Comments on: TORRES SUSPENDED 25 GAMES FOR LATE HIT ON HOSSA

By: thisgamewelose

thisgamewelose — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:54:54 +0000

Actually, it was Hagelin who hit Alfredsson. Hagelin actually plays on the Rangers first line. I could be bias here, but I don't think hagelin deserved 3 games for that hit. In fact, most people I've talked to have said the exact same thing.

By: Boston_Bruins

Boston_Bruins — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:01:38 +0000

In a general respons to everyone here, I am not defending Torres' hit. Reinjosh said what I meant; this is just too harsh, and there have been worse hits just this year.

To JoelLeafs: I would agree with your first statement if this was Shanahan's first week on the job. He could set his own precedent, but he hasn't done it all year, so how can the players know what to expect? I don't even think this 25 game suspension will deter players from dangerous hits that much when you pair it with other inconsistent rulings from Shanahan. The only way you can really stop these hits is being consistent with rulings, no matter who the player is. We'll see if Shanahan keeps this up, but if not, this massive suspension is just completely unfair to Torres.

By: Steven_Leafs

Steven_Leafs — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 09:07:14 +0000

well put.

By: Steven_Leafs

Steven_Leafs — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 09:05:45 +0000

yeah because players have actually been respecting each other this playoffs thus far. The elbow on Alfredsson that took him out of the series was careless and who only lost 3 games to take out Ottawa's best player? Wasn't Richards was it? Bottom 6 player gets 3 games to eliminate Ottawa's captain is best player.

While Torres is hardly a 4th line goon, he isn't a 1st line goal scorer which means if Torres got only 3 games then this trade off is great for the Coyotes, hell it still isn't that bad for them. Players try to do these kinds of trade offs all the time in the form of fights or coincidental roughing minors.

If it was the first time Torres did this then yes 25 games is a massive over-reaction, but the fact is he has injured key players with dirty hits before and he has left hit feet to make contact with the head before, if anyone thinks that he shouldn't have gotten a big suspension because it wasn't the worse hit all year or whatever are the ignorant ones and they are the ones who should get their heads out of their asses.

This was a bad and dangerous hit from all points of view, and Torres showed no sign of remorse or that he was going to try to play the game more clean. Good suspension.

By: TheOnlyIslesFan

TheOnlyIslesFan — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 22:20:14 +0000

Three factors that worked against Torres in this suspension.

1) He is a repeat offender - how many times have you seen him throw the exact same hit? If you get caught speeding so many times eventually you're going to get a harsher penalty then the first time or the second time you get caught speeding.

2) With all the hoopla around the violence of the first round in all the series going on (outside of the snore fest in New York with the Sens) the league decided to make an example of someone - and this someone deserved a suspension because there isn't a SANE person who after seeing the hit knew it wasn't a malicious filthy non-hockey play.

Also - he's not receiving the longest suspension in the history of the NHL. He is facing the 3rd longest, yes friends Chris Simon of the NY Islanders holds the distinction for being suspended for 30 games for stomping on Jarko Ruutu.

Had this not been the third or fourth time that this cheap punk had pulled this he would have probably gotten 11 games like Tie Domi did back when he elbowed Niedermayer in the head...

By: reinjosh

reinjosh — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 18:44:17 +0000

I suppose its a good message to the players. I'm fine with it. Crucify one player to protect others I guess?

By: reinjosh

reinjosh — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 18:43:38 +0000

Nice hyperbole. He wasn't suggesting to give him a free pass, merely that it was too harsh. Yeah Hossa got hurt, that sucks but you can't start suspending players based on the injuries they sustain. That's a massive rabbit hole to go down.

Send a message with 25 games? Fine, Torres is a repeat offender and it shows the NHL won't play nice if you do something stupid. But come on, that was hardly one of the worst hits of the year.

Torres is hardly a 4th line goon. He's an effective player that contributes to his club winning. Occasionally he steps over the line as he did on that hit. His only role isn't to just injure. Saying that is ignorant.

Your last line...just moronic. Get your head out of your ass.

By: reinjosh

reinjosh — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 18:33:08 +0000

While your point is well made, I still agre with BB. This is far to long, even for a repeat offender. 10 games would have been fair and still sent a big message.

By: albertateams

albertateams — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 08:18:49 +0000

There is inconsistencies in the suspensions. Change the name on the back of the jersey to Chara or Weber and the suspension is what 3-5 games, maybe. If the NHL really wants to get these types of dangerous plays out of the game they need to use the same standard regardless of who the player is.

That being said I have no problem with a 25 game suspension for a known head hunter / cheap shot artist, I just hope that the league gets a real no tolerance policy, not the current stars need not be fairly suspended / fined policy.

By: lafleur10

lafleur10 — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 01:42:20 +0000

well said joelleafs,well said and i couldn't agree more