Converting $2,500 to Shea Weber dollars, that's about 25 cents. I understand that's the maximum fine per the CBA agreement. But why bother.
More important than anything, Weber is on notice for the rest of the playoffs. He'll get a couple of games if he sneezes in the wrong direction. You might see Tootoo in the lineup considering how chippy this series is becoming.
Weber totally deserved a suspension here, and I'm worried about what this says for what will be allowed in the playoffs. You hate to see the playoffs come down to who has the fewest concussions.
"NEW YORK -- Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber has been fined $2,500, the maximum allowed under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for delivering a blow to the head of Detroit forward Henrik Zetterberg in Game 1 of the teams' Western Conference Quarterfinal series in Nashville on Wednesday, April 11, the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety announced today.
The incident occurred at 20:00 of the third period. Weber was assessed a minor penalty for roughing.
"We felt this was a reckless and reactionary play on which Weber threw a glancing punch and then shoved Zetterberg's head into the glass," said NHL Senior Vice President of Player Safety and Hockey Operations Brendan Shanahan. "We reached out to Detroit following the game and were informed that Zetterberg did not suffer an apparent injury and should be in the lineup for Game 2.
"This play and the fine that addressed it will be significant factors in assessing any incidents involving Shea Weber throughout the remainder of the playoffs."
The fine money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund."
Exactly. The NHL asked about Z's condition and was told he's fine. Am I the only Preds fan that thought he looked like Burrows?
Wow, that's a little over the top. Even if you felt Zetterberg embellished how you can compare him to one of the worst divers in the league is crazy. Plus, regardless of what anyone thinks at least in this case Zetterberg did get hit with some kind of force. Burrows goes down any time he feels a brisk breeze.
If/when the Red Wings retaliate I just hope our fan base doesn't whine like the Red Wings fan base, but somehow I suspect that's just the nature of the beast. Funny how that works.
Yeah...we got away with one for sure. If Z was cut or injured in any way, this would have turned out much differently.
Bottom line is Zetterberg had virtually no chance of getting hurt on the play. Getting his visor mashed 3in from the glass isn't going to hurt anyone, as much as Zetterberg tried to sell it afterwards. Suspensions should be measured on the potential for causing injury.
Even-though there was virtually no chance of a Zetterberg injury, it was a dumb play by Weber. He shouldn't blatantly target people like that. I don't see how Bertuzzi's targeting of Gaustaud is any different though. Both should not happen in an ideal hockey world.
Will make for interesting theater. Wings have very little muscle to push people around if they plan to retaliate physically.
I'd put in Tootoo over Yip after this though.... we need someone willing to drop the gloves and stir **** up in a way only Tootoo can do (and it's usually legal). Get them targeting Tootoo... he thrives in those situations.
So stupid with no injury gets $2500 ... once again it's not the action of the offender that dictates the punishment, but, the outcome of the act.
I do not agree with the outcome of the act matching the punishment either. I think it should be the potential of injury based on the action. As silly as Weber's WWF move was, it had little chance of actually hurting Zetterberg.
