There was a great article in Sporting News I want to call your attention to.
It talks about how inappropriate it was to insult Atlanta during the Jets first game. How Atlanta fans wouldn't know the name of the opposing goal tender and such. The Nasty Nest was famous for chanting the names of the referees, names not listed in the program or on their backs.
It's a good piece I'll hope you'll read. But I will stand by my earlier statement that Atlanta fans do not know the sport nearly as well as Winnipeggers do, so there will be more scrutiny about calls and plays that a novice fan (like many Atlantans were) would not notice or response appropriately.
Plus, if there is a lack of hockey knowledge, the article correctly points out it's not the fans fault so much as the ownership's. They are the ones that need to be putting the product out there and educating the people so they can get into the game and, from the owner's point of view, buy more tickets.
Think of food. When a new product comes out, you often see representatives of that product out there talking about it. Like Dominos did when they redid their pizza.
Continued here.
But Thrashers' owners did not do that. There was very little community events they participated in. They didn't advertise outside of a handful (less than 10) billboards, and they shared advertisement on some metro buses. They had commercials, but the only place I ever saw them was during Thrashers games.
How can you expect fans to just magically show up and spend maybe $100 a family for a night out when you don't tell them about your product and how awesome it is? This isn't Canada or New York or Philadelphia or Detroit or any of a number of markets where hockey is a tradition and advertisement isn't as necessary.
Sorry. Just wanted to share another great Dominos commerical. I do love their pizza and their commercials. The Braves and Boston Bruins need Dominos as a sponsor. Braves for me personally, and the Bruins because their Ice Girls are all about pizza. Seriously.
But do you remember that commerical where they put people in a field? One comedian does. And I have to admit, not the best commerical they've had.
This is how they did it. And I will add that the whole pizza recipe was changed, not just a new ad slogan. But point taken. And what's a little creepy is the fact that the comedian is kinda right. While going for a funny hypothesis for laughs (bag over her head), they truth is they actually took her and others to this place in a limo with blacked out windows.
Okay, so the field commerical fell flat with me and others. But they made up for it earlier this year with this:
I lost focus. What was I talking about?
Oh yeah.
Give Atlanta a break.
You got NHL hockey out of here which many see as a good thing. But don't throw salt in the wound of those of us remaining that miss our Thrashers. By throwing out insults, you're not increasing your viewer's knowledge or even making a witty observation. You're ignoring the true issues as to why the NHL failed in Atlanta under the Atlanta Spirit Group era.
TTFN
Monday, October 10, 2011
Canadiens Spoil Jets Opener with 5-1 Win over Winnipeg
The Canadiens were anything but gracious guests as they went on to rout the Jets in their first game in Winnipeg 5-1.
Here are game highlights. Notice that the background with the ice before the video starts playing still has the Philips Arena scoreboard in it. Weird.
It's the return of the Winnipeg Thrashers in so many way, but there are some other things that the Jets have that the Thrashers never did.
First of all, the fan support. At least for now. While it's easy to support a team on their first night, it will likely continue, at least for the first part of the season. That is something Atlanta fans didn't do. They really didn't come out to the games until November, December. Once college football season was over. The early season support could certainly help give the team a boost.
Unfortunately, the schedule makers have a tough opening road stretch for the Jets to start the season. 15 road games in October and November with 7 in a row. Including last night, there are just 9 home games in that same stretch. The Jets also have quite a number of back-to-back road games where they play one game one night and another game in another city the next. There are 10 series like that. Literally half of their road games are going to be played with the thought of trying to have guys ready for the game the next night, or having a tired team from playing the night before.
There are two massive home stretches, particularly in December. All games except two will be at home. That's 12 home games in one month. I'd say by the end of December, that's when we should know if the team is potentially playoff bound, because the games in 2012 are going to be rougher in regards to the schedule (minus the nice little 8 game homestand in late February, early March).
But the team needs to get back to new-Craig Ramsey style of play. Early 10-11 season Thrashers. That team knew how to handle puck and take shots. By late in the season, the Thrashers were back to being the Thrashers and that is what you saw last night in Winnipeg. A team that passes the puck around looking for the golden opportunity shot that rarely came. You also saw a lot of dumping the puck. I absolutely hate that because the team doesn't have the speed to do plays like that all the time and expect to get quality scoring chances.
The game on the ice last night was certainly the Thrashers in Jets uniforms. Dumping and chasing, with no chances. Taking too long setting up bad shots. They had a 5-3 powerplay for over a minute and didn't capitalize on it. They were sloppy with the puck, leading to at least the first two Canadien goals. That's Thrasher hockey.
The Jets really should have won that game. The Montreal defensive lines were off due to injury and shuffling. They were only playing with 3 of their regulars by the second period.
But, there is a silver lining. I've already mentioned the crowd support early on (which, Dear God I hope continues). But they have a Captain. A Captain that will be with the team for a few years. And that is something the Thrashers did not have, consistant team leadership on the ice. Once the Spirit took over, you had less of it off the ice too. But Winnipeg seems to have the tools in place for a run. It may not be this year, but it will be sooner than if they had stuck around in Atlanta under the same style of ownership with ASG.
Beyond the ownership, there was something on the ice I did like that Atlanta didn't do consistantly enough. They put a guy in the slot more times than Atlanta ever did. Hell, that's how Antropov scored the first Jets goal was by being front of the net. Screen the tender, be there for a loose puck, add some pressure deep in the zone. These are things I see starting to happen with this team that did not happen enough in Atlanta.
The city is also a hockey city. I have to think that will be a benefit to them in the end. Atlanta fans really didn't know the sport (for the most part). They just wanted fights and goals. But the mechanics, the basics, the penalties that should be penalties and those that are called but truly aren't, those are things Winnipeg fans know much better and so those are things the Jets will be held much more accountable for than the Thrashers ever were. Atlanta fans would boo a penalty no matter what. But Winnipeg fans seem to know when they committed one and just sorta take it if called.
Move past the first game. There were a lot of nerves against a storied opponent used to playing in these types of games (Winter Classic, Heritage Game, every Montreal home game). Stop dumping the puck, put the puck on net, keep that guy in the slot. Do this.
The Jets need to unleash the fury.
Here are game highlights. Notice that the background with the ice before the video starts playing still has the Philips Arena scoreboard in it. Weird.
It's the return of the Winnipeg Thrashers in so many way, but there are some other things that the Jets have that the Thrashers never did.
First of all, the fan support. At least for now. While it's easy to support a team on their first night, it will likely continue, at least for the first part of the season. That is something Atlanta fans didn't do. They really didn't come out to the games until November, December. Once college football season was over. The early season support could certainly help give the team a boost.
Unfortunately, the schedule makers have a tough opening road stretch for the Jets to start the season. 15 road games in October and November with 7 in a row. Including last night, there are just 9 home games in that same stretch. The Jets also have quite a number of back-to-back road games where they play one game one night and another game in another city the next. There are 10 series like that. Literally half of their road games are going to be played with the thought of trying to have guys ready for the game the next night, or having a tired team from playing the night before.
There are two massive home stretches, particularly in December. All games except two will be at home. That's 12 home games in one month. I'd say by the end of December, that's when we should know if the team is potentially playoff bound, because the games in 2012 are going to be rougher in regards to the schedule (minus the nice little 8 game homestand in late February, early March).
But the team needs to get back to new-Craig Ramsey style of play. Early 10-11 season Thrashers. That team knew how to handle puck and take shots. By late in the season, the Thrashers were back to being the Thrashers and that is what you saw last night in Winnipeg. A team that passes the puck around looking for the golden opportunity shot that rarely came. You also saw a lot of dumping the puck. I absolutely hate that because the team doesn't have the speed to do plays like that all the time and expect to get quality scoring chances.
The game on the ice last night was certainly the Thrashers in Jets uniforms. Dumping and chasing, with no chances. Taking too long setting up bad shots. They had a 5-3 powerplay for over a minute and didn't capitalize on it. They were sloppy with the puck, leading to at least the first two Canadien goals. That's Thrasher hockey.
The Jets really should have won that game. The Montreal defensive lines were off due to injury and shuffling. They were only playing with 3 of their regulars by the second period.
But, there is a silver lining. I've already mentioned the crowd support early on (which, Dear God I hope continues). But they have a Captain. A Captain that will be with the team for a few years. And that is something the Thrashers did not have, consistant team leadership on the ice. Once the Spirit took over, you had less of it off the ice too. But Winnipeg seems to have the tools in place for a run. It may not be this year, but it will be sooner than if they had stuck around in Atlanta under the same style of ownership with ASG.
Beyond the ownership, there was something on the ice I did like that Atlanta didn't do consistantly enough. They put a guy in the slot more times than Atlanta ever did. Hell, that's how Antropov scored the first Jets goal was by being front of the net. Screen the tender, be there for a loose puck, add some pressure deep in the zone. These are things I see starting to happen with this team that did not happen enough in Atlanta.
The city is also a hockey city. I have to think that will be a benefit to them in the end. Atlanta fans really didn't know the sport (for the most part). They just wanted fights and goals. But the mechanics, the basics, the penalties that should be penalties and those that are called but truly aren't, those are things Winnipeg fans know much better and so those are things the Jets will be held much more accountable for than the Thrashers ever were. Atlanta fans would boo a penalty no matter what. But Winnipeg fans seem to know when they committed one and just sorta take it if called.
Move past the first game. There were a lot of nerves against a storied opponent used to playing in these types of games (Winter Classic, Heritage Game, every Montreal home game). Stop dumping the puck, put the puck on net, keep that guy in the slot. Do this.
The Jets need to unleash the fury.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Jets Make Last Minute Roster Move, Add Mick E. Moose
Mick E. Moose was recalled from the AHL today to be a part of the Jets final roster.
Wait, what?
Who is Mick E. Moose?
The former mascot for the Manitoba Moose and now Jets mascot. The following is the article from the Jets.
Mick E. has spent the past 15 seasons with the Manitoba Moose of the International and American Hockey Leagues, entertaining kids and adults alike at Moose games and community events.
“We explored dozens of mascot concepts and drawings,” said Norva Riddell, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Ultimately, the fact that Mick E. Moose seemed to connect and resonate with so many of our young fans over the past 15 seasons kept bringing us back to our history and the possibility of retaining him as our mascot.”
Mick E. Moose, a fan favourite, has averaged over 100 community appearances per season for the past 15 years in Winnipeg and rural Manitoba. Slight modifications to the costume have been made this summer by Mascots International, including a new vintage leather aviator helmet.
True North Sports & Entertainment looks forward to having Mick E. Moose continue his tradition of cheering on the home team and entertaining Winnipeg hockey fans.
Mick E. Moose, the new mascot of the Winnipeg Jets, will have a mascot zone at all Winnipeg Jets home games, presented by Recycle Everywhere. --
Let's take a quick look at the moose in action. Check out the video where he's taunting the other team's goalie.
I was wondering if Winnipeg would have a mascot. Some club do not have a mascot, including the Flyers, the Rangers, Oilers, Red Wings and Stars. Here's a shot of everyone at the All Star Game in Atlanta.
That doesn't include the newest mascots including Bernie of the Avalanche and Nordy of the Wild.
I'm a much bigger fan of the yeti mascot Colorado had before the dog, Howler.
Mascots in the NHL have unique stories, at least many of them.
Youppi! (of the Montreal Canadiens) actually switched sports. But I'll let you watch the documentary yourself. It even got a narrator with a thick French accent. Awesome.
The Red Wings arguably do have a mascot, though he only appear in the postseason. It is a giant inflatable octopus named Al.
For more on Al and octopi in Detriot, check this out. There's also pictures of other things thrown on the ice at other arenas. Interesting to say the least.
Harvey the Hound in Calgary was the first NHL mascot when he came on the scene in 1983.
He once famously had his tongue ripped out by the Oilers Head Coach Craig MacTavishin.
Man bites dog.
But that's nothing compared to Iceburgh. He starred in a movie. I've already covered that too in a previous Ice Girls post. Spoiler alert: there's a video on that post where he dies a dramatic death.
The Blue Jackets actually have two mascots. One is an ugly bee (an ugly green bee for the BLUE jackets) and the other is a canon. They have an actual cannon they shoot for goals and wins, but I'm talking about a mascot, walking around cannon.
Why a green bee? I mean, the Blue Jackets is a Civil War term used for some Ohio groups. It's a fighting battalion (hence the cannon). So why make your mascot a GREEN bee? It's not like the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, named after a bug called yellow jackets, so their mascot is a yellow jacket (coincidently, his main color is yellow)
It seems to me if you are making up an animal for your mascot and your team is called the Blue Jackets, you'd make the gorram mascot blue.
Fail.
As a side note, who can't love Buzz as a mascot?
Unless...
Oh yeah. I guess he's not a Buzz fan. And while I'm not a bulldog fan (more of a ramblin' wreck guy), I will say that Georgia produced one of the greatest mascot moments ever.
That's not an optical illusion or an ackward moment caught in a photo that just looks like the dog lunging at the player and the player backing up. The video is more telling.
That's Uga taking a nip at an Auburn player. A 1996 game where Auburn scores, Robert Baker runs right at the dog and instead of backing down, the dog attempts to bite him.
Back to the NHL.
Now, why do the Islanders have a dragon named Sparky for a mascot? Well, it's because that mascot pulled double duty and was also the mascot for the New York Dragons Arena Football team until 2009.
So what is the Carolina Hurricanes mascot?
Let's ask some of Stormy's best friends, the Storm Squad (cheerleaders for the Carolina Hurricanes).
Good job girls. Very helpful.
And yes. That last guy is Mike and he is a full member of the Storm Squad.
And he's apparently the only one on the team who looked at Stormy's webpage.
Thrashers mascot Thrash was once arrested for stealing a zamboni.
Thrash also had the best looking security detail with him.
And he always let the oppossing team know how he felt.
Okay, Thrash. Let's focus and get back to talking about other notable mascot incidents or traits.
Focus! Let's get back on topic...
Gnash of the Predators scales buildings. That is mighty impressive. You can barely see him in the picture, but he's there.
Fin is famous for biting people in his pictures up in Vancouver. He's the official mascot, though the Green Men might be more popular.
Bailey, the mascot for the Kings, was named in honor of the late Garnet “Ace” Bailey who served as the Los Angeles Kings' Director of Pro Scouting for seven years before dying in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
N.J. Devil has one of the best ESPN commercials ever.
S.J. Sharkie was once caught in a rope during a repell onto the ice in 1999 where he delayed the game for 20 minutes until he could be hoisted up to a catwalk. You can see part of the interview he gave to the Daily Show back in 1999 with a young Jon Stewart.
Dangling above the ice is still not as bad as what happened to Wildwing, mascot for the then Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. The fowl actually caught on fire during his introduction. He attempted to jump over a wall of fire. And that didn't go so well.
So, as you can see, Mr. Moose joins a roster of likeable and memorable mascots including Sabretooth (BUF), Louie (STL), Thunderbug (TBL), Tommy Hawk (CHI), Slapshot (WSH), Howler (PHX), Carlton the Bear (TOR), Spartacat (OTT), Stanley C. Panther (FLA), and Blades (BOS).
Good luck Mick!
I hope he's ready for his NHL debute along with the rest of the Jets tomorrow afternoon. And may your intro go better than that Duck's.
Wait, what?
Who is Mick E. Moose?
The former mascot for the Manitoba Moose and now Jets mascot. The following is the article from the Jets.
Mick E. has spent the past 15 seasons with the Manitoba Moose of the International and American Hockey Leagues, entertaining kids and adults alike at Moose games and community events.
“We explored dozens of mascot concepts and drawings,” said Norva Riddell, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Ultimately, the fact that Mick E. Moose seemed to connect and resonate with so many of our young fans over the past 15 seasons kept bringing us back to our history and the possibility of retaining him as our mascot.”
Mick E. Moose, a fan favourite, has averaged over 100 community appearances per season for the past 15 years in Winnipeg and rural Manitoba. Slight modifications to the costume have been made this summer by Mascots International, including a new vintage leather aviator helmet.
True North Sports & Entertainment looks forward to having Mick E. Moose continue his tradition of cheering on the home team and entertaining Winnipeg hockey fans.
Mick E. Moose, the new mascot of the Winnipeg Jets, will have a mascot zone at all Winnipeg Jets home games, presented by Recycle Everywhere. --
Let's take a quick look at the moose in action. Check out the video where he's taunting the other team's goalie.
I was wondering if Winnipeg would have a mascot. Some club do not have a mascot, including the Flyers, the Rangers, Oilers, Red Wings and Stars. Here's a shot of everyone at the All Star Game in Atlanta.
That doesn't include the newest mascots including Bernie of the Avalanche and Nordy of the Wild.
I'm a much bigger fan of the yeti mascot Colorado had before the dog, Howler.
Mascots in the NHL have unique stories, at least many of them.
Youppi! (of the Montreal Canadiens) actually switched sports. But I'll let you watch the documentary yourself. It even got a narrator with a thick French accent. Awesome.
The Red Wings arguably do have a mascot, though he only appear in the postseason. It is a giant inflatable octopus named Al.
For more on Al and octopi in Detriot, check this out. There's also pictures of other things thrown on the ice at other arenas. Interesting to say the least.
Harvey the Hound in Calgary was the first NHL mascot when he came on the scene in 1983.
He once famously had his tongue ripped out by the Oilers Head Coach Craig MacTavishin.
Man bites dog.
But that's nothing compared to Iceburgh. He starred in a movie. I've already covered that too in a previous Ice Girls post. Spoiler alert: there's a video on that post where he dies a dramatic death.
The Blue Jackets actually have two mascots. One is an ugly bee (an ugly green bee for the BLUE jackets) and the other is a canon. They have an actual cannon they shoot for goals and wins, but I'm talking about a mascot, walking around cannon.
Why a green bee? I mean, the Blue Jackets is a Civil War term used for some Ohio groups. It's a fighting battalion (hence the cannon). So why make your mascot a GREEN bee? It's not like the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, named after a bug called yellow jackets, so their mascot is a yellow jacket (coincidently, his main color is yellow)
It seems to me if you are making up an animal for your mascot and your team is called the Blue Jackets, you'd make the gorram mascot blue.
Fail.
As a side note, who can't love Buzz as a mascot?
Unless...
Oh yeah. I guess he's not a Buzz fan. And while I'm not a bulldog fan (more of a ramblin' wreck guy), I will say that Georgia produced one of the greatest mascot moments ever.
That's not an optical illusion or an ackward moment caught in a photo that just looks like the dog lunging at the player and the player backing up. The video is more telling.
That's Uga taking a nip at an Auburn player. A 1996 game where Auburn scores, Robert Baker runs right at the dog and instead of backing down, the dog attempts to bite him.
Back to the NHL.
Now, why do the Islanders have a dragon named Sparky for a mascot? Well, it's because that mascot pulled double duty and was also the mascot for the New York Dragons Arena Football team until 2009.
So what is the Carolina Hurricanes mascot?
Let's ask some of Stormy's best friends, the Storm Squad (cheerleaders for the Carolina Hurricanes).
Good job girls. Very helpful.
And yes. That last guy is Mike and he is a full member of the Storm Squad.
And he's apparently the only one on the team who looked at Stormy's webpage.
Thrashers mascot Thrash was once arrested for stealing a zamboni.
Thrash also had the best looking security detail with him.
And he always let the oppossing team know how he felt.
Okay, Thrash. Let's focus and get back to talking about other notable mascot incidents or traits.
Focus! Let's get back on topic...
Gnash of the Predators scales buildings. That is mighty impressive. You can barely see him in the picture, but he's there.
Fin is famous for biting people in his pictures up in Vancouver. He's the official mascot, though the Green Men might be more popular.
Bailey, the mascot for the Kings, was named in honor of the late Garnet “Ace” Bailey who served as the Los Angeles Kings' Director of Pro Scouting for seven years before dying in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
N.J. Devil has one of the best ESPN commercials ever.
S.J. Sharkie was once caught in a rope during a repell onto the ice in 1999 where he delayed the game for 20 minutes until he could be hoisted up to a catwalk. You can see part of the interview he gave to the Daily Show back in 1999 with a young Jon Stewart.
Dangling above the ice is still not as bad as what happened to Wildwing, mascot for the then Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. The fowl actually caught on fire during his introduction. He attempted to jump over a wall of fire. And that didn't go so well.
So, as you can see, Mr. Moose joins a roster of likeable and memorable mascots including Sabretooth (BUF), Louie (STL), Thunderbug (TBL), Tommy Hawk (CHI), Slapshot (WSH), Howler (PHX), Carlton the Bear (TOR), Spartacat (OTT), Stanley C. Panther (FLA), and Blades (BOS).
Good luck Mick!
I hope he's ready for his NHL debute along with the rest of the Jets tomorrow afternoon. And may your intro go better than that Duck's.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Kings and Rangers in Stockholm, Boarding Fine Assessed
The Kings and Rangers begin their season in Stockholm today with a OT win for Los Angeles while the Ducks faced off against the Sabres in Helsinki. Buffalo sailed to an easy 4-1 win. Other games today included the Lightning over the Hurricanes, Detroit over Ottawa, Nashville beating Columbus, and a Stars win against the Blackhawks.
I watched the Kings/Rangers game on Versus and had a few thoughts.
There was a penalty in the first as Mats Zuccarello (NYR) was called for boarding on Kyle Clifford (LAK).
The hit looks like the kind the NHL is trying to eliminate. The hit was from behind, though it didn't throw Clifford into the boards in a really really violent way. In fact, the hit was somewhat away from the boards, but the momenteum of the two players send him into the boards nonetheless. It was more of a hard shove from behind than a vicious hit against the boards.
So, will he get a suspension?
The commentators on Versus in this intermission report were about the drop the gloves themselves about this issue. Keith is saying it absolutely will result in further discipline. The other is, to quote him, "pissed off" about the way the NHL is becoming a bunch of wimps that won't hit.
His rebutal? The Kings' Simon Gagne roughing call on Ryan Callahan where Gagne took a swing and connected with Callahan in the side of the head. The two were face to face. Really? That's your counter argument? Saying that a punch during an argument is the same thing as pushing a player into the boards when he's not expecting a hit?
Weak argument.
There was no suspensions for the boarding call, but a 2,500 fine was assessed. There was no injury on the play. There wasn't an apparent attend to injure or anything. But it was a recklass play that could easily result in injury to a defenseless player.
I thought it looked like a boarding that the League was trying to eliminate when it happened, but it took until the first intermission for the commentators to start talking about possible second disciplinary action from the League. This indicates it wasn't one of those types of hits that demands action or response from the Shanahan, but should probably be examined further. It's been said before, but the League is trying to condition the players not to make plays like that. If you can only read his numbers and name, don't hit him. It would not have been surprising to get a video response, but I think the videos in the preseason and the lack of injury or obviousness of the boarding call left the NHL to decide a video response was not necessary.
Yeah, there will be a lot of these type of penalities, fines, and suspensions early on. That's the point. Players will have to learn not to do it and it will take time to relearn what they have learned. This is the first one with just a fine, and there is no video explanation to go with it. Hell, the commentators couldn't agree if it needed additional discipline or not nor did they say anything at the time of the hit, so I don't think the NHL thought an explanation video was necessary for just a fine. This is not like the hit Malone delivered. That got a lot of talk at the time and it required an explanation to show why there was no suspension or fine because it looked so close to the type of hits they are trying to remove from the game.
Hits will still be a big part of NHL hockey. That will not go away. But the sport must evolve to protect the players, otherwise it is just barbaric and irresponsible, especially given what we know about concussions today.
The change isn't that hits are being removed from the game (like one commentator suggested), but dangerous hits that are likely to result in injury (unexpected hits from behind against the boards and hits to the head) are being removed. The argument used comparing the Gagne hit and the Zuccarello hit are not the same type of play and shouldn't be used as direct comparisons. Both are certainly a penalty (you can't just punch a guy in the head, go sit down for two minutes), but an attack on a player's back as he goes towards the boards is dangerous and much more likely to result in serious injury.
My counter to the suggestion that eliminating blindside or head hits will eliminate hits altogether?
Jamie Benn.
In the Dallas game, Benn delivered an incredible hit on the Blackhawks' Niklas Hjalmarsson.
That was not a penalty. There's no talk of possible fines or suspensions. Nope. Just a hockey play.
Really the only thing wrong with that play is it put the Dallas Stars Ice Girls in danger of flying glass. And that's wrong.
A couple of other notes: the ice there in Stockholm is 3 feet shorter than NHL ice. That was taken out of the neutral zone and not the attack zones.
For whatever reason, I'm thinking about the jerseys right now. Actually, I'm thinking about it because of my disappointment with those Kings black and white jerseys. I want purple back on the sweaters! I know, I know. They are being used as an alternate, but it should be on the primary.
Anyway, I really started paying attention to the NHL right around the time the jerseys switched from white homes to dark homes. That switch happened in the offseason of 2003. The reason was the NHL wanted to make more money by introducing the third jerseys. And they thought that fans would not purchase jerseys that the home team didn't wear.
Well, I think in this day and age of exposure, I think that the NHL should allow teams to decide what they want to wear at home and it will not effect jersey sales. Home, white, thirds. Whatever. Keep the current system of requiring a minimum use of jerseys (13 is the current requirement, with some exceptions) to help ensure teams actual use the jerseys they advertise as being part of the team collection. That gives teams the option of wearing what they want to wear. Like they do in the NFL.
If that doesn't fly, I would switch back to home in whites. Because if you go to a lot of games, it's a little boring because it's always the home team in a color and the away in white. With a white home team, there would be a rotating pallette of colors coming into the arena, even without any thirds.
The NHL appears to be loosing up their restrictions on jersey colors. If you look at the third jersey schedules this season, some of the dark thirds will be worn on the road. I'd assume that means the home team will wear white.
Speaking of white jerseys, the Washington Capitals actual have a white third jersey and will only wear it on the road. It flies in the face of the NHL argument. A third jersey, white, never at home. That defies logic.
The other argument for having the away always wearing white is because it makes it easier for teams to travel. They can go with just one type of uniform and not have to worry about changing things. But how much more luggage would be created if teams needed to carry two (or even three) different jersey combinations?
The only things that change are the jerseys, the socks, and the helmets. Pants and gloves are generally the same for home and aways and everything else is covered by the uniform. Goalies sometimes change pad colors, so that would be a bit more. But considering most teams travel on a team plane with team buses and such, I just don't think it would be a really big deal. What, an extra package for the additional goalie gear and maybe another bag for helmets? Doesn't seem that big of a deal to me.
We shall see what happens as the sport evolves its looks, which really starts this season. There have been some teams that have worn white at home on select nights (like Montreal during their 100 Year Centennial Celebration), but there are significantly more teams doing it this year.
Finally, I'll wrap up with a video of highlights from 10/7.
I watched the Kings/Rangers game on Versus and had a few thoughts.
There was a penalty in the first as Mats Zuccarello (NYR) was called for boarding on Kyle Clifford (LAK).
The hit looks like the kind the NHL is trying to eliminate. The hit was from behind, though it didn't throw Clifford into the boards in a really really violent way. In fact, the hit was somewhat away from the boards, but the momenteum of the two players send him into the boards nonetheless. It was more of a hard shove from behind than a vicious hit against the boards.
So, will he get a suspension?
The commentators on Versus in this intermission report were about the drop the gloves themselves about this issue. Keith is saying it absolutely will result in further discipline. The other is, to quote him, "pissed off" about the way the NHL is becoming a bunch of wimps that won't hit.
His rebutal? The Kings' Simon Gagne roughing call on Ryan Callahan where Gagne took a swing and connected with Callahan in the side of the head. The two were face to face. Really? That's your counter argument? Saying that a punch during an argument is the same thing as pushing a player into the boards when he's not expecting a hit?
Weak argument.
There was no suspensions for the boarding call, but a 2,500 fine was assessed. There was no injury on the play. There wasn't an apparent attend to injure or anything. But it was a recklass play that could easily result in injury to a defenseless player.
I thought it looked like a boarding that the League was trying to eliminate when it happened, but it took until the first intermission for the commentators to start talking about possible second disciplinary action from the League. This indicates it wasn't one of those types of hits that demands action or response from the Shanahan, but should probably be examined further. It's been said before, but the League is trying to condition the players not to make plays like that. If you can only read his numbers and name, don't hit him. It would not have been surprising to get a video response, but I think the videos in the preseason and the lack of injury or obviousness of the boarding call left the NHL to decide a video response was not necessary.
Yeah, there will be a lot of these type of penalities, fines, and suspensions early on. That's the point. Players will have to learn not to do it and it will take time to relearn what they have learned. This is the first one with just a fine, and there is no video explanation to go with it. Hell, the commentators couldn't agree if it needed additional discipline or not nor did they say anything at the time of the hit, so I don't think the NHL thought an explanation video was necessary for just a fine. This is not like the hit Malone delivered. That got a lot of talk at the time and it required an explanation to show why there was no suspension or fine because it looked so close to the type of hits they are trying to remove from the game.
Hits will still be a big part of NHL hockey. That will not go away. But the sport must evolve to protect the players, otherwise it is just barbaric and irresponsible, especially given what we know about concussions today.
The change isn't that hits are being removed from the game (like one commentator suggested), but dangerous hits that are likely to result in injury (unexpected hits from behind against the boards and hits to the head) are being removed. The argument used comparing the Gagne hit and the Zuccarello hit are not the same type of play and shouldn't be used as direct comparisons. Both are certainly a penalty (you can't just punch a guy in the head, go sit down for two minutes), but an attack on a player's back as he goes towards the boards is dangerous and much more likely to result in serious injury.
My counter to the suggestion that eliminating blindside or head hits will eliminate hits altogether?
Jamie Benn.
In the Dallas game, Benn delivered an incredible hit on the Blackhawks' Niklas Hjalmarsson.
That was not a penalty. There's no talk of possible fines or suspensions. Nope. Just a hockey play.
Really the only thing wrong with that play is it put the Dallas Stars Ice Girls in danger of flying glass. And that's wrong.
A couple of other notes: the ice there in Stockholm is 3 feet shorter than NHL ice. That was taken out of the neutral zone and not the attack zones.
For whatever reason, I'm thinking about the jerseys right now. Actually, I'm thinking about it because of my disappointment with those Kings black and white jerseys. I want purple back on the sweaters! I know, I know. They are being used as an alternate, but it should be on the primary.
Anyway, I really started paying attention to the NHL right around the time the jerseys switched from white homes to dark homes. That switch happened in the offseason of 2003. The reason was the NHL wanted to make more money by introducing the third jerseys. And they thought that fans would not purchase jerseys that the home team didn't wear.
Well, I think in this day and age of exposure, I think that the NHL should allow teams to decide what they want to wear at home and it will not effect jersey sales. Home, white, thirds. Whatever. Keep the current system of requiring a minimum use of jerseys (13 is the current requirement, with some exceptions) to help ensure teams actual use the jerseys they advertise as being part of the team collection. That gives teams the option of wearing what they want to wear. Like they do in the NFL.
If that doesn't fly, I would switch back to home in whites. Because if you go to a lot of games, it's a little boring because it's always the home team in a color and the away in white. With a white home team, there would be a rotating pallette of colors coming into the arena, even without any thirds.
The NHL appears to be loosing up their restrictions on jersey colors. If you look at the third jersey schedules this season, some of the dark thirds will be worn on the road. I'd assume that means the home team will wear white.
Speaking of white jerseys, the Washington Capitals actual have a white third jersey and will only wear it on the road. It flies in the face of the NHL argument. A third jersey, white, never at home. That defies logic.
The other argument for having the away always wearing white is because it makes it easier for teams to travel. They can go with just one type of uniform and not have to worry about changing things. But how much more luggage would be created if teams needed to carry two (or even three) different jersey combinations?
The only things that change are the jerseys, the socks, and the helmets. Pants and gloves are generally the same for home and aways and everything else is covered by the uniform. Goalies sometimes change pad colors, so that would be a bit more. But considering most teams travel on a team plane with team buses and such, I just don't think it would be a really big deal. What, an extra package for the additional goalie gear and maybe another bag for helmets? Doesn't seem that big of a deal to me.
We shall see what happens as the sport evolves its looks, which really starts this season. There have been some teams that have worn white at home on select nights (like Montreal during their 100 Year Centennial Celebration), but there are significantly more teams doing it this year.
Finally, I'll wrap up with a video of highlights from 10/7.
Proceeding with the Countdown
Click here for today's honorable mention ice crew as we count down to the Winnipeg Jets opening night.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Opening Night Wrap Up
Philadelphia kinda ruined the celebration in Boston. Vancouver had an iffy goal waved off. Toronto shuts out the Canadiens.
I'm sitting here watching the Vancouver/Pittsburgh game and I'm reminded how awesome hockey is. One big reason is the balance of human judgement and technology that has been in place for a while. The video replay assist. Another reason is the willingness to change things during the offseason.
I've discussed the rule changes and the videos explaining the suspensions. The needed suspensions. But there are other changes I'm seeing that I haven't mentioned on this blog yet but are certainly worth noting.
First, the rounded glass around the benches. After the serious hit by Chara last year, a change was certainly needed. So now, the glass is rounded where it once was a perpendicular hard edge.
(Vancouver just tied it in the 3rd)
The safety issues addressed in rule changes and in rink design helps show the immediate evolution this sport is capable of.
Another change that I was extrodinarily worried about was the new numbers on the helmets. Skater helmets will now have to have a number on the front/top part of the helmet. Goalies will not have to have the number.
I was concerned for the aestitics aspect of the number. But watching it on television, it's not that distracting. Not even noticable really. I don't know why they thought it was necessary. You already have a nameplate on the back, the big number on the back, and now every team has numbers on both sleeves (almost all had them before, except Atlanta only had them on one sleeve since ATLANTA ran down the other).
As I'm watching NHL regular season action again, I'm reminded of some rules I don't like. Icing and the no-play trapezoid. Stupid rules. Well, the trap is in all aspects. Icing has its place, but I think the NHL should adopt the international rules of no-touch. I just don't think there have been all that many scoring chances created by the offense which is why it was created. A chance to dump the puck and catch up to it. I'd argue that more scring opportunities have been missed because the tender is stuck not being able to go and grab the puck behind his net and pass it up ice. My argument for no touch icing is essentially the same thing.
I briefly mentioned the replay system and I'll go back to that. I really like how every possible scoring play is reviewed in the booth. No need for a flag. No challenge. And, if the replay official is still not sure, he can call the War Room in Toronto for help. That's awesome.
It is different than the new NFL rules where scoring plays CAN be reviewed by the video assistant. Not will be, like the NHL, but can be. That makes no sense whatsoever. A coach could challenge a play where the player may have not put two feet in bounds a play earlier for a three yard gain but cannot ask for a second look with 6 points on the line.
That doesn't make sense to me at all.
This is a great game by the way. The Vancouver Pittsburgh game. Lots of almost scores. Trickling pucks galore this third period. Which just ended, heading to OT.
Exciting!
Speaking of replay, that was used earlier this game. A possible goal by Vancouver was not allowed because replay failed to show the puck going all the way over the line. It was in the glove of Fleury (who deserves a star for this game by the way) and the glove went over the line. If it was conclusive that the puck itself went over the line, regardless of whether or not it was in the glove, it's a goal.
Here's the replay.
Let's look at some other highlights from around the NHL this opening night while this game in Vancouver wraps up. Oh, before I move on, Vancouver is wearing stickers on their helmets for Rick Rypien this year. He played games for the Canucks and also for the Moose in Manitoba where the Jets now play. The Jets are also wearing Rypien memorial stickers.
First, the Bruins raised the banner with Lord Stanley's Cup in attendance.
Like I said, Philadelphia ruined the party with a 2-1 win over Boston. Ilya Bryzgalov stopped 22 shots. The Flyers penalty kill appeared to be the big difference maker though.
Here's the highlights.
Vancouver and Pittsburgh are going to the shootout, btw. And Malkin just held onto the puck for about 3 1/2 minutes to win in the shootout, going top shelf over Luango who was laying down on his stomach. Pittsburgh wins.
The game I was more interested in was Toronto and Montreal.
I hope the video is working better. At this moment, this isn't looking good.
Nor did the Canadiens powerplay unit. They not only allowed in a shorthanded goal, but failed to score on 5 attempts. That goal was scored by Matthew Lombardi who played in his first NHL game since last October 13 where he suffered a concussion and neck injury.
The Canadiens said they were rattled by the early score and never recovered. That could indicate they aren't clicking just yet. And going into Winnipeg on Sunday, they have quite a hill to climb if they are at all stumbling. Granted, the Jets have yet to play a game this season, so Montreal does have an advantage there.
Still, you have to give the advantage to Winnipeg. Maybe it's wishful thinking. But the Canadiens failed to score in the game with 14 shots in the first period alone and 32 total. The Leafs only had 18 shots. Total. And they scored on 2 of them. Price didn't appear to have his stuff.
That should be quite a game on Sunday. I cannot wait.
Here's a recap of the game in Vancouver.
Fluery did not get a star, but two Canucks did? Hmmmm...
Well, I didn't see the goal Fluery kicked into his own net. I guess that does kinda eliminate him from a star selection. And Vancouver did dominate much of the game. They just couldn't put the puck in the net themselves.
Here's the highlights.
Out.
I'm sitting here watching the Vancouver/Pittsburgh game and I'm reminded how awesome hockey is. One big reason is the balance of human judgement and technology that has been in place for a while. The video replay assist. Another reason is the willingness to change things during the offseason.
I've discussed the rule changes and the videos explaining the suspensions. The needed suspensions. But there are other changes I'm seeing that I haven't mentioned on this blog yet but are certainly worth noting.
First, the rounded glass around the benches. After the serious hit by Chara last year, a change was certainly needed. So now, the glass is rounded where it once was a perpendicular hard edge.
(Vancouver just tied it in the 3rd)
The safety issues addressed in rule changes and in rink design helps show the immediate evolution this sport is capable of.
Another change that I was extrodinarily worried about was the new numbers on the helmets. Skater helmets will now have to have a number on the front/top part of the helmet. Goalies will not have to have the number.
I was concerned for the aestitics aspect of the number. But watching it on television, it's not that distracting. Not even noticable really. I don't know why they thought it was necessary. You already have a nameplate on the back, the big number on the back, and now every team has numbers on both sleeves (almost all had them before, except Atlanta only had them on one sleeve since ATLANTA ran down the other).
As I'm watching NHL regular season action again, I'm reminded of some rules I don't like. Icing and the no-play trapezoid. Stupid rules. Well, the trap is in all aspects. Icing has its place, but I think the NHL should adopt the international rules of no-touch. I just don't think there have been all that many scoring chances created by the offense which is why it was created. A chance to dump the puck and catch up to it. I'd argue that more scring opportunities have been missed because the tender is stuck not being able to go and grab the puck behind his net and pass it up ice. My argument for no touch icing is essentially the same thing.
I briefly mentioned the replay system and I'll go back to that. I really like how every possible scoring play is reviewed in the booth. No need for a flag. No challenge. And, if the replay official is still not sure, he can call the War Room in Toronto for help. That's awesome.
It is different than the new NFL rules where scoring plays CAN be reviewed by the video assistant. Not will be, like the NHL, but can be. That makes no sense whatsoever. A coach could challenge a play where the player may have not put two feet in bounds a play earlier for a three yard gain but cannot ask for a second look with 6 points on the line.
That doesn't make sense to me at all.
This is a great game by the way. The Vancouver Pittsburgh game. Lots of almost scores. Trickling pucks galore this third period. Which just ended, heading to OT.
Exciting!
Speaking of replay, that was used earlier this game. A possible goal by Vancouver was not allowed because replay failed to show the puck going all the way over the line. It was in the glove of Fleury (who deserves a star for this game by the way) and the glove went over the line. If it was conclusive that the puck itself went over the line, regardless of whether or not it was in the glove, it's a goal.
Here's the replay.
Let's look at some other highlights from around the NHL this opening night while this game in Vancouver wraps up. Oh, before I move on, Vancouver is wearing stickers on their helmets for Rick Rypien this year. He played games for the Canucks and also for the Moose in Manitoba where the Jets now play. The Jets are also wearing Rypien memorial stickers.
First, the Bruins raised the banner with Lord Stanley's Cup in attendance.
Like I said, Philadelphia ruined the party with a 2-1 win over Boston. Ilya Bryzgalov stopped 22 shots. The Flyers penalty kill appeared to be the big difference maker though.
Here's the highlights.
Vancouver and Pittsburgh are going to the shootout, btw. And Malkin just held onto the puck for about 3 1/2 minutes to win in the shootout, going top shelf over Luango who was laying down on his stomach. Pittsburgh wins.
The game I was more interested in was Toronto and Montreal.
I hope the video is working better. At this moment, this isn't looking good.
Nor did the Canadiens powerplay unit. They not only allowed in a shorthanded goal, but failed to score on 5 attempts. That goal was scored by Matthew Lombardi who played in his first NHL game since last October 13 where he suffered a concussion and neck injury.
The Canadiens said they were rattled by the early score and never recovered. That could indicate they aren't clicking just yet. And going into Winnipeg on Sunday, they have quite a hill to climb if they are at all stumbling. Granted, the Jets have yet to play a game this season, so Montreal does have an advantage there.
Still, you have to give the advantage to Winnipeg. Maybe it's wishful thinking. But the Canadiens failed to score in the game with 14 shots in the first period alone and 32 total. The Leafs only had 18 shots. Total. And they scored on 2 of them. Price didn't appear to have his stuff.
That should be quite a game on Sunday. I cannot wait.
Here's a recap of the game in Vancouver.
Fluery did not get a star, but two Canucks did? Hmmmm...
Well, I didn't see the goal Fluery kicked into his own net. I guess that does kinda eliminate him from a star selection. And Vancouver did dominate much of the game. They just couldn't put the puck in the net themselves.
Here's the highlights.
Out.
Winnipeg Jets Lines
I can't remember if I mentioned it or not, but the Jets first round draft pick (Mark Scheifele) made the final cut. He is sporting a new number, 55.
At a recent practice, the following lines were in play.
Wellwood-Scheifele-Kane
Wheeler-Little-Ladd
Cormier-Burmistrov-Antropov
Glass-Slater-Thorburn
Stapleton-Bodie
D-man pairings:
Byfuglien-Enstrom
Bogosian-Hainsey
Stuart-Oduya
Meech-Jones
These are, of course, subject to change before Sunday's game against Montreal.
Montreal will not open their season against the Jets, but rather played tonight against Toronto. Where they were shutout 2-0 in Toronto.
More to come later.
At a recent practice, the following lines were in play.
Wellwood-Scheifele-Kane
Wheeler-Little-Ladd
Cormier-Burmistrov-Antropov
Glass-Slater-Thorburn
Stapleton-Bodie
D-man pairings:
Byfuglien-Enstrom
Bogosian-Hainsey
Stuart-Oduya
Meech-Jones
These are, of course, subject to change before Sunday's game against Montreal.
Montreal will not open their season against the Jets, but rather played tonight against Toronto. Where they were shutout 2-0 in Toronto.
More to come later.
Boogaard's Brother's Charges Dropped
The brother of deceased NHL player Derek Boogaard has had his charges dropped. Aaron Boogaard was previously implemented in the death.
Aaron was accused of giving his brother an oxycodone pill at the start of a night of partying that led to Boogaard’s death May 13 at age 28. Aaron Boogaard was charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance.
The judge in the case says that the facts don't support the case. He is still facing charges regarding obstruction of justice by destroying evidence (flushing drugs down the toliet).
This sounds like it might be similar to the Casey Anthony case. It sounds like the prosecution may have been over stepping their evidence. The conclusion to the Anthony case was really the only logical one a jury could come to. No cause of death? That is a tall order for someone seeking murder charges.
But, upon further review, I don't think the prosecution set the bar extrodinarily high. Aaron Boogaard was charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance related to the death of Derek.
You can read more about the original charges here.
The unlawful distribution sounds reasonable. I wonder if the hangup was in the definition of distribution. It may be that distribution is defined in such a way to nail drug dealers. There may need to be a sale or a quantity. Or something like that. I'm not positive.
Regardless, the charges are dropped related to the death.
Aaron was accused of giving his brother an oxycodone pill at the start of a night of partying that led to Boogaard’s death May 13 at age 28. Aaron Boogaard was charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance.
The judge in the case says that the facts don't support the case. He is still facing charges regarding obstruction of justice by destroying evidence (flushing drugs down the toliet).
This sounds like it might be similar to the Casey Anthony case. It sounds like the prosecution may have been over stepping their evidence. The conclusion to the Anthony case was really the only logical one a jury could come to. No cause of death? That is a tall order for someone seeking murder charges.
But, upon further review, I don't think the prosecution set the bar extrodinarily high. Aaron Boogaard was charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance related to the death of Derek.
You can read more about the original charges here.
The unlawful distribution sounds reasonable. I wonder if the hangup was in the definition of distribution. It may be that distribution is defined in such a way to nail drug dealers. There may need to be a sale or a quantity. Or something like that. I'm not positive.
Regardless, the charges are dropped related to the death.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
NHL Good Hits Video, 2 More Suspensions, and No Suspension
Yesterday, Shanahan released a video. A video I had wondered about. It highlights some of the clean hits that have come during this preseason.
This is important because it gives some positive reinforcement for the players compared to the slew of needed suspensions. There have been two additional ones since my last post.
The first was Detroit Brendan Smith and his reckless play in Chicago.
For those of you who don't hear the term "match penalty" that much, it is essentially an ejection from the game because the player intended to cause bodily harm on their opponent. It is pretty rare to see.
Interesting note: Brendan Smith was assigned to the AHL Grand Rapids. I don't know what this means for his suspension time. Will it be served in the AHL? Does it mean he can't play in 5 NHL games whenever he's called up? Will he ever get called up because of that? I honestly don't know. I will have to investigate.
I will say he is joining Atlanta Thrasher fan favorite Garnett Exelby (X!) there. Looks like things are going well for Garnett these days.
The second is Toronto's Clarke MacArthur.
Now, I agree that the head was targeted and such, but I also feel that Justin Abdelkader committed a diving penalty. The way his arms were thrust around like that. He was not penalized for diving, but did get a cross checking penalty. And I have to assume it was for that play and not a delayed call.
You can only see one referee in the replay and his arm is not raised. Also, Toronto still has a goalie in the net meaning they had not pulled him for an extra attacker. Perhaps they didn't have enough possession of the puck to safely pull the tender or perhaps they just said "forget it, there's only a few seconds left, let's just go to overtime and not risk losing in regulation." But let's assume it was called for that hit.
Cross checking? Bad call. Diving? A much better one. The stick was clearly on the ice nullifying the cross check. But diving is embellishing one's actions to gain attention in order to draw a penalty against the opponent, regardless of if a penalty has occurred or not.
But the most significant video of the preseason to come from Shanahan was released recently as well. It explains a non-decision.
I was curious if close plays that some feel merited a suspension would get the same video treatment as suspensions do. I think they should (at least for the time being). And Shanahan released such a video. Malone will not be suspended.
I agree with this decision, though I would add a few elements not mentioned in the video explanation. Campoli's head was clearly upright when he reached the edge of the faceoff circle. About a second later, he is hit at the faceoff dot. That's fifteen feet, not a huge distance and within a second, not a lot of time. And he did significantly change his position, leaning outward towards the puck. The best angle of this is the view from behind where it shows that his head is significantly stretching out and Malone clipped that side. It would have been difficult to avoid hitting his head.
This type of video is essential right now. It was an injury with a head hit and a match penalty. I think the match penalty might have been a little much, but so be it. Eventually, all of these videos won't be necessary and just a simple statement from the office regarding their reasoning should suffice. Althought, I really hope they keep them coming. I'm very much in favor of them.
Final note: Sean Avery has cleared on waivers from the New York Rangers. Basically, the team decided not to put him on the final roster. Because he is still under contract, he was put on waivers for 24 hours. That means that any NHL team that wanted him could have him. And no one did. So he is reassigned to the AHL with the Rangers affiliate, the Conneticutt Whale. As of right now, Sean Avery is no longer an NHL player.
Today is a good day.
This is important because it gives some positive reinforcement for the players compared to the slew of needed suspensions. There have been two additional ones since my last post.
The first was Detroit Brendan Smith and his reckless play in Chicago.
For those of you who don't hear the term "match penalty" that much, it is essentially an ejection from the game because the player intended to cause bodily harm on their opponent. It is pretty rare to see.
Interesting note: Brendan Smith was assigned to the AHL Grand Rapids. I don't know what this means for his suspension time. Will it be served in the AHL? Does it mean he can't play in 5 NHL games whenever he's called up? Will he ever get called up because of that? I honestly don't know. I will have to investigate.
I will say he is joining Atlanta Thrasher fan favorite Garnett Exelby (X!) there. Looks like things are going well for Garnett these days.
The second is Toronto's Clarke MacArthur.
Now, I agree that the head was targeted and such, but I also feel that Justin Abdelkader committed a diving penalty. The way his arms were thrust around like that. He was not penalized for diving, but did get a cross checking penalty. And I have to assume it was for that play and not a delayed call.
You can only see one referee in the replay and his arm is not raised. Also, Toronto still has a goalie in the net meaning they had not pulled him for an extra attacker. Perhaps they didn't have enough possession of the puck to safely pull the tender or perhaps they just said "forget it, there's only a few seconds left, let's just go to overtime and not risk losing in regulation." But let's assume it was called for that hit.
Cross checking? Bad call. Diving? A much better one. The stick was clearly on the ice nullifying the cross check. But diving is embellishing one's actions to gain attention in order to draw a penalty against the opponent, regardless of if a penalty has occurred or not.
But the most significant video of the preseason to come from Shanahan was released recently as well. It explains a non-decision.
I was curious if close plays that some feel merited a suspension would get the same video treatment as suspensions do. I think they should (at least for the time being). And Shanahan released such a video. Malone will not be suspended.
I agree with this decision, though I would add a few elements not mentioned in the video explanation. Campoli's head was clearly upright when he reached the edge of the faceoff circle. About a second later, he is hit at the faceoff dot. That's fifteen feet, not a huge distance and within a second, not a lot of time. And he did significantly change his position, leaning outward towards the puck. The best angle of this is the view from behind where it shows that his head is significantly stretching out and Malone clipped that side. It would have been difficult to avoid hitting his head.
This type of video is essential right now. It was an injury with a head hit and a match penalty. I think the match penalty might have been a little much, but so be it. Eventually, all of these videos won't be necessary and just a simple statement from the office regarding their reasoning should suffice. Althought, I really hope they keep them coming. I'm very much in favor of them.
Final note: Sean Avery has cleared on waivers from the New York Rangers. Basically, the team decided not to put him on the final roster. Because he is still under contract, he was put on waivers for 24 hours. That means that any NHL team that wanted him could have him. And no one did. So he is reassigned to the AHL with the Rangers affiliate, the Conneticutt Whale. As of right now, Sean Avery is no longer an NHL player.
Today is a good day.
Message from Hockey Cop Regarding Absence
As you may know, I have been dealing with a recent, unexpected death in the family. That, coupled with the finale of the Braves season, the starting of a new job, and auditions in Orlando have made it very difficult to keep up this blog. I've been doing my best to keep up on hockey news, but it has been lower on the list of priorities.
I will bring you the latest in suspension and rule news, the Winnipeg Jets, and yes, the ice girls, as soon as possible.
Thank you for your patience.
I will bring you the latest in suspension and rule news, the Winnipeg Jets, and yes, the ice girls, as soon as possible.
Thank you for your patience.
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