avoid fighting before the game, but it still happens the odd time a little bit when players are playing mind games with each other.”

Is it an actual rule? Not sure.

 

[swiftwin]

I don’t know - it seems like a lot but he also makes a ton of money.

It's about $2000 for someone who makes $100k yearly. That's still a f***ton of money for the right to smack someone in the face at work that you don't like.

 

[NyQuil]

It's about $2000 for someone who makes $100k yearly. That's still a f***ton of money for the right to smack someone in the face at work that you don't like.

LOL, I’ve had to do it for dumber reasons like losing an infant bed while travelling.

Just do an ad for a car dealership or something.

Apparently Brad Marchand is the reigning champ having forfeited 1.4 million in his career.

 

[Grifter3511]

The whole 'you can do what you want, just be prepared to pay the consequences,' response seems kind of silly when what Greig did is A) not against the rules in any shape or form and B) the 'consequence' is something that gets you an in-person hearing with the DoPS.

If anything, it should be ammended to, 'you can respond any way you want, just be prepared to pay the consequences.'

Now, if I'm Greig, and the situation presents itself again, I may think, 'man, this one little action created so much controversy. Maybe I just won't this time.' But there's no way in hell I'm thinking, 'man, Reilly sure taught me a lesson last time. I don't want that to happen to me again so I better not do it.' In fact, Reilly's reaction and subsequent punishment would give me more motivation to do it again.