Letang

[fungchen3]

I honestly believe that the move to remove fighting, the introduction of the instigator rule have lead us down this path.

Go back 10 years. Letang makes that play, Nystrom has 3 options:

1: play the puck
2: Put a body on Letang and prevent him from advancing the play
3: Lay letang out and know that both you and your teammates will be in for a war for the remainder of the game for taking a run at a star player.

Say what you will, but the proof seems to be that there is little to no respect out there between players.

This is absolutely right and I've been saying this for years now. The misconception about fighting in hockey has been shaped the recent "staged" fighting that takes place now 85% of the time to appease the fans and "earn a check". The reality is, fighting actually served a major purpose prior to the Instigator Rule, which like you said, has actually played a part in the viciousness we see today from hitting.

But, I can see how people don't respect my opinion, hell, I'm only a "fan". But there have been players, ex-players and hockey people who have echoed the same sentiment and do so passionately.

Brian Burke, Bob Clarke, Rick Tocchet, Wendel Clark and Denis Potvin are a few that immediately come to mind. These guys played in the league, they've lived the game and they've been in the middle of the wars. So they've seen it from all perspectives. I want to find the quote, but it was from a player who played over in Europe after the NHL and said the stickwork and dirty hits are so nasty there because they don't fight. When players no longer have to be accountable to each other they lose respect. That day has arrived. The players today no longer respect each other and a big part of it is because the NHL feels they can "police it" with their PC (anti-fighting) approach. I think the NHL is 1,000% wrong here.

[Old_Smokie]

"#Pens coach Bylsma: Letang has symptoms and will be reevaluated back in Pittsburgh -SK"

[ross10019]

"#Pens coach Bylsma: Letang has symptoms and will be reevaluated back in Pittsburgh -SK"

Unreal, thanks a million Nystrom.

[elTIGREblanc]

Not suspending Nystrom sends the message to all other marginal 2nd liners and 3rd and 4th liners: "if you have the choice, forget the puck, go for the body." To the rest of the world they are saying: "We want an NHL full of reckless bodychecking / fighting goons on the ice instead of players who play the puck and try to score goals with skill."

This is about the selling of the game to lowest common demonator, not protecting the actual people who play the game.

The NHL wants to promote an entertainment package that focuses on bone (brain) crushing hits and fighting. They are selling to our base emotions such as our lust for violence instead of our more noble desire to appreciate skill.

The problem is that real life people are getting real life-long injuries to appease the NHL fan's base desires for violence etc...

If I want to watch guys skating full speed into each other and watch them get messed up, I'll watch Jackass.

If I want to watch to two guys fight each other I'll watch MMA or boxing.

If I want to watch a good hockey game where there are passing plays and scoring chances made with skill, I'll watch Crosby, Malkin and Letang. I am not going to watch Nystrom or Neil or Parros.

It is time for NHL customers (fans) to stop enabling archaic violence in the NHL workplace and DEMAND that the NHL protect the skilled players they are PAYING to watch.

The NHL will never change the rules if they think it they will lose money. NHL fans who actual want to see a skilled game and who want to see players protected from unnecessary violence (like fans are at their workplace) then these fans need to keep their wallets shut to force the NHL to make healthy choice for the game.

Until then, NHL hockey will remain a thinly veiled "Roman Colosseum" sport, without the tigers.

[elTIGREblanc]

Dude... those are beer league rules. In the NHL you play the puck OR the man. That doesn't need to change. It's the speed, agression and respect that needs to be adjusted. You can still play the man, but play him to knock him off the puck NOT knock him out of the game. That should be an Intent to injure penalty if your intention is not to get the puck.

What pisses me off is the zero attempt to play the puck after the hit. A hockey hit is designed to knock a player off the puck and steal the puck in order to pass it. These guys now just launch their body at a player and both end up on the ice and there is zero care as to who ends up with the puck so what is the point of the hit????

It sounds like you are agreeing with me about boychecking is supposed to enable a positive hockey play, not bodychecking as a kamikaze attempt to injure. My Rule #1 is an attempt to legislate that.

As long the NHL enforces rules that doesnt punish player behavior like Nystrom's yesterday, you might as well just expand your IR slots for your hky pool and enjoy football on ice.

I'd rather watch a beer league with Crosby and Letang then an NHL 90% full of Nystroms!

[TeamRamrod]

-“I’m coming in on the forecheck, I am going in to play the man and he is reaching in for the puck. I didn’t even touch his head, I hit him shoulder-to-shoulder. I had four minor penalties coming into this game, I am not a headhunter. At the speed of the game, the ref just has to make a call there,” Nystrom said. “He saw the guy reach at the last second and I can’t stop there. I kept my arms down and I didn’t even make contact with his head. I never want to see a guy get hurt.” - Stars forward Eric Nystrom on his hit which injured Kris Letang


I believe him. There was a great debate between two brainiacs (Milbury and Roenick) Jeremy kept saying there was no head contact and I thought he was full of crap. So I paused the hit at the contact point, and I swear there is a gap between Nystroms arm and Letangs head. I guess we'll see, if Letang plays in the next game or two. EDIT- he will miss a week due to league concussion protocol. We'll see if he plays against TO on the 7th.

[ross10019]

-“I’m coming in on the forecheck, I am going in to play the man and he is reaching in for the puck. I didn’t even touch his head, I hit him shoulder-to-shoulder. I had four minor penalties coming into this game, I am not a headhunter. At the speed of the game, the ref just has to make a call there,” Nystrom said. “He saw the guy reach at the last second and I can’t stop there. I kept my arms down and I didn’t even make contact with his head. I never want to see a guy get hurt.” - Stars forward Eric Nystrom on his hit which injured Kris Letang


I believe him. There was a great debate between two brainiacs (Milbury and Roenick) Jeremy kept saying there was no head contact and I thought he was full of crap. So I paused the hit at the contact point, and I swear there is a gap between Nystroms arm and Letangs head. I guess we'll see, if Letang plays in the next game or two. EDIT- he will miss a week due to league concussion protocol. We'll see if he plays against TO on the 7th.

I believe him too, except where he says "He saw the guy reach at the last second and I can’t stop there." Yes, you can stop there dude. You should have stopped there or tried to get out of the way. And you had time, it was NOT at the last second, you could have let up, but you didn't and now a superstar has another concussion.

As for your comment, why is it relevant whether it was an elbow/arm that hit Letang or just the shoulder, it's still the head that is the principal point of contact.

[TeamRamrod]

I believe him too, except where he says "He saw the guy reach at the last second and I can’t stop there." Yes, you can stop there dude. You should have stopped there or tried to get out of the way. And you had time, it was NOT at the last second, you could have let up, but you didn't and now a superstar has another concussion.

As for your comment, why is it relevant whether it was an elbow/arm that hit Letang or just the shoulder, it's still the head that is the principal point of contact.

I said there was a gap between Nystroms arm and Letangs head, sighting there was NO head contact at all. Hard to tell from the angles available, but it does look like there was no head contact. I never thought I'd say it, but I guess I'm agreeing with Roenick (video of their debate and the hit is on the TSN website under the header "Your getting soft").

[ross10019]

I said there was a gap between Nystroms arm and Letangs head, sighting there was NO head contact at all. Hard to tell from the angles available, but it does look like there was no head contact. I never thought I'd say it, but I guess I'm agreeing with Roenick (video of their debate and the hit is on the TSN website under the header "Your getting soft").

Not sure I understand, are you telling me Nystrom's shoulder/arm hit Letang in the body and not the head? if so, come on, that's crazy talk, Letang's head wouldn't have whipped around like that if Nystrom doesn't hit his head.

[TeamRamrod]

Not sure I understand, are you telling me Nystrom's shoulder/arm hit Letang in the body and not the head? if so, come on, that's crazy talk, Letang's head wouldn't have whipped around like that if Nystrom doesn't hit his head.

Like I said I wouldn't even have thought it for the same reason until I heard Roenick blabber on about it and then watched the video in slow-mo. Then I read Nystrom say that he never hit Letangs head. I don't know enough about Nystrom to call him a liar. Roenicks reasoning was the hit to his chest snapped his head back (Letangs head was not the initial contact point). Either way my point is we'll know for sure if he comes back to play on the 7th or 9th.

Once the fantasy card comes into play rational and reasoning go out the window. If I had Letang on my team, I'd probably be screaming for Nystrom to be suspended for life.

[ross10019]

Like I said I wouldn't even have thought it for the same reason until I heard Roenick blabber on about it and then watched the video in slow-mo. Then I read Nystrom say that he never hit Letangs head. I don't know enough about Nystrom to call him a liar. Roenicks reasoning was the hit to his chest snapped his head back (Letangs head was not the initial contact point). Either way my point is we'll know for sure if he comes back to play on the 7th or 9th.

Once the fantasy card comes into play rational and reasoning go out the window. If I had Letang on my team, I'd probably be screaming for Nystrom to be suspended for life.

As much as owners hate to lose Letang, my opinion isn't based on the fact that I own him, it's based on the fact that 4 or 5 of the game's marquee players are out with concussions and meanwhile guys like Nystrom, a waiver wire pickup, play on.

[fungchen3]

Letang out indefinitely with likely concussion

[lektrix]

Hope they dont take 2 weeks to IR him

[bondon]

Letang out indefinitely with likely concussion

Bleh, does this make him safe to drop then in one-year leagues do you guys think?

As for Nystrom, as a Letang owner I'm actually not calling for his head, I've had a soft spot for Nystrom after all the heavy verbal/cyber abuse he took after he injured that Oilers prospect in the pre-season and people were like telling him to go kill himself and stuff. He's not a dirty player, he's just the type of player that has to play hard every shift or else he doesn't play at all.

Just sucks for Letang/Pittsburgh/my fantasy team is all. I hope Letang makes a quick recovery. As for whether or not it should have been suspendable I've given up on trying to justify it either way because I don't get it lol.

[93213]

Hope they dont take 2 weeks to IR him

Ditto..............