We watched the Winter Classic as it aired and saw whatever semantic you want to use for the “hit” to the Crosby’s head. We saw the multiple replays.

My 7-year old daughter’s coach is already teaching her team to, “Know who is on the ice, both your team and their team, and where they are on the ice, at all times.” You write, seemingly from a position of hockey expertise, so you’ll know that they call this strategy.

Regardless, I just took your advice and went back to YouTube to watch the videos: all I had to do was start typing “steckel”. EVERY single post that bounced up is titled, “Steckel’s Hit on Crosby” so that term appears to be the most common and logical interpretation of anyone who posted.

I listened to the commentary/analysis of three feeds. Some of them used the term “blindside”–that definition still lays the blame at the feet of the perpetrator, not the victim of the “collision”. As a Canadian though, I’ll go with the CBC broadcast:

So, Don Cherry, not known as a fan of Crosby’s, but definitely someone who’s been around the game forever, called it correctly. He even predicted the concussion.

My cousin just retired after years in both the NHL and the AHL. He was an enforcer. We all know how this works: if you can make the shot look “accidental”, it used to be that you’d done your job. Problem is, that’s not hockey, it’s just cheating. When it really injures someone, anyone, that should be a bad thing…not something that people will attempt to rationalise, in order to excuse it.

Our kids are being taught how to skate to avoid “colliding” with other players. Steckel’s got 20+ years of hockey skills (presumably including skating) on the seven year olds, and you say he was looking where he was going (“to the puck”, with Crosby between Steckel and the puck) BUT you’re also saying that in his zeal, he “accidentally” collided and blindsided a guy (who you suggest essentially put his own head in harm’s way).

He knocked him right off his feet, yet didn’t look back to see “who he hit” (a Cap or a Penguin). The pro just couldn’t manage to skate around him.

Here’s the reason he didn’t look back, like one really automatically would if, “Whoa! I just rammed into someone! Gee I hope they’re not seriously hurt!” (Like we do on the street if we bump into someone, like we do on the ice if we “collide” with a teammate.)

He knew who it was.
He knew he’d connected with force.

Since he never stepped up and apologized for the “accident” (as one does when it’s truly an “accident” and especially as one professional should when they seriously injure another professional–we are talking about a person’s life or livelihood here) then he (and you) obviously consider the injury to be just part of the game and obviously not really an “accident”. We apologize for accidents. Either that or the predicted death of civility in society is already an accepted part of your hockey.

The CONCUSSION issue, that’s what Yerdon’s piece is about but readers seem determined to make it about Steckel as opposed to the “major assault to the brain”. Accordingly, now, I’ve responded about Steckel but that’s still missing the entire point of the report.

Not sure what game you were watching, but Steckel didn’t “skate RIGHT into Crosby”. Steckel was skating to the puck (as was most everyone else who was paying attention), when Crosby skated TOWARDS Steckel, with his head turned not looking at where he was going. Steckel tried to avoid the collision, but Crosby’s head just couldn’t help but run itself into his arm. Maybe you should follow your own advice and watch the video.

Since Steckel skated RIGHT into Crosby–couldn’t see the blue against all that vast white ice I guess–(go to the video if you want the same “facts” you beg of the reporter) then Steckel must be blind.

Either way, the “accidental collision” certainly caused a massive blow to the head for Crosby as recreated in the lab by Professor Blaine Hoshzaki (also a doctor and a hockey player). The peak force of Steckel’s shoulder, to the side of Crosby’s head, on impact, was 850 pounds! After you’ve taken such a hit (which of course any rational person would hope that you never do) why don’t you get back to us on whether you’d call it a “shot” to your head, or not.

For bcjlm: No wonder he didn’t “throw around his considerable size more often”…the boy can’t get from A to B without running into something (accidentally, of course).

You’re so invested in issues about the players that you are averse to the facts about the injury which are all the reporter cited.