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Are some player and/or teams just incapable of figuring out the headshot rules?
Watching the Wings/Penguins game and cant help but think maybe 5 to 15 game suspensions aren't enough for some. The Pens should know this as well as anybody given recent events yet Daryl Engelland gets a 5 minute major and a match penalty for a pretty blatant headshot. Worse is the Pens are already down 4 of their top 5 defensemen and he still targets a head causing them to be yet another defender. Clearly he is facing a suspension now further hurting a team already in some issue with defensemen.
The question is how long do the suspensions have to be before guys start to understand this cant keep happening?
@Hanjie... Thornton is not a repeat offender, he got 15 largely because it was premediated and caused injury. Englelland IS a repeat offender and his intent was just as clear as Neals knee to the head. He intentionally turned into and raised his shoulder to target the head. There was so little doubt of intent the ref gave him a match penalty....that doesn't happen often even on many of the suspendable hits so make no mistake Engelland knew exactly what he was doing. I play the game and know what is and isn't avoidable and the speed excuse is poor at best, these guys can do amazing things with their body to get a scoring chance at high speed but cant avoid dirty hits? Control isn't a thing of convenience of situation. Not that I respect what Thornton did but at least he was remorseful (we can debate sincerity but he seemed genuine) while Neal showed such a complete lack of respect for another player and tried to insult the intelligence of the league and fans by claiming his
3 Answers
- 7 years agoFavorite Answer
It is weird isn't it? It's like the whole events of last weekend have triggered a frenzy. There was another one in the Winnipeg game this afternoon as well. Shanahan is earning his pay.
My first reaction is...whatever, not a huge loss but as you say, the Pens are down some D. Nonetheless they continue to keep on winning.
I think it is hard to make the suspensions harsher because precedent has been set...although Don Cherry had an idea tonight...tell all the players, this is a clean slate and the next guy that does it is going to be treated harshly, then they can't really whine by saying "well this guy only got this" because they knew.
Personally, I am not sure harsher penalties would change anything and there is no evidence to suggest it would and it is a fine line as you don't want them playing scared and lose their physicality....maybe they so have to play scared though.
Next headshot gets 20 games....a memo. They could try it. Cherry isn't always an idiot.
- 7 years ago
I think it because hockey is very fast and the players don't intend to hit on purpose.
Daryl Engelland is first offender he might just get 3.
that last weekend game pens at bruins that Thornton player was repeated offender that why he given 15 game suspensions because he purpose hit oprik more after oprik was already down.
- 7 years ago
It's curious at best, and I'd argue you could put David Clarkson in the "not getting it" camp (bad enough he got a 10-gamer for going over the boards in a preseason game, but got clipped another 2 for a bad hit).
I hate to say this, but take away a lineup spot (so teams could only dress 17 skaters) and I think you'd start to see changes. In the case of the Leafs it means Carlyle only dressed 1 or 2 facepunchers rather than 3 but it's a start.
You're right about Neal. If that's accidental then I'm anorexic with a full head of hair.
