"I could not find any evidence to suggest that, beyond this being a correct call for interference, that Chara targeted the head of his opponent, left his feet or delivered the check in any other manner that could be deemed to be dangerous." - Murphy
How the hell can he say this with a straight face?
This is EXACTLY the way I see it. Any place else on the ice and it's a clean, devastating check.
The problem being, it wasn't anywhere else on the ice. You have to take responsibility and have some level of respect for other players safety, Chara didn't and it ended up putting a guys career in jeopardy.
I just want to know how you people are judging "clean". Because clearly it was illegal because the puck was long gone, and the pic Buffalo87 put up clearly shows his hand on Max's head. From the simple fact that it was blatant interference ( a penalty) that resulted in injury, that's almost 100% of the time given a suspension.
Anywhere else on the ice and it's a 2 min interference penalty and nothing more.
That's not necessarily true. With his hand slamming Paciorety's head into the stanchion. It's not hard to imagine a nasty injury from his head getting slammed into the glass.
That's necessarily true. With his hand slamming Paciorety's head into the stanchion. It's not hard to imagine a nasty injury from his head getting slammed into the glass.
I've watched the replay several times. To me, it looks like it's a shoulder to shoulder hit, and Chara's hand never hits Max's head.
If there were full boards there, I don't think Max misses a shift.
Anywhere else on the ice and it's a 2 min interference penalty and nothing more.
That's kind of the point. That area of the ice is your only opportunity to skate up to a guy that doesn't have the puck and break his neck by pushing his head into a post.
Anywhere else on the ice and it's a 2 min interference penalty and nothing more.
Actually anywhere else on the ice its elbowing to the head call and probably suspension worthy. The hit starts with him a good 2 feet away from the glass and chara would have driven his head into the glass with his elbow. Because there was no glass there he bounces his head off the turnbuckle and not the glass.
This isn't a clean hit. There's a history. No suspension is a joke.
I find it comical that Murphy uses his lack of previous suspension as a factor. Doesnt the NHL realize that becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. This isn't the first time Chara or someone got away with a borderline play because their lack of history. If they continually let players slide for this reason then they create a false clean history. That's why it's the act that should be the primary concern not the player.
Picture above says otherwise, and obviously I'm on Joshjull's side of the argument here
The picture shows that Chara's hand passed in front of Max's face, not that it actually made contact.
If you watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jimZ1tSdPY0 -- watch at the 1:00 mark. They show a replay from behind the bench. It looks to me like Chara hits Max, and then his hand immediately comes free. If Chara made contact with Max's head, there would be some slowing of Chara's hand.
However, JJ's point is quite salient --- no suspension could be a prophecy of something worse happening later in the same area of the rink.
To be clear. I don't think Chara in anyway intended to cripple Paciorety. But I also don't buy the argument that this was de sort of unfortunate accident.
Another lame comment from Murphy. Chara didn't leave his feet. :
Does he actually think Chara would ever have to leave his feet to hit someone in the head?
It's unlikely with how well Boston has been playing, but I really hope that Montreal and Boston play in the first round of the playoffs. The bloodbath that would ensue would be unreal. Plus it means we would dodge Boston if we get in, and I think Montreal has the best chance of a lower seeded team to upset the Bruins; they seem to have their number
The league can't afford any more hits like that in that area of the ice. A hit like that could kill or paralyze a player too easily. Therefore, you have to dish out a big penalty no matter what the intent is, just to make players EXTRA cautious in that area of the ice. If you hit somebody into the turnbuckle, it should be an automatic suspension, even if it's an otherwise "clean" hit (which this was not).
"I could not find any evidence to suggest that, beyond this being a correct call for interference, that Chara targeted the head of his opponent, left his feet or delivered the check in any other manner that could be deemed to be dangerous." - Murphy
How the hell can he say this with a straight face?
Could care less if Chara is in or out vs. the Sabres, but driving a guy's head into the partition (a guy who Chara was furiously chasing around the rink trying to pummel after a recent game after he was "tapped" on the back), resulting in a severe concussion, broken neck, and lost season and playoffs is serious stuff. Not sure I buy the "oblivious" defense -- that Chara didn't know who he was checking or where he was shoving his head. Nonsense. Chara has become an out-of-control player when he gets upset with an opposing player. It's happened a couple times this season after games and whistles with him going after Sabres' players. This guy just Bertuzzi'd a Montreal player he had a beef with, and he's gotten away with it scott free. Poor, poor, Zedno. Maybe he'll end the career or put the next guy he "cleanly" checks into a wheel-chair for life. But yeah, maybe it's all just a fluke that Chara broke the neck of a player he hates. Whoops.
I think Chara was clearly trying to put him over the boards with no thought as to where the partition was. To me, it doesn't show any intent to injure, but rather intent to get revenge by a guy who doesn't always think before he acts.
I think Chara was clearly trying to put him over the boards with no thought as to where the partition was. To me, it doesn't show any intent to injure, but rather intent to get revenge by a guy who doesn't always think before he acts.
Perfectly worded to me.
He didn't intend to put MaxPac into the partition, but didn't exactly give any thought as to where it might have been.
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