Thoughts on Chatfield's Takedown Yesterday?

[caps4cup]

Actually McMichael forced him to - please show me any evidence Chatfield instigated or even wanted to fight? I'll wait patiently....

35 seconds in. McMichael hits him and is clearly skating away and Chatfield grabs/pulls his arm or stick. You are welcome.

 

[illicit]

Wilson has shown NO interest in going with Reaves after Reaves got ejected for the late hit on him a few years ago. You think Wilson lets that go if that was little Panarin or Stankhoven lighting him up that way with a blindside/late hit? Or even a moderately tough guy like Brendan Smith?

Wilson has fought both Reaves and Smith multiple times, you're trying to imply he's scared all of a sudden? The trade off is simply not worth it for the team, considering Reaves's teams are better off when he's in the box.

 

[nbwingsfan]

In pretty much every fight, someone tries to take down the other guy.

I expected way worse with some of the outrage I've seen.

Not like that they sure don’t. That was an MMA style takedown on ice where heads could have been smashed

 

[HTFN]

If you think it’s reasonable to cross check someone in the numbers and send them flying and not expect that to escalate physicality in the game then I don’t know what to tell you.

I’m not condoning what Chatfield did but it didn’t come out of nowhere.

You're completely re-framing my position and absolutely doing your best to muddy the waters here but let's use your same logic from Wilson's shoes: if you think it's reasonable to jam at the goalie in a 5-1 game and keep going until the whistle without someone sending you flying, I don't know what to tell you.

I don't care about "escalated physicality", nobody is talking about that but you and like two other people acting like the issue is that hockey players were fighting. Crease clearing and regular hockey business isn't in the same ballpark as hip tossing a guy and very nearly thunking his unprotected head off the ice. The obvious issue here is the difference between things we see frequently in the sport and things you hope to avoid seeing precisely because they're more dangerous than usual, which is exactly what the throw was.

Your inability to just say "Chatfield shouldn't do that again" without "adding context" suggests your entire reason for being here is to deflect. Just say it once for posterity without adding anything extra, that shouldn't be difficult if you don't condone it right?

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

It's a fight where neither knew what they were doing but the Washington player was looking for trouble and found it.

Boucher and Olcyzk made fools of themselves with their tantrums.

 

[PB37]

Wilson has fought both Reaves and Smith multiple times, you're trying to imply he's scared all of a sudden? The trade off is simply not worth it for the team, considering Reaves's teams are better off when he's in the box.

I don't think you're understanding the conversation.

 

[My3Sons]

Wilson has fought both Reaves and Smith multiple times, you're trying to imply he's scared all of a sudden? The trade off is simply not worth it for the team, considering Reaves's teams are better off when he's in the box.

I think on some level that's the way it's supposed to work though. Obviously Wilson isn't scared of anyone. But I think the idea is that if he has to fight a guy who can potentially work him over and who isn't as good as he is, the juice isn't worth the squeeze to get there. Wilson is a very talented player. He can play physically without going over the edge if he wants to. If he plays it straighter and doesn't fight the thug on the other team that's probably how it should play out.

 

[CarolinaBlueJacket]

What does any of this have to do with Lane Hutson???

 

[HTFN]

What does any of this have to do with Lane Hutson???

more than you could possibly imagine

 

[Liam Smith]

It's a fight where neither knew what they were doing but the Washington player was looking for trouble and found it.

Boucher and Olcyzk made fools of themselves with their tantrums.

The irony in you being the one defending this is hilarious lmaooo

 

[caps4cup]

It's a fight where neither knew what they were doing but the Washington player was looking for trouble and found it.

Boucher and Olcyzk made fools of themselves with their tantrums.

How was McMichael looking for trouble?

 

[Liam Smith]

For sure should have been a suspension. What does this say about UFC takedowns in fighting? Go for it?

 

[OversKy]

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

Wow that's filthy. Give him 3 games and a big fine.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Do you watch battles in front of the net, or along the boards? That happens multiple times every game.

I'm not saying it doesn't. Are you suggesting that engaging in these actions doesn't open up the game to an escalation in physical activity or is it more of a 'oh well he cross checked our guy into oblivion and the refs didn't do anything so I guess that's fine...'

 

[Il Stugotz]

So, for the record, the league has clarified that slamming your opponent to the ice during a fight is a legitimate tactic that won't be punished with any supplemental discipline.

 

[miscs75]

The Washington Capitals are extremely disappointed that Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield was not suspended for his horrifying act of violence last night at Lenovo Center. Chatfield is a repeat offender with a long history of these types of acts and we find it shocking that the NHL and their department of player safety failed to take the appropriate action and suspend him indefinitely. Chatfield’s dangerous and reckless actions caused an injury to Connor McMichael that will prevent him from playing again this season. We view this is a dereliction of duty by NHL head of player safety, George Parros, and believe he is unfit to continue in his current role.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

You're completely re-framing my position and absolutely doing your best to muddy the waters here but let's use your same logic from Wilson's shoes: if you think it's reasonable to jam at the goalie in a 5-1 game and keep going until the whistle without someone sending you flying, I don't know what to tell you.

I don't care about "escalated physicality", nobody is talking about that but you and like two other people acting like the issue is that hockey players were fighting. Crease clearing and regular hockey business isn't in the same ballpark as hip tossing a guy and very nearly thunking his unprotected head off the ice. The obvious issue here is the difference between things we see frequently in the sport and things you hope to avoid seeing precisely because they're more dangerous than usual, which is exactly what the throw was.

Your inability to just say "Chatfield shouldn't do that again" without "adding context" suggests your entire reason for being here is to deflect. Just say it once for posterity without adding anything extra, that shouldn't be difficult if you don't condone it right?

I've literally said he shouldn't have done it and that doesn't belong in the game.

The puck was loose after the initial shot so Walker went to the crease to follow up on that. Goalie covered up and he stopped. What action needs to happen beyond that? Just because it's 5-1 you don't stop playing hockey. Cross-checking the guy in the back into next year after the whistle isn't a hockey play either, it's a straight up penalty that doesn't deserve to be int he game either.

 

[HTFN]

I'm not saying it doesn't. Are you suggesting that engaging in these actions doesn't open up the game to an escalation in physical activity or is it more of a 'oh well he cross checked our guy into oblivion and the refs didn't do anything so I guess that's fine...'

Stop making this about "escalation of physical activity" and trying to explain why they fought. Everybody understands a chippy game.

Explain why this is more important to you than the throw.

 

[AvroArrow]

In pretty much every fight, someone tries to take down the other guy.

I expected way worse with some of the outrage I've seen.

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.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

So, for the record, the league has clarified that slamming your opponent to the ice during a fight is a legitimate tactic that won't be punished with any supplemental discipline.

This is what we have gleamed from when Wilson first did this to the Rangers years ago, so yes, they are being consistent here.

 

[HTFN]

I've literally said he shouldn't have done it and that doesn't belong in the game.

The puck was loose after the initial shot so Walker went to the crease to follow up on that. Goalie covered up and he stopped. What action needs to happen beyond that? Just because it's 5-1 you don't stop playing hockey. Cross-checking the guy in the back into next year after the whistle isn't a hockey play either, it's a straight up penalty that doesn't deserve to be int he game either.

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.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Stop making this about "escalation of physical activity" and trying to explain why they fought. Everybody understands a chippy game.

Explain why this is more important to you than the throw.

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.

 

[trellaine201]

WWE move if that’s still around.

 

[Sniper99]

i'm all for fighting in this sport and takedowns do happen all the time. But something like this should at least get 2 game suspension as a wake up call for how close players are getting to be seriously hurt when they have no helmets on in a fight. This isnt MMA enough with the judo takedowns. Either knock your opponent down or if youre done let the linesman/refs jump in and go sit down.

 

[HTFN]

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.

He wrenched him around in the spin to get that momentum too, it wasn't like they got tangled up. That was the full intent of the motion, to whip him to the ice and end the fight on top.