Hate to say it, but Kaleta's negative reputation is one he brought upon himself. Don't want to be looked upon as a player of questionable repute? Put some decent effort into avoiding being responsible for questionable plays.
Hate to say it, but Kaleta's negative reputation is one he brought upon himself. Don't want to be looked upon as a player of questionable repute? Put some decent effort into avoiding being responsible for questionable plays.
That said, Cherry's still an idiot.
He's done a ton of that over the last couple seasons, but the general hockey media simply screams "LOOK HE WAS SUSPENDED BEFORE ZOMG HE NEVER LEARNED!!"
Maybe we should check with people who've played hockey their "entire life" to ask them which coach taught them to face the boards from four feet away with their hiney in the air like a
He's done a ton of that over the last couple seasons, but the general hockey media simply screams "LOOK HE WAS SUSPENDED BEFORE ZOMG HE NEVER LEARNED!!"
Most of us can see the changes Pat's made to his game, and the things that have been there all along that he doesn't get credit for with the media at large.
And yet here we are, with a highly questionable desicion made by Kaleta.
This league is a donkey show with it's inconsistant and possibly dishonest system for punishment, but in the end, hits like this need to be removed from the game as quickly as possible and Pat deserves to be punished.
Richards may be out for a game or two. Call ups happening.
Then the Rangers coaching staff should be looked into for placing a player back onto the ice a minute after he went headfirst into the boards. (I'm not trying to deflect from the Kaleta discussion but I'm also not going to go to another thread to discuss this hit). It's the same as when Colt McCoy (Browns QB) was put back into a game after a mis-diagnosed concussion. If the league is REALLY serious about curbing head injuries (it's not), a coaching staff that does that should be held every bit as responsible as the offending player.
Don Cherry... should never be listened to. He's a senile old man who makes John Madden look like a god damn genius.
Most of us can see the changes Pat's made to his game, and the things that have been there all along that he doesn't get credit for with the media at large.
And yet here we are, with a highly questionable desicion made by Kaleta.
This league is a donkey show with it's inconsistant and possibly dishonest system for punishment, but in the end, hits like this need to be removed from the game as quickly as possible and Pat deserves to be punished.
I don't think anybody disagrees with that, I think most people are just iritated over the lack of consistancy in the punishments. I for one think that any hit from behind should get at least a game, yet it happens at least once a game without even a 2 minute minor. If the NHL was serious about making the game safer in any way (they aren't) they would be consistant in calls, suspensions and fines. As it is, they only care when it happens to a well known player. See: Lack of punishment to Girardi for the hit on Ennis.
He's done a ton of that over the last couple seasons, but the general hockey media simply screams "LOOK HE WAS SUSPENDED BEFORE ZOMG HE NEVER LEARNED!!"
Kaleta might be the Buffalo kid done good, but his never been a clean player, his gotten better but his still not perfect, it was a dirty hit and if it was the other way round we'd be screaming for a lengthy ban, lets not get completely fanboy over this.
Kaleta might be the Buffalo kid done good, but his never been a clean player, his gotten better but his still not perfect, it was a dirty hit and if it was the other way round we'd be screaming for a lengthy ban, lets not get completely fanboy over this.
Did I get fanboy? I don't think I did at all.
Kaleta used to be REALLY dirty, but has really cleaned his game up over the last couple years. This hit was dirty, and suspension was warranted.
Doesn't mean we should ignore the positive progress.
Kaleta might be the Buffalo kid done good, but his never been a clean player, his gotten better but his still not perfect, it was a dirty hit and if it was the other way round we'd be screaming for a lengthy ban, lets not get completely fanboy over this.
To me, "dirty hit" implies intent by Kaleta, and I saw no intent on his part there. I would rather categorize it as reckless or irresponsible.
Wasn't his last suspension last season? With less than 82 games between suspensions, it's hard to accuse people of overlooking so-called progress.
If you watch him actually play, he's no longer flying around recklessly creating situations where he's in position to hit illegally. He's kept himself in control generally.
He hasn't done anything like he did to Richards in a long time.
Wasn't his last suspension last season? With less than 82 games between suspensions, it's hard to accuse people of overlooking so-called progress.
It's hard to compare a hit like this to a headbutt for which he was suspended. I've been one of the people ripping the hit by Kaleta in this thread and have no qualms at all with the suspension but he really has cleaned up his play and become a competent defensive player over the last few seasons.
Why don't you put on a pair of skates and try it out? Go and get a puck like Richards and every other hockey player including those who have played their entire life, see where your body leans and realize what it takes to fall forward, especially with Richards trying to retrieve the puck and no stick to lean on. A dumb play only equalled by the bleeding hearts who yearn for this wreckless player to get leniency. Leniency for Kaleta.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralonzo
Maybe we should check with people who've played hockey their "entire life" to ask them which coach taught them to face the boards from four feet away with their hiney in the air like a
Perfect response Ralonzo
Its incredible to me the stupidity Richards displayed on that play. My first reaction to the play was Richards you're an idiot. You never approach the boards like that whether or not there is a player behind you or not. All it would take is hitting a rut and you're sailing head first into the boards in such a poor position.
What makes this even more ridiculous is he KNOWS Kaleta is right behind him because he looked back and saw him. Then Richards decides to approach the puck like a 4 year old learning to skate would and attempts to smack the puck into the corner. Thats why he fell so easily. His left knee was already bent and his arms were half way through the follow through of slapping the puck back to the corner. He basically did the dumbest thin you could do in that situation. Not only didn't he protect himself. He put himself into an even more vulnerable position.
As for Patty, He should know better than to shove a player from behind near the boards. Although I'm guessing he thought Richards would try and brace himself but its still reckless.
I think Chain summed up this situation perfectly in the GBU thread.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chainshot
If Richards is against the glass, it's basically a pin out against the boards. But he was in that 4-5' area and fell so awkwardly. The penalty severity is probably due both to it being Kaleta and Richards being down, but it was still a dangerous play. That said, why Richards is bent over and so easily off balance that close to the boards after playing this game for nearly 30 years is also something to wonder at. Protect yourself guys, do what they teach 4-year olds.
How much games Mike Richards got to break Connolly's sternum with a hit from behind like this ??? Ah yeah he cameback after his 5 minutes major and help the Flyers beat us !!!
Its incredible to me the stupidity Richards displayed on that play. My first reaction to the play was Richards you're an idiot. You never approach the boards like that whether or not there is a player behind you or not. All it would take is hitting a rut and you're sailing head first into the boards in such a poor position.
What makes this even more ridiculous is he KNOWS Kaleta is right behind him because he looked back and saw him. Then Richards decides to approach the puck like a 4 year old learning to skate would and attempts to smack the puck into the corner. Thats why he fell so easily. His left knee was already bent and his arms were half way through the follow through of slapping the puck back to the corner. He basically did the dumbest thin you could do in that situation. Not only didn't he protect himself. He put himself into an even more vulnerable position.
As for Patty, He should know better than to shove a player from behind near the boards. Although I'm guessing he thought Richards would try and brace himself but its still reckless.
I think Chain summed up this situation perfectly in the GBU thread.
I hope you don't mind me using this Chain.
It's incredible that you use the word stupidity in describing an offensive player crosschecked, no, not from 4 feet but closer to 6 or 8. The guy was reaching for the puck did you want him to turn and face Kaleta and reach backwards? Like, seriously. If you are reaching for a puck your weight is on the tips of your feet and therefore, as stupid play like Kaleta did to a player that is vulnerable and he did not turn his back at the last second or any of that crap which I don't like. kaleta made a conscious decision to make that play.
So Patty should"know Better" and Richards is the "stupid" one here?
Its incredible to me the stupidity Richards displayed on that play. My first reaction to the play was Richards you're an idiot. You never approach the boards like that whether or not there is a player behind you or not. All it would take is hitting a rut and you're sailing head first into the boards in such a poor position.
What makes this even more ridiculous is he KNOWS Kaleta is right behind him because he looked back and saw him. Then Richards decides to approach the puck like a 4 year old learning to skate would and attempts to smack the puck into the corner. Thats why he fell so easily. His left knee was already bent and his arms were half way through the follow through of slapping the puck back to the corner. He basically did the dumbest thin you could do in that situation. Not only didn't he protect himself. He put himself into an even more vulnerable position.
As for Patty, He should know better than to shove a player from behind near the boards. Although I'm guessing he thought Richards would try and brace himself but its still reckless.
I think Chain summed up this situation perfectly in the GBU thread.
I hope you don't mind me using this Chain.
To be fair the idea on that play is to go for the puck, not crosscheck the guy from behind. However Richards was Kaleta is 100% responsible for an irresponsible and wreckless play.
Not sure why anyone is blaming Richards for getting hit. Looking at the play time and time again, they skate towards the boards and Kaleta hits him from behind, Richards hadn't just turned, he was skating towards the boards. Kaleta stopped going for the puck and went for the numbers.
I state again I like Kaleta but we can't say his a 'better, much cleaner player' as long as he does stuff like this. He gets injured less and isn't quite as bad, but stuff like this still happens, to him, regularly. His still got some growing up to do.
It's incredible that you use the word stupidity in describing an offensive player crosschecked, no, not from 4 feet but closer to 6 or 8. The guy was reaching for the puck did you want him to turn and face Kaleta and reach backwards? Like, seriously. If you are reaching for a puck your weight is on the tips of your feet and therefore, as stupid play like Kaleta did to a player that is vulnerable and he did not turn his back at the last second or any of that crap which I don't like. kaleta made a conscious decision to make that play.
So Patty should"know Better" and Richards is the "stupid" one here?
No, I want him to not reach forward like that. Something that little kids are taught not to do by the boards.
Kaleta shoved him at the same time Richards started to lean forward to smack the puck into the corner. Thats why Richards went down so easily.
Here's the thing, watch any NHL game and there are dozen's of situations like the one Richards and Kaleta are in. One player heading to the boards for the puck and another player pursuing them from behind. In the overhwelming majority of those situations the pursuing player shoves the player they are chasing from behind with roughly the same amount of force Kaleta did. The difference is 99% of the time the player getting pushed is protecting themselves so they don't go sailing headfirst into the boards.
These shoves happen all the time in games. They can be dangerous because they rely on the player getting shoved to protect themselves. But to act as if what Kaleta did was some heinous act that is rarely seen in the game, like some are, is beyond absurd. Its a common play that only led to an injury because of Richards not protecting himself.
Thats why Bob Mackenzie tweeted this
Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie
If NHL wants to change how it views/deals with "push" from behind, count me in but it's too common play. Can't pick/choose when to apply it.
fair enuff, mistook the context.
