When I thought about it last night, I was convinced that Chara had a clear intent to injure (ie the pushing motion into the stanchion).
Thinking about it a little more and about who Chara is, I firmly don't believe that there was any malicious intent in the context of the play. For most part, he's never had a reputation as a dirty player. Hell, I'd love to have him in a Habs jersey. He's just a physical beast. On a personal level, he doesn't have the emotionally unstable demeanor of a Matt Cooke or a Dan Carcillo or a Shawn Thornton. He appears to be a pretty level headed guy, who wholeheartedly supports Right to Play to boot.
That said, there was a certain degree of carelessness in relation to his location on the ice. A vet at that level should demonstrate a better awareness of his surroundings when faced with such a situation. You know youre near the benches, you know the hit is late, you know that metal pole is coming at high speed - read and react accordingly.
That lack of awareness should be the basis of any suspension and not intent. That is why we won't see anything beyond 3-5 games.
Whether people want to admit it or not, I don’t see too much difference between this, and Jones’ hit on Bergeron. He got 2 games. Not sure if Jones had any prior history of suspensions at that time. Add in the possibility of the past history between Max and Chara being a small factor, and your 3-5 games sounds right.
Whether people want to admit it or not, I don’t see too much difference between this, and Jones’ hit on Bergeron. He got 2 games. Not sure if Jones had any prior history of suspensions at that time. Add in the possibility of the past history between Max and Chara being a small factor, and your 3-5 games sounds right.
If you use the NHL's insanely horrible discipline record as a measuring stick, you're right. He may not even deserve a suspension.
...but it seems to me that someone is literally going to have to die before they bother upping suspensions across the board.
I'd have a hoped that a play where half the rink LITERALLY thought he was dead for a good 30 seconds would be enough for people to wake the hell up.
I drew the what if Subban/Bergeron example earlier, but the really scary fact is that had that been someone with a huge history of head injuries, we might well be talking about a fatality right now.
...and screw intent, whether it was Chara or the turnbuckle... If the line between "severe injury and death" is just the difference between which of the 10 skaters on the ice received the hit... Well it's time to make big changes and fast before the dice come up with the wrong number.
Whether people want to admit it or not, I don’t see too much difference between this, and Jones’ hit on Bergeron. He got 2 games. Not sure if Jones had any prior history of suspensions at that time. Add in the possibility of the past history between Max and Chara being a small factor, and your 3-5 games sounds right.
Indeed.
Then again, perhaps Im getting softer in my old age.
Thanks for the pic. Chara clearly knew what he was doing. He is looking straight at the partition. He did not just lean on Max Pax, he clearly pushed Max's head and worse, kept him pinned there with the other arm. So disgusting.
Some Bruins fans are all too forgiving when one of their players commits a gross act. "All it deserved was an interference penalty," they say. Their main concern was the number of minutes Chara was penalized. But when it comes to their own injured players they have the memory of an elephant and carry their grudges against Randy Jones and others forever. When I saw Pacioretty unconscious on the ice and being wheeled off on a gurney I momentarily harbored a dark thought that I wished it was a Bruin instead but I snapped out of it and realized that such wishes are barbaric. A number of years ago a wacko fan named Sarge88 posted on the Bruins board that he wished the Habs chartered plane would crash, and then he added that he meant it. I think someone with such sociopathic tendencies should seek psychiatric care before he loses himself and carries our one of his homicidal impulses. He would deny that he was capable of doing such a thing. but the mere thought is troubling to normal people.
Yes, really. I see him as being a fierce competitor, not a psycho.
Chara usually plays a cool, calm, calculated game until things get out of hand and he completely loses his ****. It happens all.the.time. If he can't control his actions, he needs disciplinary action. That said, I'm opening a pay pal account, and will gladly accept donations to run my car right over Chara. **** him, die in a fire, and it makes me even more disgusted that there's no remorse. Its never happened that a hit made me no longer want to watch an exciting hockey game, until yesterday. The game ended after the hit, as far as I'm concerned, I couldn't even follow the game properly.
I seem to remember similar statements to this effect after the Tucson shooting rampage.
I really don't want to receive any more warnings from HF mods but if I were to say something it would probably be that the above comments reflect the thought process of an inbred, NRA-membersip-holding, un-educated redneck - your typical Bruins fan.
There is something wrong with you man! Get some help.
Yes, really. I see him as being a fierce competitor, not a psycho.
Except that is looking at it from the wrong angle.
Very very few people are actual psychos who are out to injure others. They don't derive pleasures from it. No one thinks that for anyone. The issue here is not that Chara is a murderer or anything.
Chara had a split second to make a decision. Let up, or not. Guide Pacioretty's body into the turnbuckle or not.
It is being ingrained into Bruins players heads that they need to fight, and hit as hard as possible and take guys out. That they should not let up when they face the habs. The hatred is nurtured by coaches, fans and radio hosts. Hatred at all costs and the answer to the hatred is not to beat your opponents at the game of hockey, it is to physically beat the other team. Their answer is violence. So when Chara is faced with a split second decision, what decision do you think he'll make ? Let up or not let up ? He doesn't have time to think about the full ramifications of his actions. All he knows is that if he lets up, he'll be accused of being soft instead of sending a message. It's that culture in hockey that has to go away. It won't go away with soft suspensions for actions like this though. It is being encouraged by the league.
Oh hush..l I'm doing corporate finance now. If I was in a litigation file, I'd be asking for Chara's balls on a nice bed of risotto.
By the wau Dog..
This place scares me.
I was just hugging jnthomas.
You wanna join us?
I prefer jcpetit.
But seriously, you don't need subjective intent for mens rea in this case. This looks pretty damn close to criminal negligence (an act with reckless disregard for the safety of others). My doggy gut tells me he wanted to stamp Patches on the turnbuckle in a "big hit" sort of play.....but that's a freaking stupid and dangerous play to make and the very definition of criminal negligence.
I can't stand people saying it was a legal play and Pacioretty is just a victim of circumstance and Chara shouldn't be suspeneded.
What Chara did was basically the equivalent of pushing someone in front of a moving bus, pushing someone isn't a crime but under those circumstances I'm pretty sure that person would be charged with manslaughter.
Chara usually plays a cool, calm, calculated game until things get out of hand and he completely loses his ****. It happens all.the.time. If he can't control his actions, he needs disciplinary action. That said, I'm opening a pay pal account, and will gladly accept donations to run my car right over Chara. **** him, die in a fire, and it makes me even more disgusted that there's no remorse. Its never happened that a hit made me no longer want to watch an exciting hockey game, until yesterday. The game ended after the hit, as far as I'm concerned, I couldn't even follow the game properly.
Once I heard that Pac was "alright" I shut the game off. Nothing will happen to Chara, be it league discipline or on-ice revenge. That being said, he's a savage and I would not be opposed to seriously injuring one of their other players and giving big Z a nod as the stretcher comes out. Let his teammates know that their on the line for their captains actions.
If a check from behind happens at mid ice, it's a collision or a good defensive play, if it happens 3 feet from the boards, it's possible paralysis.
This is absolutely no different.
Yes it is different.
Players cannot be expected to know the exact amount of distance they are with regards to the turnbuckle or the boards. But there is a huge difference between mid-ice and near the boards.
The real comparaison is this one:
If a check happens 2 feet from the boards its a potential dirty hit. If it happens 1 foot from the boards, its just a regular good play.
When Jones hit Bergeron and almost paralysed him, it was almost an identical hit than every other hit in the game, except Bergeron was 18" from the boards, not 8" from the boards. Jones wasn't criminally responisble. He was just slighly reckless.
This accident happened mainly because of bad board design. That 90˚ angle post must be changed, same goes for the doors. A new design must be thought of.
A few simple solutions could be tested and adopted throughout all the league, with minor investments from owners.
Companies spend alot of time/money on R&D for safer/better hockey equipment. Why this issue has not been adressed yet boggles my mind.
