Thoughts on Chatfield's Takedown Yesterday?

[FunkySeeFunkyDo]

Both helmetless, puts his leg behind McMichael and throws him down, dangerously close to having him smash his head on the ice....

What? They’re bare knuckle brawling on ice. Takedowns are fine. Just don’t use your skates, pull hair, poke eyes or headbutt. Everything else is fine.

 

[tarheelhockey]

The fact that you don't is wild behavior.

Nobody's upset that the game got spicy except a few Canes fans in this thread, the issue is clearly about how close we just came to watching someone go to the hospital. You spending the majority of your posts in this thread saying "but what about Wilson" and "well I'm not excusing it, but did you guys see how mean the Caps were being" is crazy.

You realize you can just... not comment if you don't want to talk about the actual thread, right?

Oh, I’m definitely excusing it.

Why should any of us have time for “what about player safety???” when players are out there stalking each other with deliberate intent to injure? At that point it’s just open warfare.

The officials allowed it to happen all night, and the league isn’t stepping in to do anything about it. So **** it. Why should the Canes care about McMichael’s safety when the Caps clearly don’t care about anyone else’s safety? This is exactly the same garbage at the same time of year that Wilson pulled with the Rangers — all the way down to the slew-foot on a helmetless player — and they didn’t do anything about that one either. When the calendar turns to April, this is what the NHL wants to see.

I’m glad McMichael wasn’t injured, but if he had been, it would have been a direct outcome of the choice to allow what was going on prior to that incident. If the Caps are going to play this game, they’re going to have these outcomes.

 

[HTFN]

I'm not saying it's more important. I'm just saying it's not like the Caps were out there being choir boys all night and Chatfield decided to bring his WWE game out of nowhere. I'm not defending his actions, what I'm saying is if you engage in dirty cheap shots during a game you shouldn't be shocked when dirty cheap things happen back to your team.

CHATFIELD SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE WHAT HE DID.

Do I need to add this after every post? The thread is 'thoughts on Chatfield's takedown yesterday'... these are my thoughts. He shouldn't have done that, I'm also giving context as to why the game got to that point. I'm sorry you don't want to hear that on a hockey discussion forum.

And you think that a crosscheck in the crease is a "dirty cheap shot" that justifies what happened here?

If you can unequivocally state Chatfield shouldn't do what he did, can you really say the same about the crosscheck with the same fervor?

So if it's not more important and it's also not the point of the thread, what are you doing here but trying to make some kind of argument that this was expected if not deserved because Tom Wilson went after a guy?

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Got it, so you're just willingly ignoring the concept of crease clearing as "playing hockey" because it doesn't suit you in this moment. You also literally can't end the post without adding something meant to draw attention to somebody else.

"cross checking him into next year", he got hit and fell down into the back of the net. Cry me a river, there's no victim here.

edit: I also saw one of you say he was "charged from behind" which is also insane.

Well Walker wasn't even in the crease so what was Wilson clearing? And I never said clearing the crease wasn't part of hockey, I'm saying cross-checking people in the numbers shouldn't be part of hockey. It's dangerous and causes injury all the time. It's pathetic that the league has made it acceptable and rarely penalizes it.

 

[notbias]

How many fights have a guy trying to slam another guys head into the ice ? There's takedowns that we see all the time, this isn't that. On top of that he doesn't even have his helmet on, he tries to full power slam the back of his head on the ice.

That can quite literally kill someone.

How do you know his motive? He was trying to slam the other guys head into the ice? Starting a post stating an opinion as fact is silly, the rest of your post is just building on that.

There are many times when someone is getting taken down and tries to reverse it by pulling them over them or by using some sort of leverage to throw the person, this isn't unique, it is just more violent than usual because they are swinging around and the fight is not finished.

There is a lot of pearl clutching in this thread for a fight...

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

And you think that a crosscheck in the crease is a "dirty cheap shot" that justifies what happened here?

If you can unequivocally state Chatfield shouldn't do what he did, can you really say the same about the crosscheck with the same fervor?

So if it's not more important and it's also not the point of the thread, what are you doing here but trying to make some kind of argument that this was expected if not deserved because Tom Wilson went after a guy?

You're trying to make equivalences that aren't there.

What Chatfield did was worse than what Wilson did overall. I'm not excusing Chatfield's actions but I'm also not giving the Caps a pass on what led up to it either. Isn't that reasonable?

And again... Wilson wasn't clearing the crease. Walker was outside the blue paint being beside and slightly behind the goal line. There was no reason to blind side cross check him. TVR was already shoving him for going after the rebound.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

For all the talk of the Caps “deliberately” trying to injure guys, the most dangerous play of the game was Chatfield’s. Go figure.

Lame move.

 

[HTFN]

Oh, I’m definitely excusing it.

Why should any of us have time for “what about player safety???” when players are out there stalking each other with deliberate intent to injure? At that point it’s just open warfare.

The officials allowed it to happen all night, and the league isn’t stepping in to do anything about it. So **** it. Why should the Canes care about McMichael’s safety when the Caps clearly don’t care about anyone else’s safety? It’s April, this is what the NHL wants to see. This is exactly the same garbage at the same time of year that Wilson pulled with the Rangers — all the way down to the slew-foot on a helmetless player — and they didn’t do anything about that one either.

I’m glad McMichael wasn’t injured, but if he had been, it would have been a direct outcome of the choice to allow what was going on prior to that incident. If the Caps are going to play this game, they’re going to have these outcomes.

What the f*** are you talking about? Where's this deliberate intent to injure?

It's always interesting to see you do mental gymnastics to allow for these stances even as they fly against your usual measured positions with a skew towards player safety. Something about this team or that player causes you to shed so much of your rational posting positions to the point that you're excusing the throw because you don't like being bullied by a player who wasn't even the one to get tossed.

Your official stance is "so what if he almost pounded a guy's skull into the ice, Tom Wilson" and you're happy with that? You're excusing something you claim to believe is wildly dangerous because someone else in the same jersey arguably did it, and you have a problem with one but not the other so f*** this guy?

Wildly inconsistent especially considering that the Rangers instigated that Wilson thing to begin with, so if there's no problem with letting someone "find out" you'd also be on Wilson's side of that argument but you're not.

 

[HTFN]

You're trying to make equivalences that aren't there.

What Chatfield did was worse than what Wilson did overall. I'm not excusing Chatfield's actions but I'm also not giving the Caps a pass on what led up to it either. Isn't that reasonable?

And again... Wilson wasn't clearing the crease. Walker was outside the blue paint being beside and slightly behind the goal line. There was no reason to blind side cross check him. TVR was already shoving him for going after the rebound.

View attachment 1005433
View attachment 1005435

This is... baby shit soft by comparison. What are you talking about? Guy took extra whacks in a blowout on a covered puck, he can eat one for his efforts. Him not being in the crease isn't exactly the point, he made a few extra efforts on a locked down puck in a game that didn't need it and got a shot in return for it. It's about stepping up for the goalie not protecting the actual blue paint and that shouldn't need to be explained to you.

It's not even in the same general ballpark as getting thrown to the ice with no control.

edit: there are three Caps in that picture who want a piece of him, do you think that's for nothing or did he maybe do a little extra there? TVR shoves him back into Wilson's path, should Wilson catch and coddle him?

 

[Machinehead]

@tarheelhockey on his Joker arc because the league has done nothing about Wilson. Can relate.

 

[AvroArrow]

How do you know his motive? He was trying to slam the other guys head into the ice? Starting a post stating an opinion as fact is silly, the rest of your post is just building on that.

There are many times when someone is getting taken down and tries to reverse it by pulling them over them or by using some sort of leverage to throw the person, this isn't unique, it is just more violent than usual because they are swinging around and the fight is not finished.

There is a lot of pearl clutching in this thread for a fight...

I have eyes and I watched the fight ? What do you think he was trying to do, tickle his opponent. Hey maybe he wasn't trying to hurt his opponent when he was throwing punches either, how do you know his motive! What if he was trying to scratch his jaw with his knuckles!

I take it you've never trained or participated in combat sports, there's a reason why strikes to the back of the head are banned. Even getting your head slammed or whiplash like that on canvas or mats can cause serious damage and even death, ice is way more dangerous.

It's a dumb play period and you don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure out when someone is trying to hurt someone else.

 

[Misery74]

Oh, I’m definitely excusing it.

Why should any of us have time for “what about player safety???” when players are out there stalking each other with deliberate intent to injure? At that point it’s just open warfare.

The officials allowed it to happen all night, and the league isn’t stepping in to do anything about it. So **** it. Why should the Canes care about McMichael’s safety when the Caps clearly don’t care about anyone else’s safety? This is exactly the same garbage at the same time of year that Wilson pulled with the Rangers — all the way down to the slew-foot on a helmetless player — and they didn’t do anything about that one either. When the calendar turns to April, this is what the NHL wants to see.

I’m glad McMichael wasn’t injured, but if he had been, it would have been a direct outcome of the choice to allow what was going on prior to that incident. If the Caps are going to play this game, they’re going to have these outcomes.

No one on the Caps intentionally tried to injure anyone last night. It was a chippy game.

Chatfield was the only one who attempted to injure.

Chatfield will have to answer for this, and I’m sure several Caps will be willing. Hopefully, Ovechkin takes care of it, just like when he beat Svech.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

This is... baby shit soft by comparison. What are you talking about? Guy took extra whacks in a blowout on a covered puck, he can eat one for his efforts. Him not being in the crease isn't exactly the point, he made a few extra efforts on a locked down puck in a game that didn't need it and got a shot in return for it. It's about stepping up for the goalie not protecting the actual blue paint and that shouldn't need to be explained to you.

It's not even in the same general ballpark as getting thrown to the ice with no control.

The irony of Washington fans outraged over something like this. Wilson escalates the game for no reason other than his lack of brain power and self control. Leads to next scrum/fight sequence. Leads to McMicheal throwing a heavy hit on the Carolina player looking for trouble, finds it.

I hardly imagine Chatfield is a known pugilist so he likely does what he thinks is proper in getting a takedown in a fight that was going nowhere since neither player seemed to understand how to fight properly. Violent yes, and dangerous. And 100% provoked by Washington themselves.

Play games, win prizes or however the saying goes these days.

 

[Derailed75]

Nah, Aho swung his stick at the back of Wilson’s knee, then wouldn’t answer for it. Things got crazy after that. Your premise of him only running smaller players is also incredibly biased and wrong, it’s a new thing that Wilson haters have come up with I guess.

On the national broadcast in the first period Brian Bouche said and I quote " Tom Wilson just yelled at the Canes bench someone is getting hurt tonight"

For there on out Wilson took runs at all the non fighting smaller Canes players in fact the stick swing came because he wiffed on hitting Aho very high on a borderline charge.

As a matter of fact Wilson last move before getting kicked out of the game was cross checking 5'11" 190lb Walker in the back a few seconds after a whistle. Unfortunately for Wilson 5'8" 165lb Logan Stankoven saw him do it and proceeded to put Wilson on his ass.

 

[notbias]

I have eyes and I watched the fight ? What do you think he was trying to do, tickle his opponent. Hey maybe he wasn't trying to hurt his opponent when he was throwing punches either, how do you know his motive! What if he was trying to scratch his jaw with his knuckles!

You claimed his motive was slamming the other guys head into the ice, seems like he was maybe trying to throw him to the ground and end the fight, like happens in 75% of fights.

I take it you've never trained or participated in combat sports, there's a reason why strikes to the back of the head are banned. Even getting your head slammed or whiplash like that on canvas or mats can cause serious damage and even death, ice is way more dangerous.

I have, and I am assuming much more than you, but appealing to authority is a dumb argument, so I won't continue down that path.

When they start regulating fights like they do in boxing, then we can discuss this pointless argument.

I didn't say it wasn't dangerous, but they are on blades, on ice, and swinging around in a circle.

It's a dumb play period and you don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure out when someone is trying to hurt someone else.

Speaking of combat sports, is the objective of wrestling in MMA to hurt the guy or to gain an advantage?

Seems weird to imply you are an expert in combat, and not be an expert in combat.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

This is... baby shit soft by comparison. What are you talking about? Guy took extra whacks in a blowout on a covered puck, he can eat one for his efforts. Him not being in the crease isn't exactly the point, he made a few extra efforts on a locked down puck in a game that didn't need it and got a shot in return for it. It's about stepping up for the goalie not protecting the actual blue paint and that shouldn't need to be explained to you.

It's not even in the same general ballpark as getting thrown to the ice with no control.

OK - let's be specific with the situation.

Walker followed up on his shot and gave ONE attempt at a puck that was loose and then quickly covered up by the goalie. Don't talk about 'baby soft shit' if you're so fragile you can't handle a player going after a loose puck because you're being blown out 5-1.

Walker was OUT of the crease and being engaged by TVR who started shoving him. The point of crease clearing is just that... clear the crease and protect your goalie. This wasn't needed because there wasn't a Canes player infringing on his space

So if we are looking at facts. Wilson strongly cross checks a guy in the numbers who is being engaged by another player when he isn't in any way a threat to his goalie.

Let's keep your feelings out of it and tell me what part of this isn't reality.

 

[Unsustainable]

Can confirm, Chatfield is a horrible player since when intends to injure someone, it fails to work. He's no where as good as Cooke was as a player who intended and succeeded at it.

 

[tarheelhockey]

What the f*** are you talking about? Where's this deliberate intent to injure?

It's always interesting to see you do mental gymnastics to allow for these stances even as they fly against your usual measured positions with a skew towards player safety. Something about this team or that player causes you to shed so much of your rational posting positions to the point that you're excusing the throw because you don't like being bullied by a player who wasn't even the one to get tossed.

Your official stance is "so what if he almost pounded a guy's skull into the ice, Tom Wilson" and you're happy with that? You're excusing something you claim to believe is wildly dangerous because someone else in the same jersey arguably did it, and you have a problem with one but not the other so f*** this guy?

Wildly inconsistent especially considering that the Rangers instigated that Wilson thing to begin with, so if there's no problem with letting someone "find out" you'd also be on Wilson's side of that argument but you're not.

I’m guessing you didn’t watch the game, based on the first line of that post.

To put it in a single sentence: if the Caps don’t respect the Canes’ safety, then there’s no reason the Canes should respect the Caps’ safety.

It’s as simple as that. Respect is a two-way street. Once it goes out the window on one side, there’s no onus on the other side to keep respecting.

And the league is doing **** all to stop this dynamic, so what’s even to argue about? As soon as this starts being against the rules, they’ll let us know. In the meantime, expect bad things to happen.

 

[Aphid]

I see no difference between this and when Chara purposefully checked Pacioretty in to the stanchion and got away with it as it was labelled a hockey play.

Both cases was using something in the area of play to attempt to injure your opponent under the guise of it just being an innocent play.

 

[AvroArrow]

You claimed his motive was slamming the other guys head into the ice, seems like he was maybe trying to throw him to the ground and end the fight, like happens in 75% of fights.



I have, and I am assuming much more than you, but appealing to authority is a dumb argument, so I won't continue down that path.

When they start regulating fights like they do in boxing, then we can discuss this pointless argument.

I didn't say it wasn't dangerous, but they are on blades, on ice, and swinging around in a circle.



Speaking of combat sports, is the objective of wrestling in MMA to hurt the guy or to gain an advantage?

Seems weird to imply you are an expert in combat, and not be an expert in combat.

Did you see him trying to do anything else ? If you actually participated in combat sports you'd know what happens when you're swinging someone like that with momentum. Which is hitting the other persons head on the ice.

Both, you can hurt the guy and get a physical advantage.

I'm not insinuating I'm some expert in combat sports, simply that you are completely clueless about combat sports as you've demonstrated once again.

"Hey guys how does swinging someone downward with momentum from the collar like that mean he's trying to hit his had?"

That was a full on judo type of momentum-swing, that results in only 1 thing, hitting your opponents head on the ice/ground. Get a grip man, what a complete joke of a post.

 

[PB37]

It's a dumb play period and you don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure out when someone is trying to hurt someone else.

It's a fight. They're all trying to hurt the other guy.

 

[qcal1427]

It's bush league and super dangerous ... but the rules on fighting are actually not very well defined/tested at all and the league should not levy supplemental discipline.

Wouldn't be surprised if it's quietly put out there through leaking things to Friedman or telling Chatfield/the Canes/both teams directly that if you do shit like that again it will get called.

 

[Number8]

Well, not covering the entire incident I see. Wilson took a run at Aho in mid-ice (would have been a head shot) that Aho barely missed and while swinging around he got Wilson in the legs. Wilson brought in on himself but of course for some of the fan base Wilson is a saint. lol

edit: AI comment is appropriate:

On April 2, 2025, Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals appeared to take a run at Sebastian Aho of the Carolina Hurricanes, with Aho declining to fight and Wilson seemingly throwing a tantrum.

Here's a more detailed breakdown of the situation:

• The Incident: Adam Gold on X reported that Tom Wilson wanted to fight Sebastian Aho, but Aho declined, and Wilson reacted with what seemed like a tantrum.
  
  
• Reaction on X: Carly Weaver Price on X commented that Wilson's feelings were hurt after missing his hit on Aho and that he was acting like more of a goon than usual.
  
  
• Other Reactions: Jank'n Stank on X noted that Wilson took a run at Aho and got hurt.

I'm no Tom Wilson fan. Not by any stretch. But AI distilling Carly Weaver Price and Jank'n Stanks viewpoints on this into some sort of valuable viewpoint of data aggregation is a real problem. Both appear to be making shit up.

Hey, Number 8 this cake you've made looks good, but it tastes like shit.

Well that makes sense, the ingredients are largely just a mix of different kinds of shit. It is a cake though.

 

[Sheppy]

I see no difference between this and when Chara purposefully checked Pacioretty in to the stanchion and got away with it as it was labelled a hockey play.

Both cases was using something in the area of play to attempt to injure your opponent under the guise of it just being an innocent play.

If you can't see the difference between these two things I don't really know what to tell you, lol.

 

[PB37]

Tom Wilson: " Someone is going to get hurt tonight!! "

Caps player gets tossed dangerously to the ice

" Hey! That could have hurt someone! "