Chara decision
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 3:36 PM EST
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PrintNo fine, no suspension for Chara. NHL proves once again that they don't care about the well being of their players.
Mike Murphy on the hit:
"this was a hockey play that resulted in an injury because of the player colliding with the stanchion and then the ice surface. After a thorough review of the video I can find no basis to impose supplemental discipline. This hit resulted from a play that evolved and then happened very quickly -- with both players skating in the same direction and with Chara attempting to angle his opponent into the boards. I could not find any evidence to suggest that, beyond this being a correct call for interference, that Chara targeted the head of his opponent, left his feet or delivered the check in any other manner that could be deemed to be dangerous"
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Farcical. An absolute, abject joke. And I was someone who was fairly lenient regarding Chara’s motives.
But of course we all knew that Chara, superstar, captain of the Bruins who are a consensus Stanley Cup Contender™, and who just so happen to employ one Gregory Campbell, wouldn’t get much of anything, didn’t we?
Anybody who had any faith… oh, let’s be frank. Did anyone have any faith in this process even before this latest travesty?
I had no faith, and wasn’t surprised, but at the same time I was really hoping to be surprised today in a good way.
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 5:53 PM EST up reply actions
Ditto. The truly terrible thing is that, in my heart, I knew he was going to get away with a lenient punishment because he plays with the son of the NHL’s disciplinarian. Honest to God, I cannot believe that a professional sports league is so…brazen about the nepotism at work here, and how the Campbell scandal from November just got swept under the rug like it did is unbelievable.
Perhaps if the scandal was broken by a “real” journalist instead of just some “dumb blogger” it would have had an effect, but I doubt it.
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 6:36 PM EST up reply actions
From ESPN:
’ Murphy said in the statement. “I could not find any evidence to suggest that, beyond this being a correct call for interference, that Chara targeted the head of his opponent, left his feet or delivered the check in any other manner that could be deemed to be dangerous.” ’
Not delivering the check in any other manner that could be deemed dangerous? The NHL loses so much credibility when it comes to these matters. If they think it is important to look at Chara’s previous ‘clean record’. They also should feel obligated to look at other factors like the running feud (and the near consensus of intent). Checks like this shouldn’t be considered ok if the player in questions has a clean record or not. If every player in the NHL was allowed to do things like this once you would end up with a lot of seriously injured hockey players. This IMO, is clearly the wrong decision.
As a Canes fan who had to watch one of my favorite players, Erik Cole, suffer a fractured vertebra, I feel for you guys. Chara suffering no consequences for severely injuring Pacioretty just further proves how much of a joke the league disciplinary actions are.
This is what Colin Campbell said after Orpik’s hit on Cole per ESPN (yes, I know – I hate ESPN too): “While it is apparent that there was no deliberate intent to injure on this play, Mr. Orpik’s careless hit on his opponent resulted in a serious injury,” NHL executive vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell said. “Even if a player leaves himself vulnerable, the checking player does bear some responsibility in avoiding a hit on a defenseless player.”
How Chara got away with no suspension is beyond me. I’m hoping Pacioretty can make a recovery and play once again like our guy Cole did.
Yeah, well, you know, that's just like, uh, your opinion, man.
I should add that was what Campbell said after suspending Orpik. Not sure how Orpik got suspended but Chara got nothing.
Yeah, well, you know, that's just like, uh, your opinion, man.
How many games did Orpik get? Do you remember?
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 5:54 PM EST up reply actions
I believe it was only for 3 games. I thought he got off light since he nearly ended Cole’s career but at least action and a suspension was handed down. Orpik boarded the guy but I refuse to believe he was intending to break the dude’s neck.
I don’t have a dog in the fight and I don’t believe Chara’s intention was to give the guy a severe concussion and fractured vertebra. But the NHL has proven time and time again that intention doesn’t really matter. Chara made a careless play on a guy without the puck that resulted in a very serious injury. With the way the NHL has been disciplining and suspending players – that should have been all they needed to know. As Chris Boyle mentioned below about the Kostopoulos suspension, regardless of the intent – the careless play by Chara seriously injured Pacioretty so some sort of suspension was warranted.
Again, I don’t have a dog in the fight and maybe the whole Cole situation a few years back causes me be to be a bit biased when it comes to players nearly breaking another player’s neck but the guy should be suspended. For how long that suspension should have been, I don’t know. I’ll leave that for Habs and Bruins fans to debate.
Yeah, well, you know, that's just like, uh, your opinion, man.
Thanks for the info.
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 7:33 PM EST up reply actions
Campbell did not rule on this
it was Murphy
by Marisa Ingemi on Mar 9, 2011 5:08 PM EST up reply actions
My bad, thanks for the clarification. Either way, pretty surprised to see Chara not suspended.
Yeah, well, you know, that's just like, uh, your opinion, man.
by anonymousJ on Mar 9, 2011 5:26 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Because it’s impossible that Colin Campbell would pressure his underlings into making the call he wants. Totally. By the way, I fucking called it. From one of yesterday’s posts:
Depressingly, I don’t think he’s going to be punished, both because he’s a star and because Colin Campbell is a terrifyingly corrupt individual, and people aren’t going to kick up a fuss about it so we’ll be stuck with the decision, but…yeah.
I’m not. Chara is a star and the Bruins have a lot of hype. I’m quite confident another, less prominent player would have gotten a suspension, possibly a big one.
Much as I like to kid about Gregory Campbell, I think this was just star immunity.
Some players just have a different rulebook from others.
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=526887
So, for the second time, Chara avoids suspension, and next time he’s on the clock, he’ll have no priors so they won’t suspend him again. Bravo, NHL. Bravo.
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Pierre Gauthier needs to grow a spine. The hit and no suspension makes it clear that whatever behind-the-scenes stuff the Habs did after the 8-6 game had absolutely no effect on the actions of the Boston organization or the NHL.
I can understand Martin waiting until the playoffs for a “even though we’re carrying the play the refs are letting the other team get away with stuff” speech until the playoffs, but a player could have been killed or paralyzed in that hit. “It’s not for us to express our opinion publicly” doesn’t cut it.
by Roke on Mar 9, 2011 5:23 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
What does it accomplish though? It’s more important for Gauthier to keep his clout and use it at the GM meetings.
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 5:56 PM EST up reply actions
But it wouldn’t make Max feel better.
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 5:59 PM EST up reply actions
Behind-the-scenes action.
Air Canada threatening to pull their sponsorship.
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/2011/03/09/17558356.html
“Unless the NHL takes immediate action with serious suspension to the players in question to curtail these life-threatening injuries, Air Canada will withdraw its sponsorship of hockey.”
You were right.
Wow.
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 9:54 PM EST up reply actions
My thoughts exactly. Wow. That’s actual money that’s being threatened to be pulled. That’ll make them take notice, I’m sure.
Imagine if others follow suit. Molson or Tim Horton’s… That would be massive.
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 10:31 PM EST up reply actions
TAKE A GANDER AT THIS IF YOU WANT TO BE ANGRY
As Campbell explains it, Kostopoulos isn’t getting suspended because the play was a dirty hit from behind, but simply because it caused injury:
“While it is my determination that Kostopoulos did not deliver a check to an unsuspecting opponent, his actions caused injuries,” said NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell.
Seems pretty opposite to their stance today doesn’t it.
MORE CAMPBELL in relation to Kostopolous again
The fact that Brad Stuart was not in possession of the puck when the blow was delivered and the serious nature of the player’s injury were also considered in my decision."
So twice he refers to injury being a factor, yet intent became the star today?
The NHL is a joke. Simple as that.
How curious that the situation seems to be the exact same in that neither check was technically illegal, but one was made by a plugger and the other by a star.
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 5:57 PM EST up reply actions
They spun the wheel of suspensions and today and landed on nothing…What a shock…Alas no matter who the player was..Let’s say it was player X instead of a HAB..And you look at the history before the hit and still call it a hockey play..Guys like Murphy and Campbell played the game and have been along it enough..Hockey play incredible…Maybe they could give the stantion 6 games for being in the wrong spot..
stanchion
Seriously though the design of the glass in the bench areas is a problem that should be fixed. These kinds of hits have happened enough times that it entirely foreseeable that a player gets seriously hurt. The facilities, the league and the PA should be looking at this – it’s a workplace safety issue and it could be fixed fairly easily by angling the glass for a few feet where it stops at the end of the bench, and putting better padding in place. It’s a very similar issue to the goal post problem, which used to seriously injure players all the time before they came up with the break away nets. Pacioretty could well sue the league, his employer and the facility and have a decent chance of success.
Mike Milbury put it best on Versus....
The puck was in the corner. There was another defenseman between Max & the puck. Chara put a stick in his skates then pushed his head into the stantion. It was an attempt to injure.
Nothing Is Fool proof if you have the right fools.
Mike MIlbury said that?
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 5:59 PM EST up reply actions
For some reason Milbury has been coming around lately. If that quote is real… much respect.
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 6:04 PM EST up reply actions
Agreed..
It would appear that Milbury is sick of guys falling like leaves…And wants to see accountabliity..
Props to him for that. Would anyone ever imagine a time when Milbury would have more credibility than McKenzie?
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 6:17 PM EST up reply actions
Aliens have definitely got to him.
Puck Worlds: Chasing Pucks from here to Turku.
For Twitter Updates on Puck Worlds, follow @puckworlds. For updates plus additional witty banter from yours truly, follow @saskhab.
It sure seems that way. Maybe he’s a pod person.
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 6:16 PM EST up reply actions
Another past suspension...
Remember late Lapierre’s hit on Nichol that earned him a 4-game suspension (which I believe was the first of his career)
Montreal Canadiens forward Maxim Lapierre(notes) has been suspended for four games, without pay, for a late hit on San Jose Sharks forward Scott Nichol during NHL game #949, last night, the National Hockey league announced today.
At 1:50 of the third period, Lapierre knocked Nichols into the end boards with a late, careless hit. Nichol was injured on the play and did not return to the game. No penalty was assessed on the play.
Granted, he knocked Nichol into the end-boards rather than the stantion. But if you load up the video of the hit and get a stopwatch handy, Lapierre hits Nichol about 1.5 seconds after he shot the puck (by my poor stopwatching).
Chara on Pacioretty? 1.2 seconds.
Really, by NHL logic, Lapierre shouldn’t have been suspended because he wasn’t a repeat offender.
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 6:18 PM EST up reply actions
Sigh… the NHL fails once again.
In Lou We Trust/Twitter
I wish there was something I could do. But What?
by Kevin Sellathamby on Mar 9, 2011 6:12 PM EST reply actions
Chara attempting to angle his opponent into the boards lmao
Attempting he did , the other guy was trying to avoid the turnbuckle but he made him hit it dead on , the guy was trying to breath and Chara drawn him knowing what will happen think others wise make this sports a joke and a monster league of idiots
Once again the Bruins get the last laugh! We lose the best power forward on the team, and f*** face Chara must be gigling with COLON Campbell’s scumbag son. In the end Chara was looking to smash Max in the last couple of games the teams faced each other, and he succeeded. PG and JM insist that the habs don’t need an enforcer? But yet they can standby and watch their players being bullied on a regular basis, which in some cases has resulted in injuries. I wonder how the team will respond from here on?
What would an enforcer have changed in that hit? Seriously. This draconian notion that an enforcer deters this kind of hit is such absolute garbage.
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 6:49 PM EST up reply actions
The enforcer would not have changed that hit, nor does an enforcer deter dirty plays. The enforcer would have done due justice after the fact.
And what does that solve?
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 10, 2011 4:30 PM EST up reply actions
Chara attempting to angle his opponent into the boards
u took off my last comment wow wow democratic of u , i can’t speak my mind huh
Your comment is still right there.
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 7:00 PM EST up reply actions
I’m not surprised one bit. As long as you stay within the NHL’s mangled logic, there was no reason to suspend Chara. No blatant murder attempt? the player involved is not a talentless goon? no suspension. It’s mightily retarded, but consistent in application. Suspensions are for scrubs and Chris Pronger.
In a way I’m almost satisfied, had they suspended Chara to appease the public outcry, the same kind of dangerous behavior would still have been tolerated as long as nobody got decapitated. The punishment would simply have been another consequenceless joke. Now at least things are clear, the league doesn’t give a damn.
The thing that frightens me is that someone will have to die or spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair before the neanderthals running the league move an inch.
I’m not one for dirty hits as I’ve experienced multiple concussions playing different sports so I can understand the feeling of many of you. I just want to point out that this has happened before, not with Chara or Max, and with a lesser injury but it still happened. 3 years ago Jack Johnson sent Ryan Smyth into the boards at the end of the bench and yet as far as I know wasn’t suspended for it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ446H_R_m0
I have experienced my fair share of rivalries over the years but to blame either an entire organization or to completely slate a player for an accident is a little over the top. I respect Montreal as team and for their history but after this I have lost a lot of respect for the fans. I’m sure that will ruffle feathers but that’s how it is.
Yeah, with the only MAJOR difference being that Ryan Smyth had the puck, Pacioretty is two zones away when the impact occurs.
Do you care if Montreal fans respect you? They certainly don’t care if you respect them because you don’t know any of them outside of anonymous comments on a message board.
I understand that the hit was late in that it deserved an interference call for sure but as a general populace we don’t know what Chara was thinking. As I said I have had my share of hits to the head and I know what it’s like and I wish Max a speedy recovery but it was definitely a freak accident and maybe if that glass partition wasn’t there this wouldn’t have happened.
I would like to think that people would be able to act rationally and maybe not talk out of their ass especially in a public forum like this. There are a lot of variables to consider when discussing this but you really have to discuss it not just have verbal diarrhea. You seem to forget that when you speak like a complete douche you are representing the team you follow and give off the impression where people will loose respect for you. I hope that you think about the image you present to people.
This idea of “we can’t get in his head” and “we can’t prove intent” is ridiculous. This thinking only exists in hockey. People prove intent all the time in court, or at least the assumption of intent to the point where that’s the default position. All you need to look at is two factors: motive and opportunity. We know Chara has tried to hurt Pacioretty in the last game, he’s also mugged him several times since Pacioretty gave him a little shove. There’s you’re motive. Chara saw an opportunity, rode Pacioretty into the boards and shoved him at the last second to take advantage of that opportunity.
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 8:21 PM EST up reply actions
Chara would not be nailed for intent in a court of law. There is no proof of intent based on the things that have occurred. Is their bad blood? Maybe? Was their a threat? Not that we know of.
You can’t prove it, but it is a red herring. He almost killed the kid and he should have been responsible, I don’t care if he wanted to do it or not.
People don’t get charged with intent though. And honestly I have a hard time believing that if Pacioretty’s family brought it to court on an assault charge with all the circumstantial evidence surrounding the event that Chara wouldn’t get convicted in a similar wrist slap to what Bertuzzi got.
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 8:27 PM EST up reply actions
You are judging strangers based on a subject that they are going to be 180 degrees opposed to you. Your stance on why “you respect” a hab fan is just as unimportant as me declaring your judging strangers as something I disrespect.
If they are not worthy of your respect do you think they care if they have your respect?
That is just as douchey and self important as the things you are calling Hab fans out for.
Nobody cares if you don’t respect them because they don’t respect you.
I apparently was 100% wrong in trying to add my 2 cents and that you guys don’t want anyone to comment on anything that would have an opposing view. Yes I am a Bruins fan but I also try to be an intelligent person and look at both sides. It is in human nature to judge based on the first impression and until further evidence is brought up I tend to keep with my judgement because it tends to be right. Now for you Mr. Boyle I still have the same sentiment as before but Mr. Berkshire seems to have cooled off from when I read his article earlier and I have changed my opinion of him as before. I didn’t say that I wanted your respect or expected anyone to care that I lost some respect. It is just telling of how short tempered some people are when they go straight for the throat. Take 24hrs next time maybe I don’t know it’s your blog not mine.
I’m pretty sure Chris took offense to you coming in here and grand standing about losing respect for Habs fans when many Bruins fans (not all) are pretending nothing was wrong with the hit. To come into a thread after watching a player break his neck and troll like a couple SCOC regulars did last night and this morning is despicable.
Obviously the anonymity of the internet ramps up the stupidity, but some of what’s been said today by Bruins fans goes way beyond anything Habs fans have said, which is mostly that they want Chara to face a suspension, not that he should be hurt or anything like that.
I had a Bruins fan tell me this morning that if a Habs player did that to Lucic I would be cheering it, along with all other Habs fans, but I didn’t go into SCOC and say I’d lost a lot of respect for Bruins fans because of one incredibly stupid comment by one idiot.
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 8:47 PM EST up reply actions
I understand and that was probably just me being somewhat of a naive 20 year old and sometimes I speak before I think completely. In hindsight, which is always 20/20, I shouldn’t have said what I said about the respect but I did and I have to apologize for that as it was rash and stupid. I have been stuck in the southeast for the past decade so I have experienced homerism to unbelievable degrees. I do not pass the same sentiment of what my fellow Bruins fans have said especially about you cheering if it happened to a B’s player. Also I lack a good conversation on hockey and like people with opposing views and when it’s not such a touchy subject I can hold my own.
Overall I apologize to both you and Chris as I have no knowledge of you and made a judgement public. I would like to talk hockey with you Andrew and put all this behind us. I hope that Max has a full speedy recovery.
If you can believe it I know people who cheer about this happening.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDzl1dJthYo&playnext=1&list=PLF710601B8B8B2D61
I don’t think you have anything to apologize for, everyone is heated today.
As for cheering on injuries, there are always idiots, but as I said in response to the person who asserted that, I don’t believe that if what happened to Pacioretty happened in Boston that any fans would cheer it. People just don’t cheer when they think someone has just died or been paralyzed. And those that do are so few and far between, they aren’t even worth mentioning. You’re always welcome to talk hockey with me.
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 9:20 PM EST up reply actions
First I hope that Chris feels the same way that you do and will not lambaste me too much. If there is a way that we could discuss hockey that would be great. I enjoy the sport as a whole and would watch almost every team except the Flyers. With the lack of hockey fans where I am I would like to talk hockey as soon as possible haha. Facebook or skype is cool with me depends on how you want to go about it.
didn’t mean for that to sound creepy hahaha.
With hockey I usually stick to here or Habsinsideout.com. Also twitter.
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 9:55 PM EST up reply actions
There’s also a difference in that the Johnson hit on Smyth was a quick play, a check that hit the wrong area. Chara had plenty of opportunity to slow Pacioretty down, instead he rode him along the boards and pushed him in at the last possible second. Chara’s his was much, much worse.
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 8:18 PM EST up reply actions
When we were talking about this last night, many were willing to give Chara some latitude, but I doubt anyone said the hit was 100% clean. After hearing the prognosis on Patches today, its a damn farce that the league can’t see any need for a suspension. They weighed burgeoning prospect/established star and came down 100% in favour of the star player.
Ain’t it great Habs fans sell tickets around North America for such a great league.
by westcoasthabs on Mar 9, 2011 10:41 PM EST up reply actions
A very sad day for hockey. The NHL had a chance to make themselves look good for once, and dropped the ball like always.
http://twitter.com/andrewberkshire
by Andrew Berkshire on Mar 9, 2011 11:15 PM EST up reply actions
Pacioretty comments
Pacioretty has this to say about the hit and the suspension, or rather lack thereof.
Thanks for the link Alexandre...
I’m going to put his comments on a fanpost- very poignant.
by westcoasthabs on Mar 9, 2011 11:53 PM EST up reply actions
Conflicts of Interest
I know Colin Campbell recuses himself from issues where the Bruins are involved due to his son playing for the Bruins… but doesn’t Murphy, the guy who made the decision, work directly for Campbell?
Washington Capitals 2009-10 = Quebec Nordiques 1994-95
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