Comments on: Capitals’ Erskine suspended three games for hit on Simmonds

By: me6661973

me6661973 — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 19:25:46 +0000

if it been Crysby doing the elbow been 0 days and no tweet to say he was sorry if been crybaby hit been 12 days.. I think 3 also was good since he not one always be dirty player. I am a flyers fan wishing Wayne Train would hurry up come back. I am guessing elbow can up because normally they bump up expecting to be hit before going for the puck. For once they got it right.

By: phillyphanatic77

phillyphanatic77 — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 23:51:21 +0000

I was simply responding to the inaccurate notion that Philly fans and Simmonds are “playing” the victim, as opposed to being the actual victim.

By: thesableo

thesableo — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 23:25:30 +0000

I support banning “staged” fights, over ones that develop naturally when players are protecting their teammates or something. But you can’t ban fighting from hockey entirely.
I also strongly support reexamining the equipment players use. Right now they feel comfortable launching themselves at each other like g.d. missiles. Softer, less armor-like padding would lead to more restraint.
It’s not even that a shoulder injury is less damaging than a concussion: it’s just that players are way more willing to injure another player than risk injuring themselves.

By: thesableo

thesableo — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 22:46:06 +0000

That would lead to a lot of…”exaggeration”, shall we say. Especially in the playoffs when teams have a real interest in keeping their opponent’s best players out.
How suspensions are doled out now seems pretty arbitrary, but I don’t think the solution is making it MORE arbitrary.

By: mattdaddy7

mattdaddy7 — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 19:02:38 +0000

With how consistent Shanny is on his rulings, I’m happy he got 3 games. What is more upsetting is the lack of any penalty called on the play from the refs.

By: mattdaddy7

mattdaddy7 — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 18:56:40 +0000

So Erskine looked right at Simmonds and consciously threw an elbow to his head and you are defending him!?! Anyone who thinks Erskine was “protecting himself” is on crack!

By: dawglb

dawglb — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 17:48:15 +0000

I agree with an earlier comment. The suspension should be 3 games plus however many the victim misses….due to injury.

By: rg3isvictory

rg3isvictory — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 17:12:41 +0000

Very fair? Maybe. When you consider Erskines career, its clear this was a one time thing. In which case, 3 is little heavy. During the game, I believe Locker mentioned that Erskine averaging 20 minutes game this season. Which would make him more valuable to the team then the typical over reacting, mentally unstable, Philthy fan would like to admit. BTW, Philthy didn’t have any trouble last night with Carolina without Simmonds. Maybe his contributions have been over estimated. I would love to see Erskine take the teams goon title from OVI. Tired of seeing our best player making the biggest hits!

By: eigglesnosuperbowls

eigglesnosuperbowls — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 16:39:48 +0000

Not Really ! I am truly a hockey expert you don’t have to like it you ,you don’t have to respect it but if you follow my post you will be the wiser for it and someday be able to impress all your friends !

By: sabatimus

sabatimus — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 16:33:31 +0000

I’m just assuming a joke.

By: valoisjoeybfeld69

valoisjoeybfeld69 — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 13:53:09 +0000

Reactionary or not players have to be made accountable for their actions. I wrote here recently that the league has to start considering banning fights because players risk getting concussions. The NHL is rightly concerned about concussions yet they hide behind the popularity of fights to take the right decisions. They have rules that require a player to go to the room and get examined for concussion like symptoms after a head shot. In other words, why doesn’t every player in a fight have to be examined? Perhaps because that would be an admission of guilt…..

The other cause of concussion they should look at is the equipment. Elbow and shoulder pads are so hard today that the full impact of a shot to the head is absorb by the head instead of the equipment. Softer equipment would act as a shock absorber, thus minimizing concussions. An elbow or shoulder injury is less damaging than a concussion.

By: phillyphannn83

phillyphannn83 — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 06:47:21 +0000

My first thought when seeing this hit was its gonna be 3 games. I think he got the minimum too, 5 probably would have been more appropriate but I didn’t see it happening. Anything else being said about this is just you guys being pansies. Man up. This is a tough sport and cheap shots will happen from time to time. Just handle them appropriately and move on.

By: rg3isvictory

rg3isvictory — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 06:22:35 +0000

Why is there such a need to define a victim in our society? Simmons is a millionaire NHLer that was unlucky. It’s hockey, it happens and sucks when it does. Please stop with childish talk. Dale Hunter and a few others created some victims in their day. This was bad hockey play!

By: phillyphanatic77

phillyphanatic77 — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 06:14:29 +0000

This is one of the dumbest comments I’ve ever seen. Are you legitimately trying to blame Simmonds for Erskine throwing a bow directly to his face? Erskine protecting himself?? Idk where you’re living but it’s not reality. Totally clueless.

By: phillyphanatic77

phillyphanatic77 — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 06:09:00 +0000

Are you kidding me?? Simmonds is out indefinitely with a concussion. While Erskine didn’t even get a penalty. With the way concussions are ending careers, Erskines 3 games is a downright gift for the Caps. He’s not at all an integral part of the Caps, while Simmonds is very important to the Flyers. The punishment doesn’t even come close to fitting the crime in my mind.

By: misterchainbluelightning

misterchainbluelightning — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 05:59:52 +0000

Oh don’t worry, the NHL definitely has different punishments if you hit stars, and rightfully so. And of course teams can always take care of their own. {waves hi to Steve Moore and the bleeding hearts the cry for him}

By: cspsrbums

cspsrbums — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 05:55:22 +0000

Quit whining Philly fans he got hurt playing Hockey the other player is paying his dues. You sound like Pittsburgh fans now whining because Crosby got bumped or something Your team is in a shambles and its not because Simmonds got hurt. Maybe next time he will go the shortest way to the puck in front of Erskines and not try and cut back to erskines right at the last second to make him react by putting his elbow up to help protect himself. He is not a repeat offender so get off your high horses. Because no Philly player has ever been suspended. So with that said get over it B..ches

By: misterchainbluelightning

misterchainbluelightning — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 05:54:51 +0000

AHL*

By: misterchainbluelightning

misterchainbluelightning — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 05:54:05 +0000

You still yammering about this?
He’s a 12-15 min at best D man which means even on the Caps with their weak D over the years consider him a 5th-6th Dman.
You see “good” D men don’t have 12 min avg for entire seasons, good D men get 20 mins easy.

He would be in the NHL on a TON of NHL clubs.

You do realize this entire incident is based on his lack of skill taking a pass
then making it worse but pinch in going for it rather than realizing he needs to get back on D the second he screwed up the pass. And then lol he then makes a 25 grand 3 games stupid decision to throw his elbow into the face of a guy. If you’re going to make the 1st two mistakes, you would be better off tripping or grabbing the other guy, because nobody is getting 3 games and losing 25k for either.

By: phillyphanatic77

phillyphanatic77 — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 05:51:32 +0000

Simmonds clearly was a victim. The difference between our supposed history of dirty play and this incident is that Flyers players are always penalized for their mistakes. The aspect that is most upsetting about this elbow was the blatant disregard for Simmonds safety by the refs. They had just come off calling two borderline (at best) penalties on Rinaldo (absurd boarding call was based totally on reputation) and Timonen (totally embellished roughing penalty). Then, with referees on either side of the play (with crystal clear sight-lines) they determined Erskine acted clearly within the rules. As Simmonds lay there concussed, after his head whipped into the ice, nose bleeding (and most likely broken), the refs huddled and came to the decision that it must have been Simmonds recklessly swinging his head into Erskines defenseless elbow. What a joke.

By: r4n6er

r4n6er — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 05:49:52 +0000

You mean like staring at him in the face and then moving your elbow to his head?

By: phillyphanatic77

phillyphanatic77 — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 05:13:40 +0000

I second this analysis. If anything he got off easy. Simmonds is now out indefinitely with a concussion. So we lose another top line player on a play where Erskine pulled a scumbag move and the refs OKed it as clean. How can a play get a guy suspended for 3 games and yet somehow be perfectly acceptable in the eyes of the officials? Hell David Backes got a match penalty for an absolutely clean check while Erskine doesn’t even receive a minor for a brain rattling, unnecessarily dirty elbow. It’s mind boggling to me. The referees from that game should be suspended without pay for atleast 3 games. There has to consequences for these blatantly obvious misses.

By: live4hockey

live4hockey — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 04:15:42 +0000

First time offender…and at his age and length in the NHL, I think says a lot. 1-2 games would have been more reasonable IMO, but 3 games..meh ok.

By: philly4lyfe

philly4lyfe — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 04:05:41 +0000

3 games seems pretty fair to me.

By: dcfan4life

dcfan4life — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 03:37:30 +0000

If your saying he didnt mean to hit him in the head that may be understandable. But he clearly raised the elbow. Thats a dangerous move. Dangerous moves are suspendable. Regardless of intent.

By: imprintmatt

imprintmatt — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 03:36:08 +0000

I think when a player is negligent and hurts a player they should be suspended for as many games as the other player up to 15 games. Obviously there needs to be determination of intent and that is not always easy

By: malcolmsbeard

malcolmsbeard — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 02:43:00 +0000

Your comments suck. It’s as simple as that.

By: r4n6er

r4n6er — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 02:34:40 +0000

With punishments like this it might be worth it to sign a goon to elbow stars in the face on a regular basis….

By: eigglesnosuperbowls

eigglesnosuperbowls — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 01:56:24 +0000

Finally somebody that gets it and is capable of next level thinking !

By: stakex

stakex — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 01:53:42 +0000

Theres no excuse for the refs missing a call like this, I’ll give you that. However theres no need to be a drama queen about it. The refs weren’t targeting the Flyers… they just suck. It really is that simple.