Are we really in for another season of "merry-go-round" NHL discipline?

[sixhands]

The NHL “Wheel of Justice” is well known to fantasy hockey, it bites us in the ass and sometimes it bites our rivals! Unfortunately, like most of the “luck” involved in most online sports, the NHL’s version of discipline leaves many of us scratching our heads.

Most recently, there has been a bench-clearing brawl (including the customary goalie match-up), a whack in the face, a slash on the ankles and numerous other infractions that don’t warrant disciplinary action.

Phil Kessel was suspended for the rest of the pre-season for a 2-handed slash to the ankle, followed by some more 2-handed swinging that didn’t really connect with anything.

Zach Kassian was suspended for the rest of the pre-season and 5 regular season games for not being able to control his stick finishing a check.

Now clearly one of these scenarios follows the NHL disciplinary clause, “intent to injure”, but I can’t figure out which one!

“That which is set in stone doesn’t argue, lines in the sand just wash away.” – Me

You leave the bench for a fight, it’s an automatic 10-game suspension. That’s set in stone, it’s a rule. You break a guy’s jaw, that’s another story. It all depends on when, and how, it happens!

Kassian broke Gagner’s jaw with a reckless swing of his stick while trying to make a play. I highly doubt there was any “intent to injure” and yet he gets the pre-season and 5 regular season games because of the injury. Would it just have been the rest of the pre-season if Gagner’s face was still intact?

Kessel repeatedly swung his stick at another player after an altercation and he gets the rest of the pre-season because there was no injury on the play. Would Kessel have received a 5-game suspension had he broke an ankle? Either way there was an intent to injure behaviour.

So is the NHL punishing the “result” of the action or the “intent” of said action?

And this is where it gets really confusing because Karlsson suffered a sliced Achilles on a “routine” check into the boards. If it was that “routine” wouldn’t they be slicing Achilles more often? Shouldn't that have been an automatic 5 game suspension?

Whatever conspiracy theory you subscribe to is your own business. I like to follow logic and right now, the NHL Disciplinary Committee does not subscribe.

Please, can we just get one set of rules to go by?

Either punish the injury or the action, pick one!

[FutureFF]

I agree that while Kessel did dodge a bullet with his actions, he has less of a history causing injuries and fighting like Kassian does. Where as a self-defense measure was taken by Kessel, Kassian acted recklessly and put a player out for possibly 5-6 weeks.

Either way, good article.