Comments on: Pierre-Marc Bouchard files appeal with NHL over iffy suspension

By: donttouchthedirtypenny

donttouchthedirtypenny — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 22:38:18 +0000

I have to think that you Bouchard apologists are using your heart and not your head when talking about this. Under no circumstances should a player be allowed to swing his stick at another player. Thats why slashing penalties exist. And slashing penalties that result in severe facial injuries to another player are a punishable above and beyond a double minor. And don’t even think about saying broken teeth and stitches aren’t severe injuries.

By: tlndma

tlndma — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:37:18 +0000

He didn’t swing his stick? Right. The intent was to hit the other player with his stick, of course an injury can occur from that and it did. Therefore suspension.
Swing, slash, high stick, call it what you want. It was a deliberate act that caused injury.

By: ThatGuy

ThatGuy — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:35:49 +0000

Exactly, Shannahan just set a precidence. High stickings that cause blood are no longer just a double minor. If you highstick someone and draw blood, you will be suspended two games.

By: jeffr555

jeffr555 — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:03:23 +0000

Iffy suspension you ask? Absolutely! Let’s review a few facts. First, the jockeying position that was occuring happens on 75% of faceoffs. Second, Calvert was raising his stick high also, it just so happened it was under Bouchard’s stick. Third, Bouchard is one of the cleanest players in the league. Fourth, a penalty did occur on the play and Bouchard was given a double minor for the play. A player is responsible for what happens with his own stick. However, Shannahan is linking the suspension to an “intent to injur”. There was no intent to injur on the play. If you don’t agree, watch every face off in the next game you watch. Pay attention to the wingers and the centers upon the drop of the puck. Then you will see how this can happen. As an on ice official myself, I see this type of jockeying every game. If contact is made, it is a minor, or in this case double minor. But there was no intent to injur. By the way, watch the video again. He did not “swing” his stick. He had both hands on the stick. Granted, it was a high stick penalty, but does not warrant a suspension, particularly since he has never been a dirty player in 9 NHL seasons.

By: tlndma

tlndma — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:57:16 +0000

Iffy suspension? He swung his stick at a guy and hit him in the head. He’s going to claim his intent was to hit him lower. In this case he has to held responsible for the result, not his intent. The league can’t let players swing there sticks at other players.