Babcock did the smart thing because there's NOTHING to be gained to complain. All Zetterberg had to do is say he didn't want to talk about it. But instead, he needed to clear his chest.
And he came off as a whiner.
I would have liked to have seen him take the Babcock route, and honestly that's what I would have expected. Again, he's clearly riled up about it. Any player in the league would have made that statement, it speaks volumes that it came from Hank.
Honestly, I'm pissed too. It was a ****ing ******* move. He was diving earlier in the game too. But what I want to see done is Bertuzzi or even Ericsson go and give him his due. Any forward forechecking, hack him, chirp him, make him pay. Yeah, the league dropped the ball, but that's not going to change. I just want to see that ***** eating his "that's just playoff hockey" statement.
The positive side of this case is, that Weber has to act like a schoolboy in the rest of the series. If he does something dirty again, he will be suspended for sure as a repeat offender.
He used his card and we didn't lost anything about it.
So, after all, this should be our advantage in the rest of the series.
Zetterberg whining to the press.
Great.
What, did he see Daniel Sedin's career flash before his eyes?
Man up. Unless you want to tell Shea Weber to keep his head up, just **** and play harder.
I change my mind.
I think the Wings are toast. Preds in 5
Glad to see Babcock knows enough to move on.
So now telling the press that its was dirty is whining? Seems we have another internet hero acting brave behind his keyboard here. haha man up and stop whining on the forums you nerd. I know it must be hard for you to live your life in constant fear of getting pushed into a locker but hey, your time will come.
Eh, it's the playoffs. I don't recall Evgeni Malkin getting suspended during the 2009 Finals. Time to strap it on and get ready to win a hockey game tonight. There's simply no time for sulking right now.
So now telling the press that its was dirty is whining? Seems we have another internet hero acting brave behind his keyboard here. haha man up and stop whining on the forums you nerd. I know it must be hard for you to live your life in constant fear of getting pushed into a locker but hey, your time will come.
It's par for the course. He actually said Z had it coming to him for hitting Weber up high. Seriously watch the replay and tell me exactly when that happened. It's his specialty in the world of trolldom. He was calling for big, bad Z to get suspended for putting his hand on a guy who lost his balance and fell awkwardly into the boards. I wouldn't take his opinion on these matters seriously, much like mindfly's opinion on who should be the Red Wings' starting goalie.
Eh, it's the playoffs. I don't recall Evgeni Malkin getting suspended during the 2009 Finals. Time to strap it on and get ready to win a hockey game tonight. There's simply no time for sulking right now.
I don't really care that Weber wasn't suspended, it's just the constant lying and excuses that keep getting made. If Weber were Kevin Klein, still think he wouldn't miss some time?
Of course it's a stupid, repeating, beaten to death issue. Stars get star treatment in the playoffs. It has to be super malicious for anything to happen. Which is fine and as much as some people want to chastise Hank for speaking his mind a bit about it, who cares? It fired him up. Good to see considering he was the best forward in Game 1, I can't wait to see what he can do tonight.
I don't really care that Weber wasn't suspended, it's just the constant lying and excuses that keep getting made. If Weber were Kevin Klein, still think he wouldn't miss some time?
Of course it's a stupid, repeating, beaten to death issue. Stars get star treatment in the playoffs. It has to be super malicious for anything to happen. Which is fine and as much as some people want to chastise Hank for speaking his mind a bit about it, who cares? It fired him up. Good to see considering he was the best forward in Game 1, I can't wait to see what he can do tonight.
Chris Pronger is kind of a big deal and he did get suspended for firing an elbow into the back of Homer's head during the 2007 WCF. There's a line and while Weber was close he didn't completely step over the line. That falls under physical play and I think you follow hockey closely enough to know that plenty of punches are thrown that do not draw suspensions. Game on mother ****ers!
Chris Pronger is kind of a big deal and he did get suspended for firing an elbow into the back of Homer's head during the 2007 WCF. There's a line and while Weber was close he didn't completely step over the line. That falls under physical play and I think you follow hockey closely enough to know that plenty of punches are thrown that do not draw suspensions. Game on mother ****ers!
Yeah but the difference with Pronger was that he was a repeat offender, drew blood on Holmstrom and was a higher collision. Same with his suspension that year in the finals, all he had to do to get suspended again was put a guy out for 6 months.
Yeah but the difference with Pronger was that he was a repeat offender, drew blood on Holmstrom and was a higher collision. Same with his suspension that year in the finals, all he had to do to get suspended again was put a guy out for 6 months.
Homer was okay and Pronger still got suspended. Pronger crosses the line and as a result he gets suspended. There' a pretty obvious logical connection there. In the heat of a pressure situation in a playoff game Weber threw a punch at Z and then slammed his head against the boards. I don't see that being any different than what Evgeni Malkin did to Z in the Finals. He wasn't suspended either.
Homer was okay and Pronger still got suspended. Pronger crosses the line and as a result he gets suspended. There' a pretty obvious logical connection there. In the heat of a pressure situation in a playoff game Weber threw a punch at Z and then slammed his head against the boards. I don't see that being any different than what Evgeni Malkin did to Z in the Finals. He wasn't suspended either.
The common theme is repeat offender here. I also don't think Malkin would ever get suspended for his haymakers that he throws at the end of games unless he accidently connects and gives someone a concussion. Even then it's 50/50.
Like I said, I didn't expect him to get suspended, I just think it continues to send some weird mixed signals with how the NHL wants to handle blows to the head.
The common theme is repeat offender here. I also don't think Malkin would ever get suspended for his haymakers that he throws at the end of games unless he accidently connects and gives someone a concussion. Even then it's 50/50.
Like I said, I didn't expect him to get suspended, I just think it continues to send some weird mixed signals with how the NHL wants to handle blows to the head.
Repeat offender gets into the discussion when there is a serious rules violation. That was not the case here. If Weber skated full speed into Z from behind and drove his head into the boards that's suspension worthy. A battle for the puck along the boards where a punch is thrown and no one is injured doesn't draw nearly as much scrutiny.
Repeat offender gets into the discussion when there is a serious rules violation. That was not the case here. If Weber skated full speed into Z from behind and drove his head into the boards that's suspension worthy. A battle for the puck along the boards where a punch is thrown and no one is injured doesn't draw nearly as much scrutiny.
Even if Weber charged Z at the end of the game and Z was questionable for game 2, I still doubt that Weber would get suspended.
Same goes for if Kronwall levels someone while leaving his feet a bit. Neither are repeat offenders and even if the opposing player got hurt a bit the type of rules they want to make the players abide by aren't clear. As much as Shanny and the league want to get blows to the head of the game when they're targeted (and slamming a dudes head against the glass is as targeted as you get) - it still needs to be a serious injury for anything to happen.
Reactionary is fine if you want to deal with the consequences. I don't necessarily blame Shanny for not suspending him, I'm a little bit annoyed since this is the playoffs and the Wings and their fans should take any advantage they can get. I just think it's silly to downplay the whole thing. Thank god Z wasn't hurt, but it could've very easily gone the other way. It wasn't a hockey play, if it was, I think it would be easier to stomach.
I'm not sure if it's even possible at this point in his career (meaning he's proven otherwise), but I don't want Zetterberg to get a rep like the Sedin's. Those guys have truly eared the title "Sedin Sisters".
Even so, I don't think Z came off as a whiner at all with his comments. He's knows how much it would benefit the Wings if Weber had been suspended and he was probably REALLY hoping it would happen, that's just smart and I don't see any shame in that.
I wasn't expecting the league to do anything about Weber's hit/punch/turnbuckel, nor do I think they should have. A fine is sufficent, but $2500 is NOTHING to a guy like Weber, that's like $2.50 from any Average Joe. $25,000 dollars might have made him think twice about doing something like that again.
If that's how they wanna play, then I hope they're not all up in arms when Kronner catches one of their guys with the head down.
I'm not sure if it's even possible at this point in his career (meaning he's proven otherwise), but I don't want Zetterberg to get a rep like the Sedin's. Those guys have truly eared the title "Sedin Sisters".
Even so, I don't think Z came off as a whiner at all. I wasn't expecting the league to do anything about Weber's hit/punch/turnbuckel nor do I think they should have. If that's how they wanna play, then I hope they're not all up in arms when Kronner catches one of their guys with the head down.
Yzerman was the biggest whiner in the league according to the refs, referees hated to officiate games when Stevie was out there. Same with Lemieux and Gretzky. You take whatever advantage you can get. Z saying it was a dirty hit isn't exactly front page news considering it was dirty.
Maybe Z should've been like Babcock and say he didn't see the hit.
I'm not sure if it's even possible at this point in his career (meaning he's proven otherwise), but I don't want Zetterberg to get a rep like the Sedin's. Those guys have truly eared the title "Sedin Sisters".
Even so, I don't think Z came off as a whiner at all with his comments. He's knows how much it would benefit the Wings if Weber had been suspended and he was probably REALLY hoping it would happen, that's just smart and I don't see any shame in that.
I wasn't expecting the league to do anything about Weber's hit/punch/turnbuckel, nor do I think they should have. A fine is sufficent, but $2500 is NOTHING to a guy like Weber, that's like $2.50 from any Average Joe. $25,000 dollars might have made him think twice about doing something like that again.
If that's how they wanna play, then I hope they're not all up in arms when Kronner catches one of their guys with the head down.
Kronner nearly caught one of the Kostitsyn's in that game. I don't have any problem with Zetterberg calling the play dirty. That's fine. Just man the **** up and get ready to win game two.
Weber said he had a "good conversation" with Shanahan on Thursday morning. And he reacted a bit indignantly when asked if the fine came with a verbal warning, saying, "I think it's pretty straightforward, you know? Play to the edge and not over." Earlier, he'd been joking around on the ice with teammate Andrei Kostitsyn, who was playfully re-enacting the turnbuckle move along the glass with Weber playing the role of Zetterberg.
The fact that Byron Bitz just got a 2-game suspension for his hit on Kyle Clifford and Shea Weber only got a $2,500 fine kind of pisses me off. Weber should have gotten at least one game. I guess this is proof that the league is playing favorites. They sure didn't mind suspending a 4th line goon... But star-defenseman captain of the Nashville Predators...
The fact that Byron Bitz just got a 2-game suspension for his hit on Kyle Clifford and Shea Weber only got a $2,500 fine kind of pisses me off. Weber should have gotten at least one game. I guess this is proof that the league is playing favorites. They sure didn't mind suspending a 4th line goon... But star-defenseman captain of the Nashville Predators...
You can't be serious. They are not the same play at all. This is exactly what I was saying to Heaton: Bitz skates at a player from behind and targets Clifford's head with a shoulder/elbow. That has been suspension worthy all season and it's similar to Pronger's hit on Homer in 2007. If Pronger made that same hit this season with the new rules he'd definitely get more than the one game he got back then.
You can't be serious. They are not the same play at all. This is exactly what I was saying to Heaton: Bitz skates at a player from behind and targets Clifford's head with a shoulder/elbow. That has been suspension worthy all season and it's similar to Pronger's hit on Homer in 2007. If Pronger made that same hit this season with the new rules he'd definitely get more than the one game he got back then.
Time to stop being butt hurt and move on.
It also helps that Bitz is a nobody, imagine if Clifford was Kopitar or something.
Even if Weber charged Z at the end of the game and Z was questionable for game 2, I still doubt that Weber would get suspended.
Same goes for if Kronwall levels someone while leaving his feet a bit. Neither are repeat offenders and even if the opposing player got hurt a bit the type of rules they want to make the players abide by aren't clear. As much as Shanny and the league want to get blows to the head of the game when they're targeted (and slamming a dudes head against the glass is as targeted as you get) - it still needs to be a serious injury for anything to happen.
Reactionary is fine if you want to deal with the consequences. I don't necessarily blame Shanny for not suspending him, I'm a little bit annoyed since this is the playoffs and the Wings and their fans should take any advantage they can get. I just think it's silly to downplay the whole thing. Thank god Z wasn't hurt, but it could've very easily gone the other way. It wasn't a hockey play, if it was, I think it would be easier to stomach.
I think this, along with the mixed signals on head shots, is what is so bad about the ruling. this wasn't a shove in the middle of a scrum, it wasn't incidental, it was purposeful and had enough force to crack a hockey helmet. If they're going to just fine the guy, at least make the fine substantial. Tortorella has been hit with bigger fines for far less.
edit: and I do blame shanny. It's his job, and he's punted on these things the closer the playoffs have gotten.
Kronner nearly caught one of the Kostitsyn's in that game. I don't have any problem with Zetterberg calling the play dirty. That's fine. Just man the **** up and get ready to win game two.
Agreed.
And after seeing that photo Risotto just posted of them "reenacting" the incident, I hope Kronner squares one of them up next time and knocks them back to Belarus.
It also helps that Bitz is a nobody, imagine if Clifford was Kopitar or something.
I've read your take, disagree and responded. At this point simply repeating yourself isn't going to add much to the discussion. Not trying to be difficult, just pointing out at this point the discussion isn't really going anywhere.
I've read your take, disagree and responded. At this point simply repeating yourself isn't going to add much to the discussion. Not trying to be difficult, just pointing out at this point the discussion isn't really going anywhere.
I think this, along with the mixed signals on head shots, is what is so bad about the ruling. this wasn't a shove in the middle of a scrum, it wasn't incidental, it was purposeful and had enough force to crack a hockey helmet. If they're going to just fine the guy, at least make the fine substantial. Tortorella has been hit with bigger fines for far less.
edit: and I do blame shanny. It's his job, and he's punted on these things the closer the playoffs have gotten.
Hah. No kidding. Torts gets a 20k fine for dropping an F-bomb. Lemiuex gives the league an ultimatum and gets nothing.
