Here's the play. The video pauses for a second. You can press play again or just wait.
That ended Steve Moore's career.
Bertuzzi was suspended indefinately from the NHL and International Ice Hockey Federation. He was later reinstated in August of 2006. Moore sued in both Ontario and Colorado. Bertuzzi was conditionally discharged in British Columbia. Bertuzzi pleaded guilty to assault in criminal court and was sentenced to one year of probation and 80 days of community service.
Moore was hit as a retaliation for a hit from a game on February 16 on Canucks team captain Markus Näslund by checking him in the head while Näslund was reaching for the puck ahead of him. Näslund, the league's leading scorer at the time, suffered a minor concussion and a bone chip in his elbow as a result of the hit, knocking him out of the lineup for three games. Referee Dan Marouelli did not call a penalty, ruling the hit legal, a judgement shared by the league upon further review after the game. Others say that Moore had a cheap shot and did not try to play the puck.
You be the judge on if the hit on Näslund warranted the retribution. The following video is talking about the statements by Marc Crawford, Canucks head coach, on the no-call on star players and that debate:
And I don't know who is giving the commentary, but they don't know what they are talking about. Moore had no interest in playing the puck? He PLAYED the puck. Did you not see him tap it away moments before the hit? What? But he is right in there wasn't an intent to injure. Either way, the Canucks took issue with it and went to the media with their hatred towards Moore. In particular, forward Brad May issued a "bounty" on Moore, while Bertuzzi called him a "piece of shit."
The next game between the two teams was played without incident and with NHL Commisioner Gary Bettman in attendance. Näslund had missed three games with his injuries, but did play in this game.
In a rematch five days later, however, the Canucks were more active in physically pursuing Moore. In one of four fights in the first period, Canucks forward Matt Cooke fought Moore six minutes into the game. At the first intermission, NHL executive vice-president Colin Campbell and director of officiating Andy van Hellemond placed a phone call to the two referees overseeing the game to discuss the potential for an escalation in physicality. With Colorado leading 8–2 midway through the third period, Bertuzzi began following Moore around the ice, attempting to provoke him into another fight. With Moore ignoring him, Bertuzzi grabbed Moore's jersey from behind and punched him in the back of the head. Bertuzzi, as well as several other players from both teams, landed atop Moore as he fell to the ice. Canucks fans initially cheered at Bertuzzi's actions, but as it became apparent Moore was seriously injured, the stadium became silent.
After lying on the ice for approximately 10 minutes, Moore was removed from the playing surface on a stretcher. With eight minutes remaining in the third period, Avalanche general manager Pierre Lacroix reportedly asked referees to end the game. The contest was nonetheless played out with the Avalanche winning 9–2. Moore was taken to Vancouver General Hospital and later transferred to a Denver hospital, where he was treated for three fractured vertebrae in his neck, a grade three concussion, vertebral ligament damage, stretching of the brachial plexus nerves, and facial lacerations. He was also suffering from amnesia.
Two days after the incident, Bertuzzi scheduled a press conference in which he wept and apologized to Moore and his family, as well as to Burke, Canucks owner John McCaw, Jr., the Canucks organization, his teammates, and the fans.
I don't buy the bull. That statement was two days late. If that was after the game, that might be something. But this press conference came two days late AND after a disciplinary hearing. Following the hit, he was immediately suspended. So I think this was just fluff. I don't care if he's an emotional person. An emotional person would have done that immediately.
The lawsuit was not filed until five years later because Tim Danson, the Toronto lawyer representing Moore, wanted to see the full scope of Moore's injuries. Danson says Ontario's Superior Court of Justice has scheduled to start hearing the case on Sept. 24, 2012, if Bertuzzi is still playing in the NHL.
If Bertuzzi has retired, Danson says the lawsuit, which seeks more than $40 million in damages against Bertuzzi and the Vancouver Canucks, will begin on Oct. 22, 2012.
This has been going on for some time. There have been meetings between the two parties and additional finger pointing back and forth between Bertuzzi and Crawford. Bertuzzi claims that Crawford essentially told Canuck players during both intermissions to "take him out". Bertuzzi claims he was contractually obligated to obey his coach and that the coach should be held personally liable for any legal damages Moore might be awarded in court. In response, Crawford formally stated that Bertuzzi acted in "direct disobedience" to orders from the bench to get off the ice before attacking Moore.
Bertuzzi currently plays for the Detroit Red Wings. Moore still is unable to find employment and suffers constand headaches.
Bertuzzi is a bad man.
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