Seems to be to keep him out of the potential Sarnia/OS first round series. Now it's up to his teammates to win the first round so Halmo hasn't played his last game. Suspensions are a crummy way to end a OHL career - Spits have had some of those in recent years and you feel for the kids.
Not surprised Halmo got a suspension, it was a hit to head although Yukopov clearly reached for the puck and cut into the middle, however I am suprised to see that most people think it was a for the most part a clean hit...glad Im not the only one who thought that way
Not surprised Halmo got a suspension, it was a hit to head although Yukopov clearly reached for the puck and cut into the middle, however I am suprised to see that most people think it was a for the most part a clean hit...glad Im not the only one who thought that way
Not 1 hockey person i talked to thought it was suspendable
Those who have not played the game at or near the speed of todays game are clueless
10 games???? That is a complete and utter ****ing joke.
So, if you're ranked in the top 10 or so, no one can hit you too hard, even if you **** up so badly that they can hardly avoid it? In fact, if the number one draft pick comes waltzing through your zone with his head down and needs to set himself up for a clean shot at your goalie, you should, by all means, give him as much space and time as he needs to do so. After all, he needs another highlight...In fact, maybe just lie down on your back with your legs in the air and yell "DO ME!" while you're at it.
Tell you what, let's make the rinks bigger and take away checking altogether. Oh wait, that's European hockey...my bad...
10 games???? That is a complete and utter ****ing joke.
So, if you're ranked in the top 10 or so, no one can hit you too hard, even if you **** up so badly that they can hardly avoid it? In fact, if the number one draft pick comes waltzing through your zone with his head down and needs to set himself up for a clean shot at your goalie, you should, by all means, give him as much space and time as he needs to do so. After all, he needs another highlight...In fact, maybe just lie down on your back with your legs in the air and yell "DO ME!" while you're at it.
Tell you what, let's make the rinks bigger and take away checking altogether. Oh wait, that's European hockey...my bad...
Wow.....
How about playing the game with some skill like the Europeans, or the players 20-30 years ago, and try to just take the puck, rather than trying to hurt him badly, and affecting the status of another star. North American hockey players are starting to get passed by the Europeans, Russians, etc.... when it comes to skill.
Safety is key here. Branch, and NHL are trying to protect the superstars, and make the league a better skilled league than a league with a bunch of goons and brain dead predators.
Rules have been implemented over the past 20 years to protect the players and the game. Its the new reality, and we must accept it.
Today's hockey is Extreme Hockey, and the dinosaurs out there say that they would never take out this hitting, never knew what it was like, as the hits back then were subtle rubs compared to bonecrashing hits of today.
I bet the dinousaurs out there still dont watch Black and White Tvs, but rather the new HD Colour ones of today. Times change.
A very similar hit on Hall tonight by Sarich. Hall is along the boards and loses his footing just as Sarich was going for the hit and his tucked elbow made contact with Hall's head.
Lets see how Sheriff Shanny deals with this hit. To me it shouldn't be a suspension. It was a hockey play gone bad due to uncontrolled circumstances (much like Halmo's hit). It wasn't a predatory head shot.
Hockey is a contact sport and sometimes contact is made with the head. There's a line there between a check that involves contact with the head and a check that targets the head. Branch has long since skewed this line and treats them all the same.
Safety is key here. Branch, and NHL are trying to protect the superstars, and make the league a better skilled league than a league with a bunch of goons and brain dead predators.
Rules have been implemented over the past 20 years to protect the players and the game. Its the new reality, and we must accept it.
There IS such as a thing as overdoing it in the name of "safety". When you have players looking back to the refs after a hit, wondering if THAT's going to be a penalty, you've got a problem. Branch's attitude seems to be "throw the player in the press box for 10 games....15 games...hell, half the season!" Back in the day, the ONLY times we saw suspensions lasting that long were when on-ice officials were manhandled-and the rare ones for on-ice hits.
If we're going to talk about player safety, how about the OHL getting rid of the rock-hard pads, etc. the players wear? But no, we don't hear that coming out of OHL HQ. Just this.
Hockey is not figure skating and can never be that way. The way it's played doesn't lend itself to that style. Branch needs to keep that in mind. Libbs is on the same wavelength as I am.
A very similar hit on Hall tonight by Sarich. Hall is along the boards and loses his footing just as Sarich was going for the hit and his tucked elbow made contact with Hall's head.
Lets see how Sheriff Shanny deals with this hit. To me it shouldn't be a suspension. It was a hockey play gone bad due to uncontrolled circumstances (much like Halmo's hit). It wasn't a predatory head shot.
Hockey is a contact sport and sometimes contact is made with the head. There's a line there between a check that involves contact with the head and a check that targets the head. Branch has long since skewed this line and treats them all the same.
I just seen this hit watching TSN this morning was thinking the exact same thing
Lets see how Sheriff Shanny deals with this hit. To me it shouldn't be a suspension. It was a hockey play gone bad due to uncontrolled circumstances (much like Halmo's hit). It wasn't a predatory head shot.
if anyone says this merits any type of discipline they should check their head first before anybody else's.
anyways, back to the Halmo suspension, I was watching the Owen sound game yesterday on TV, and a commentator (I think it was Branch, I didn't know what he looked like until I Google his image and he looks a lot like the yesterday's commentator) said that Halmo should've backed off. Are you kidding me!! What type of hockey is this idiot promoting?! There you have it folks... next time your in front of the opposing team's net crossing the ice with the puck, just put yourself in a "vulnerable position" and the others should "back off". This disgrace to hockey is just not suspending Halmo, he's changing the face of hockey. That's sad, very sad.
There IS such as a thing as overdoing it in the name of "safety". When you have players looking back to the refs after a hit, wondering if THAT's going to be a penalty, you've got a problem. Branch's attitude seems to be "throw the player in the press box for 10 games....15 games...hell, half the season!" Back in the day, the ONLY times we saw suspensions lasting that long were when on-ice officials were manhandled-and the rare ones for on-ice hits.
If we're going to talk about player safety, how about the OHL getting rid of the rock-hard pads, etc. the players wear? But no, we don't hear that coming out of OHL HQ. Just this.
Hockey is not figure skating and can never be that way. The way it's played doesn't lend itself to that style. Branch needs to keep that in mind. Libbs is on the same wavelength as I am.
The one concern with Canadian hockey, is that the kids are too worried about bonecrushing hits, rather than improving their skills. If you go to as many OHL games as me, you can count 2-3 seconds after a player gives up the puck, and then gets hit. Rediculous.
Good hits are always appreciated, but dirty hits, or predatorial type hits are not accepted. Lining someone coming through the middle of the ice, is a dangerous situation and thus any hit contemplated, should be considered dangerous. Any low hit to the knees or thigh are considered dangerous. Any hits from behind, near the boards are considered dangerous. Any high elbows to the head, or slew footing are considered dangerous.
IF WE GET THESE PLAYERS TO STOP THINKING OF MAKING THESE TYPES OF HITS OR PLAYS, THEN THE LEAGUE WILL BE ALOT BETTER. KIDS AND COACHES SHOULD SPEND MORE TIME DOING SKILL DRILLS THAN TRYING TO HURT PLAYERS.
So a player can cut through the middle of the ice and get a free pass to shoot on the net?
When should you be allowed to hit someone?
I'm all for taking the predatory hits out of the game... but Branch has shown this year that a) Every hit that makes the slightest contact with the head us worth of 10 games and b) If a dangerous hit doesn't make contact with the head, it's perfectly fine and no suspension is warranted.
By far the worst hit I've seen this season was Mitchell Heard driving Percy from behind into the boards. Heard got a total of ZERO games... what happened to the standard of getting dangerous hits out of the game?
I know what you guys are saying by "predatory" and I agree that there's no place in hockey for cheap shot causing injuries and even ending a player's carreer. Nobody in their right minds wants that in hockey. But I do want predators in the game, as long as its within the rules and clean hits.
I'm thinking of what Scott Stevens brought to Canadian hockey, he was nothing short of a predator, and I never want that dimension to leave hockey. Other than that you might as well through rings on the ice and use the straight sticks and play ringette.
Being able to maintain your skills while keeping your head up is part of the game. If you can't... you don't belong there... get out before you get killed.
In a few years the OHL will be "bump hockey" at best. I'm not even being facetious with that remark. Players who would otherwise be looking to deliver a big (and clean) hit will let up considerably because it's such a thin (and almost invisible) line between what is deemed legal and what is deemed worthy of a 10+ game suspension.
It's a disgrace what Branch is doing, but if I'm an OHL coach I'm using it to my advantage. I'd instruct all my players to skate in a crouched position with their heads down whenever they have the puck. As soon as they feel contact, go down and stay down. Powerplay marathon.
So a player can cut through the middle of the ice and get a free pass to shoot on the net?
When should you be allowed to hit someone?
I'm all for taking the predatory hits out of the game... but Branch has shown this year that a) Every hit that makes the slightest contact with the head us worth of 10 games and b) If a dangerous hit doesn't make contact with the head, it's perfectly fine and no suspension is warranted.
By far the worst hit I've seen this season was Mitchell Heard driving Percy from behind into the boards. Heard got a total of ZERO games... what happened to the standard of getting dangerous hits out of the game?
Hey Libbs, exactly what I said few weeks ago. Branch is consistent, whether right or wrong, or whether the many agree or not. Any hit to the head, whether accidental, or clean hit, will get 8 gams plus. So many great hits this year and last, and all were punished big time. I guess the Fanelli/Liambas hit set the tone for the future. Branch wants to take fighting out of the game also??
In respect to Percy, he was blind sided by Heard and Crescenzi on 2 different occasions, and suffered both times serious injuries, and no suspensions at all?????? I hear that the Percy camp are not happy with that and want to take action......
The one concern with Canadian hockey, is that the kids are too worried about bonecrushing hits, rather than improving their skills. If you go to as many OHL games as me, you can count 2-3 seconds after a player gives up the puck, and then gets hit. Rediculous.
Good hits are always appreciated, but dirty hits, or predatorial type hits are not accepted. Lining someone coming through the middle of the ice, is a dangerous situation and thus any hit contemplated, should be considered dangerous. Any low hit to the knees or thigh are considered dangerous. Any hits from behind, near the boards are considered dangerous. Any high elbows to the head, or slew footing are considered dangerous.
IF WE GET THESE PLAYERS TO STOP THINKING OF MAKING THESE TYPES OF HITS OR PLAYS, THEN THE LEAGUE WILL BE ALOT BETTER. KIDS AND COACHES SHOULD SPEND MORE TIME DOING SKILL DRILLS THAN TRYING TO HURT PLAYERS.
This post should be sent to every NHL scout and coach so they can all respond and tell you how naive and ridiculous this is. "Lining someone up coming through the middle of the ice" IS HOCKEY. You want the game to become more European? Why do you think the best players in Europe come here to play???? Duh, because it ISN'T the European game. That game isn't RISKY, it isn't very physical and it doesn't require anyone to worry about "bonecrushing hits." In other words, it doesn't test them to the degree that the NA game does because there aren't many dangerous players on the ice and the game isn't about being physical.
We have a smaller rink, its a faster game, the bodies are bigger, there is no time and space and it is FAR more physical...and dangerous. A guy that can stickhandle in a phone booth with no one on him or no one that wants to take his head off looking to 'line him' up at center ice is a guy that has to adjust or fail. Some adjust, some don't. The guys that do are superstars of the game. Those that don't go back to Europe. Hell, even the superstars end up going back to Europe to play out their later years. Why? Cause it ain't dangerous there...
The NHL is a young man's game. It's for crazy people that know the risks. It draws talent from around the planet chiefly because it's dangerous. People pay to watch it for the same reasons. The leagues that develop players for it can't do that sufficiently by coddling players.
Hockey isn't soccer or badminton and if it becomes them, well, it won't be hockey anymore and no one will watch. Formula 1 racing is friggin dangerous. People DIE doing it, every year. A host of others are maimed and crippled because of it. Same with boxing. The entire sport is about hits to the head!! Making hockey into something it isn't will simply push its market elsewhere. No one wants that.
This post should be sent to every NHL scout and coach so they can all respond and tell you how naive and ridiculous this is. "Lining someone up coming through the middle of the ice" IS HOCKEY. You want the game to become more European? Why do you think the best players in Europe come here to play???? Duh, because it ISN'T the European game. That game isn't RISKY, it isn't very physical and it doesn't require anyone to worry about "bonecrushing hits." In other words, it doesn't test them to the degree that the NA game does because there aren't many dangerous players on the ice and the game isn't about being physical.
We have a smaller rink, its a faster game, the bodies are bigger, there is no time and space and it is FAR more physical...and dangerous. A guy that can stickhandle in a phone booth with no one on him or no one that wants to take his head off looking to 'line him' up at center ice is a guy that has to adjust or fail. Some adjust, some don't. The guys that do are superstars of the game. Those that don't go back to Europe. Hell, even the superstars end up going back to Europe to play out their later years. Why? Cause it ain't dangerous there...
The NHL is a young man's game. It's for crazy people that know the risks. It draws talent from around the planet chiefly because it's dangerous. People pay to watch it for the same reasons. The leagues that develop players for it can't do that sufficiently by coddling players.
Hockey isn't soccer or badminton and if it becomes them, well, it won't be hockey anymore and no one will watch. Formula 1 racing is friggin dangerous. People DIE doing it, every year. A host of others are maimed and crippled because of it. Same with boxing. The entire sport is about hits to the head!! Making hockey into something it isn't will simply push its market elsewhere. No one wants that.
herehe herehe!!! 3 cheers for MrWilson
I vote for Mr.Wilson as the new commissioner to the OHL... Unless Scott Stevens is available
Mr. Wilson I agree with you to an extent. Saying players come over here because it's "dangerous" is doing a disservice to the sport and the NA style. You are right that there are aspects over here that aren't in the game across the pond... but to promote the league as be "dangerous" is the exact reason why the OHL is doing what they are going right now.
There are always risks when playing the sport but there has to be a sense of safety for the players as well. I have no issue with the league trying to get the predatory hits out of the game (and there have been a few this season deserving of their suspensions). The issue now is that Branch has gone way too overboard with classifying everything as a predatory hit.
There's a big difference between the risk and danger. There's a risk of injury when you play sports. Athletes accept the risks. With the risks comes a certain sense of safety. Dangerous is walking in downtown Detroit, by yourself at 1am in the morning.
This post should be sent to every NHL scout and coach so they can all respond and tell you how naive and ridiculous this is. "Lining someone up coming through the middle of the ice" IS HOCKEY. You want the game to become more European? Why do you think the best players in Europe come here to play???? Duh, because it ISN'T the European game. That game isn't RISKY, it isn't very physical and it doesn't require anyone to worry about "bonecrushing hits." In other words, it doesn't test them to the degree that the NA game does because there aren't many dangerous players on the ice and the game isn't about being physical.
We have a smaller rink, its a faster game, the bodies are bigger, there is no time and space and it is FAR more physical...and dangerous. A guy that can stickhandle in a phone booth with no one on him or no one that wants to take his head off looking to 'line him' up at center ice is a guy that has to adjust or fail. Some adjust, some don't. The guys that do are superstars of the game. Those that don't go back to Europe. Hell, even the superstars end up going back to Europe to play out their later years. Why? Cause it ain't dangerous there...
The NHL is a young man's game. It's for crazy people that know the risks. It draws talent from around the planet chiefly because it's dangerous. People pay to watch it for the same reasons. The leagues that develop players for it can't do that sufficiently by coddling players.
Hockey isn't soccer or badminton and if it becomes them, well, it won't be hockey anymore and no one will watch. Formula 1 racing is friggin dangerous. People DIE doing it, every year. A host of others are maimed and crippled because of it. Same with boxing. The entire sport is about hits to the head!! Making hockey into something it isn't will simply push its market elsewhere. No one wants that.
I think you shoud stop using your bonker on people, and stop dragging them into your cave, by their hair??
I dont think Lindros, or Marc Savard, or Kariya, or Booth or Horton, or etc.... would agree with your opinion.
The Europeans come to play in the NHL because it is the best league, and you get the most money???? Have you heard of those 2 reasons, or am I being Naive and rediculous,or maybe you havent carved them in your walls yet.
Mr. Wilson I agree with you to an extent. Saying players come over here because it's "dangerous" is doing a disservice to the sport and the NA style. You are right that there are aspects over here that aren't in the game across the pond... but to promote the league as be "dangerous" is the exact reason why the OHL is doing what they are going right now.
There are always risks when playing the sport but there has to be a sense of safety for the players as well. I have no issue with the league trying to get the predatory hits out of the game (and there have been a few this season deserving of their suspensions). The issue now is that Branch has gone way too overboard with classifying everything as a predatory hit.
There's a big difference between the risk and danger. There's a risk of injury when you play sports. Athletes accept the risks. With the risks comes a certain sense of safety. Dangerous is walking in downtown Detroit, by yourself at 1am in the morning.
Mr Wilson wouldnt know about the dangers in other places, as he hasnt received the parchment from the horseman from the other county yet, advising him of certain events. LMFAO
Hockey is a contact sport and sometimes contact is made with the head. There's a line there between a check that involves contact with the head and a check that targets the head. Branch has long since skewed this line and treats them all the same.
Several years ago high sticking was a discretionary call. Eventually evolution kicked in and players were advised they had to have control of their sticks. Even accidental high sticks are now penalized. I believe we're at he same point with hits to the head and in that sense all contact to the head should be penalized. We know the damage brain injuries do to people down the road. It's time for accidental hits to the head to be penalized as well, as they are in the OHL.
Several years ago high sticking was a discretionary call. Eventually evolution kicked in and players were advised they had to have control of their sticks. Even accidental high sticks are now penalized. I believe we're at he same point with hits to the head and in that sense all contact to the head should be penalized. We know the damage brain injuries do to people down the road. It's time for accidental hits to the head to be penalized as well, as they are in the OHL.
If you want that...then remove hitting from the game. These players are too big and too fast. It's not as simple as some posters think it is...
