Get ready for a Malkin suspension

[saucelife90]

https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/ho...ce-suspension/

[SeaDawg]

It looks to me that all Malkin did was brace for contact. Did he lower his body to brace for the impact? Sure. I think most of us would do that if we are about to get hit. Crouching down lowers our center of gravity and helps us absorb the impact. By lowering his stance, Malkin's shoulder impacted Oshie's head, but it was Oshie who initiated the contact. Malkin didn't change his direction and didn't turn his body towards Oshie. Maybe Malkin didn't do much to get out of the way, but Oshie was the player initiating the contact and he seemed to sort of lose his balance just before impact, which resulted in the head contact.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think Malkin did anything wrong here.

[saucelife90]

It looks to me that all Malkin did was brace for contact. Did he lower his body to brace for the impact? Sure. I think most of us would do that if we are about to get hit. Crouching down lowers our center of gravity and helps us absorb the impact. By lowering his stance, Malkin's shoulder impacted Oshie's head, but it was Oshie who initiated the contact. Malkin didn't change his direction and didn't turn his body towards Oshie. Maybe Malkin didn't do much to get out of the way, but Oshie was the player initiating the contact and he seemed to sort of lose his balance just before impact, which resulted in the head contact.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think Malkin did anything wrong here.

Nailed it.

[FantasyKing]

he should have been suspended

[Grapes]

It looks to me that all Malkin did was brace for contact. Did he lower his body to brace for the impact? Sure. I think most of us would do that if we are about to get hit. Crouching down lowers our center of gravity and helps us absorb the impact. By lowering his stance, Malkin's shoulder impacted Oshie's head, but it was Oshie who initiated the contact. Malkin didn't change his direction and didn't turn his body towards Oshie. Maybe Malkin didn't do much to get out of the way, but Oshie was the player initiating the contact and he seemed to sort of lose his balance just before impact, which resulted in the head contact.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think Malkin did anything wrong here.

^ nailed it

[rtstr]

This is the NHL and things like this sometimes happen when you try and hit an absolute horse on skates like Malkin. Nothing predatory about this. Just a "you want to touch me? ok go for it" situation. No suspension necessary for this.

[hockeymanG23]

It looks to me that all Malkin did was brace for contact. Did he lower his body to brace for the impact? Sure. I think most of us would do that if we are about to get hit. Crouching down lowers our center of gravity and helps us absorb the impact. By lowering his stance, Malkin's shoulder impacted Oshie's head, but it was Oshie who initiated the contact. Malkin didn't change his direction and didn't turn his body towards Oshie. Maybe Malkin didn't do much to get out of the way, but Oshie was the player initiating the contact and he seemed to sort of lose his balance just before impact, which resulted in the head contact.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think Malkin did anything wrong here.

I agree. Due the the title I was expecting a full on flying elbow or something. Even the in game penalty seems excessive to me but the refs only have that split second to make an assessment so I can understand it. The DoPs made the right call ultimately.

[rangersfury]

Regardless of Malkin's reaction/intent/action can we all just agree that maybe Oshie shouldn't be trying to check people with his face?

[agentzero]

If he had no ill intent, why was he given not only a penalty but a major penalty and a game misconduct?

Analysts on the tv thought it was bad enough. Analysts on the radio this morning all thought it merited suspension, including former players and coaches, but he won’t be suspended.

Then again I’m not surprised at the dops here... they suspend when no penalty is assessed, but let head shots and major penalties slide, without even a phone call. The fact that both are too rarely on the same page about head shot infractions just signals to me that they have serious consistency and integrity issues. It’s nothing new but it’s frankly embarrassing, regardless of what anyone would have thought about this play. League is sending wrong messages with stuff like this.

[agentzero]

Regardless of Malkin's reaction/intent/action can we all just agree that maybe Oshie shouldn't be trying to check people with his face?

Lol yes but he wasn’t even trying to hit Malkin, just contain him and maybe get around him to the puck carrier. It was a reverse hit and a dirty play. Marc Denis of RDS had a great take on it today.

[ACC90]

If he had no ill intent, why was he given not only a penalty but a major penalty and a game misconduct?

Analysts on the tv thought it was bad enough. Analysts on the radio this morning all thought it merited suspension, including former players and coaches, but he won’t be suspended.

Then again I’m not surprised at the dops here... they suspend when no penalty is assessed, but let head shots and major penalties slide, without even a phone call. The fact that both are too rarely on the same page about head shot infractions just signals to me that they have serious consistency and integrity issues. It’s nothing new but it’s frankly embarrassing, regardless of what anyone would have thought about this play. League is sending wrong messages with stuff like this.

I totally agree with you
I don't see why everyone here think that it don't deserve at least 1-2 games of suspension

DOPS have made 2 bad call this week :
-Malkin : clearly a hit to the head. Maybe if this would have been Tom Wilson instead of Malkin, the consequences would have been different..
-Lucic : you will only have 10k$ if you slash, hit the guy when the puck is 50 feet and punch a guy when he is down. Good job guys!

[rangersfury]

Lol yes but he wasn’t even trying to hit Malkin, just contain him and maybe get around him to the puck carrier. It was a reverse hit and a dirty play. Marc Denis of RDS had a great take on it today.

After watching the video a few times I got the impression that he was intending to go past Malkin and stay on the puck... but seemed to forget there was a big Russian guy in between.

[The Comish]

I totally agree with you
I don't see why everyone here think that it don't deserve at least 1-2 games of suspension

DOPS have made 2 bad call this week :
-Malkin : clearly a hit to the head. Maybe if this would have been Tom Wilson instead of Malkin, the consequences would have been different..
-Lucic : you will only have 10k$ if you slash, hit the guy when the puck is 50 feet and punch a guy when he is down. Good job guys!

Because some of us have different opinions.

[Godin]

Because some of us have different opinions.

Yes. We are allowed to.

[The Guvnah]

Some of you guys are just out to lunch.

What would you do if, out of the corner of your eye, you see an opposing player skating towards you after you make a pass entering the o-zone? Probably lift your shoulder just as Malkin did. And what the hell was Oshie doing anyway? He looked like he was going in to hug Malkin. Moronic play. Deserved to get laid out by a bigger, heavier opponent.

I agree that head shots need to be heavily penalized but that was not a head shot in the traditional sense. Malkin was acting defensively against a player who was essentially daydreaming. I guarantee Oshie went back to the dressing room shaking his head wondering what the hell he was thinking.