Suspended: Spezza 6 games (Reduced to 4 games) | Pionk 2 games

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From Alec Brownscombe at MLHS "Simply assessing a punishment of his magnitude for the retaliatory act without acknowledging the glaring officiating errors that created a dangerous environment on the ice in the first place gets the league no further ahead in terms of advancing player safety. Of course, that appears to not actually be the aim of the NHL DoPS, which is just a damage-control operation that isn’t making its decisions based on anything that resembles objectivity, fair standards, or consistent principles."
 
Support Jason Spezza, organized by Map^le Leaf Fan

^ Gofundme. Might as well make something positive out of all this. ~$22500 is the amount of salary that Jason will forfeit with the current suspension. Funds to be donated to Spezza's charity of choice
 
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I don't mind the suspension, its an illegal and unnecessary hit.

It's the length of suspension and extreme inconsistency of how they apply their rules.
Honestly... watching the DoPS reasoning video made me even more frustrated.
That was the longest explanation video they've ever done, and the most they've ever cited the CBA which 1) is hilarious because they ignore the CBA almost every week ("maximum allowable" fines my ass) and 2) they were citing passages that allowed for subjectivity in ruling, not even rules
You also rarely ever see them represent the player's argument, let alone the team's position.


I don't mind them getting more technical and thorough with explanations, but it's so uncharacteristic and inconsistent (though, inconsistent is characteristic of DoPS), and the combination of them trying to pull out the book, actually publicly presenting TOR and Spezza's case, and the heavy 6 game suspension honestly and truly feels to me like there's an element of petty retaliation.
Like if Spezza/TOR didn't try to fight it and gave a half assed "sorry" he'd have had less, but since he tried to actually argue and defend himself, DoPS thumped their chest and beat their book and gave him the longest on-ice suspension this season.

It's definitely speculation, bordering on conspiracy, but the ruling feels very inconsistent, especially for a longtime vet who not only has a clean record, but is well respected and respects the game in return (PLUS, their "maximum allowable" shtick is already demonstration of them not wanting to do more than the bare minimum...)

The explanation video just felt very weird and off to me...
 
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Honestly... watching the DoPS reasoning video made me even more frustrated.
That was the longest explanation video they've ever done, and the most they've ever cited the CBA which 1) is hilarious because they ignore the CBA almost every week ("maximum allowable" fines my ass) and 2) they were citing passages that allowed for subjectivity in ruling, not even rules
You rarely ever see them represent the player's argument, let alone the team's position.


I don't mind them getting more technical and thorough with explanations, but it's so uncharacteristic and inconsistent (though, inconsistent is characteristic of DoPS), and the combination of them trying to pull out the book, actually publicly presenting TOR and Spezza's case, and the heavy 6 game suspension honestly and truly feels to me like there's an element of petty retaliation.
Like if Spezza/TOR didn't try to fight it and gave a half assed "sorry" he'd have had less, but since he tried to actually argue and defend himself, DoPS thumped their chest and beat their book and gave him the longest on-ice suspension this season.

It's definitely speculation, bordering on conspiracy, but the ruling feels very inconsistent, especially for a longtime vet who not only has a clean record, but is well respected and respects the game in return (PLUS, their "maximum allowable" shtick is already demonstration of them not wanting to do more than the bare minimum...)

The explanation video just felt very weird and off to me...

There's no conspiracy to this. You make perfect sense. There's something very stinky and rotten about the DoPS, especially with the Leafs. I don't care what anyone says.
 
Support Jason Spezza, organized by Map^le Leaf Fan

^ Gofundme. Might as well make something positive out of all this. ~$70000 is the amount of salary that Jason will forfeit with the current suspension. Funds to be donated to Spezza's charity of choice
Removed the link, but left the comment to say:

We are not promoting taking money for this.
1) Spezza can pay it just fine, especially compared to 99% of the posters here.
2) Spezza is not forfeiting $70,000. Fines generated for this suspension would total $22,500.00. What's this fundraiser doing with that extra money?
3) How does this fundraiser think they'll get this money to Spezza? Anyone think he'll take it??

These types of fundraisers are jokes at best and scams at worst.
 
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Removed the link, but left the comment to say:

We are not promoting taking money for this.
1) Spezza can pay it just fine, especially compared to 99% of the posters here.
2) Spezza is not forfeiting $70,000. Fines generated for this suspension would total $22,500.00. What's this fundraiser doing with that extra money?
3) How the heck does this fundraiser think they'll get this money to Spezza? Anyone think he'll take it??

These types of fundraisers are jokes at best and scams at worst.

I can change to 22500. Wasn't meant to be a scam with proceeds going to charity. I can understand why you would have removed it. Was just trying to make something positive out of the experience. Sorry
 
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I guess it's deserved. Cheap hit. Can't say I'm real sorry about the hit. The circumstances suck. Reminds me years ago of Tie Domi telling the refs. " you do your job or I'll have to do mine ". The Leafs don't have a Tie Domi anymore. But that's eventually that's how this played out. Call it the new normal.
 
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Hate that it has to go through Bettman. He rarely differs from DoPS, seems pretty dumb to do it that way given the conflict of interests of both employed for the NHL.

So Bettman wastes a couple days and gives his usual vote of confidence, and then it goes the individual arbitrator route where it might get reduced given the precedents. Just pretty pointless it has to go through Bettman in the first place as it delays the process at least 3-4 days usually.
 
There's no conspiracy to this. You make perfect sense. There's something very stinky and rotten about the DoPS, especially with the Leafs. I don't care what anyone says.
We have seen Leafs players' heads get targetted multiple times with no call on the ice, let alone a suspension to the opposing player. There's definitely some sort of conflict of interest here when it comes to the Leafs.
 


Hate that it has to go through Bettman. He rarely differs from DoPS, seems pretty dumb to do it that way given the conflict of interests of both employed for the NHL.

So Bettman wastes a couple days and gives his usual vote of confidence, and then it goes the individual arbitrator route where it might get reduced given the precedents. Just pretty pointless it has to go through Bettman in the first place as it delays the process at least 3-4 days usually.


Can't Spezza play since he's filed the appeal?
 
I guess it's deserved. Cheap hit. Can't say I'm real sorry about the hit. The circumstances suck. Reminds me years ago of Tie Domi telling the refs. " you do your job or I'll have to do mine ". The Leafs don't have a Tie Domi anymore. But that's eventually that's how this played out. Call it the new normal.

Marchand has been suspended 6 times and Max number of games is 5.
The league needs an overhaul
 
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Can't Spezza play since he's filed the appeal?

'Players may appeal all on-ice discipline to the Commissioner, provided written notice of the appeal is provided within 48 hours. ... In all appeals (first to the Commissioner and then to the neutral arbitrator), the Player will remain suspended pending appeal (unless the full term of the Player's suspension has run).'
 
'Players may appeal all on-ice discipline to the Commissioner, provided written notice of the appeal is provided within 48 hours. ... In all appeals (first to the Commissioner and then to the neutral arbitrator), the Player will remain suspended pending appeal (unless the full term of the Player's suspension has run).'

Which is exactly why it makes no sense it has to go through Bettman. He always takes at least 4 days to a week to almost make it redundant to go to an arbitrator as it's almost over by the time it gets there.

You should be allowed to skip Bettman and go straight to a neutral arbitrator.
 
He can serve while he waits. It’s not like it will be reduced to 1
And if he ends up sitting longer than his ultimate suspension while waiting for a successful appeal, there is no recourse for games lost, but he gets his salary back for the games he shouldn't have missed
 
- Admit it, you're mad at the lack of consistency, not the suspension Spezza got. He did what he did and deserves this.
- Parros probably had no say in this, he's just a mustache to put in front of a camera.
- No one here has any idea what discipline refs face. Just because they don't make it public doesn't mean it doesn't happen.
- Not one player on the Leafs is mad at Spezza for that play.

Basically, there's nothing to be upset about here.
 
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The fact they even have an explanation video is laughable.

First, the NHL Department of Player Safety takes itself way too seriously, especially considering how wildly inconsistent and therefore disrespected they are. Just watching this monotonous drivel is painful.

So let's please go back to a time when there was no department at all. Seemed to me the suspensions were just as unpredictable and frustrating, but without the added expense.
 
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