Kassian v. M. Tkachuk

[fantasyhockeygeek]

The rules are the rules. "Codes" are phantom and not real.

A player is never ever obligated to fight. Ever. If all the hits were dirty it wouldn't change a thing.

It drives me nuts that the NHL just doesn't call the damn playbook. The idea that the rules change depending on the context/circumstance is asinine. A hook is a hook and a slash is a slash and a headshot is a headshot, regardless of intent, if it's the first minute of the game, or the last minute of the game, or the playoffs, or overtime. It's also a logical fallacy when people say that the refs shouldn't call things near the end of the 3rd or in OT because it'll "change the outcome" -- newsflash, letting a team get away with a penalty also changes an outcome.

This whole debate seems insane to me.

[hockeyrobot]

The Kassian suspension was the right thing to do. You can't attack a player like that regardless of how much you want to pummel his face in.

Love that the Battle of Alberta is back though.

[rangersfury]

I must have missed it when Charging was removed from the rulebook. The hit that precipitated the ragdoll-ing was a clearcut case of Charging and in my opinion where the subjective extra penalties component of that rule (if it still existed) should have applied.

Don't care about either player or team here, so I suppose I'm objective on this. But if this shit happened on the ice when I used to play or to one of my players when I was coaching at a minimum I'd be arguing with the refs to give Tkachuk the misconduct and get him out of there before he injures someone.

[hockeyrobot]

I must have missed it when Charging was removed from the rulebook. The hit that precipitated the ragdoll-ing was a clearcut case of Charging and in my opinion where the subjective extra penalties component of that rule (if it still existed) should have applied.

Don't care about either player or team here, so I suppose I'm objective on this. But if this shit happened on the ice when I used to play or to one of my players when I was coaching at a minimum I'd be arguing with the refs to give Tkachuk the misconduct and get him out of there before he injures someone.

Oh yes for sure Tkachuk should have gotten a penalty. But not suspended.

[rataylor22]

One thing that is undeniably clear, ~if~ Kassian ends up doing anything in the next two games against the Flames (the 29th and the 1st) that warrants a suspension, he's spent the last 3 days just piling games onto said suspension by making it crystal clear to any media source that will listen that it absolutely will have been intentional and premeditated.

[2014olympicgold]

One thing that is undeniably clear, ~if~ Kassian ends up doing anything in the next two games against the Flames (the 29th and the 1st) that warrants a suspension, he's spent the last 3 days just piling games onto said suspension by making it crystal clear to any media source that will listen that it absolutely will have been intentional and premeditated.

IF he does something illegal. And man I hope he doesn't because you're 100% correct.

He's def finishing his checks those nights, but I hope he keeps his elbows down, and makes sure his hits aren't high. And I doubt Tkachuk drops the mitts with him, but you never know.

[Axeman33]

I've waited a couple days before giving my opinion but I'll chime in now.

My issue with all this isn't the fact that Kassian got suspended. He's a dummy and deserved the suspension. It isn't that they scored on the PP after he rag-dolled Tkachuk into being his bitch.

My issue is that the NHL considers Tkachuks hits to be legal. The primary reason Tkachuk did NOT get penalized on the plays that he hit Kassian is quite simply because of who he was hitting. The league/referees are fine with guys like Tkachuk taking runs at guys like Kassian. Guys like Kassian are able to take those hits and get up from them and carry on. They are also able to get up, and dummy guys like Tkachuk because they are tough hockey players.

Now, imagine if Tkachuk had take the same runs at someone like, and I wont even pick a star player, someone like Sam Gagner. What are the odds that Gagner gets up from those shots? I'd say pretty slim. Now who's getting a call from the NHL? I'd say it's Tkachuk getting that call.

I give Tkachuk credit for taking his shots at a big target like Kassian and not at a smaller fish in the pond. He probably did that because he expected Kassian to be able to take them and he also probably did it because he could get the type of response from Kassian that he got. He goated him into taking the penalty. He knew Kassian would eventually snap and he also knew there was no way he was going to drop the gloves with him. It's a smart play on Tkachuk's part. He looks like the p*ssy that Kassian called him afterward and thats something he has to live with. In a few weeks, no one will remember who won the game but people will remember Tkachuk acting like a beotch with his turtle head popping out.

A couple of those hits were legal hits, but there was also at least one of those hits that was a clear charge on Tkachuk's part and the ref's got that wrong. You cannot take 4-5 strong strides towards a player coming from behind the net, make contact with him, lay him out, and that not be called a charge. I've seen a lot less get called charging in the league. The exact wording from the NHL rule book in regards to a charging penalty reads as follows:

Rule 42 - Charging
42.1 Charging - A minor or major penalty shall be imposed on a player
who skates or jumps into, or charges an opponent in any manner.
Charging shall mean the actions of a player who, as a result of
distance traveled, shall violently check an opponent in any manner. A
“charge” may be the result of a check into the boards, into the goal
frame or in open ice.

I think anyone can watch the videos of the hits dished out and at least two of them are clear charging penalties that were not called. Not because of the hit themselves but more because of the player who received the hits.

Thats my opinion on the whole situation. I dont have a problem with the suspension because Kassian should have controlled himself. I do have a problem with there not being a penalty of some sort on Tkachuk for his actions on the various plays during the game that led to Kassian rag-dolling Tkachuk.

I fully expect rataylor to disagree with me.

[rataylor22]

- I can see lots of arguments how the "first" Tkachuk hit was dirty and illegal (the one shown in Kofax's post), but I can't possibly imagine how anyone can call it a hit to the head. #ScreenshotLyfe can be misleading, but the screengrab literally shows Tkachuk's hip on Kassian's shoulder and Kassian's head whipping forward. His head literally couldn't whip like that if it was contacted. Charging sure, but there's no logical argument to make that it was a hit to the head.

[doulos]

IF he does something illegal. And man I hope he doesn't because you're 100% correct.

He's def finishing his checks those nights, but I hope he keeps his elbows down, and makes sure his hits aren't high. And I doubt Tkachuk drops the mitts with him, but you never know.

On the other hand, I hope if he's planning on doing something extremely stupid, that he makes it count.

[MZac]

On the other hand, I hope if he's planning on doing something extremely stupid, that he makes it count.

Haha - sounds like Tippett after the game he said something like: I wish he'd of taken a number there. Long pause. But I really wish we could have killed the penalty for him - Love it.

Hoping Kass catches Tkatchuk with a monster open ice hit (clean) early. Guys like tkatchuk know how to protect themselves and his head will be on a swivel so doubtful this happens but man I'd love to see it. I don't want anyone to get hurt either though.

Like it or not this stuff still sells and it's rare that I want to watch a specific hockey game in the middle of the regular season, but I'll be tuning in for this one.

[HockeyHobo]

All of the three hits were fine and none were to the head. They look worse than they were due to the fact that Kassian doesn't have his chin strap done up, which I believe he is supposed to do, he puts himself into a dangerous position by not doing that.
All three were big hits and Kassian was upset that he had been put down three times. His actions could have ended Tkachuck's career, pulling a player from behind, down to the ice and then laying down punches when the player is in a vulnerable position is not following the so called 'code' that these past players have been harping on about, these were the actions of a blind rage thug. The 2 games suspension should have been more.

The element of this that is not mentioned is the cross check from behind by McDavid, prior to Kassian jumping Tkachuck. If you want to talk about protecting stars, there is a prime example because he deserved two minutes for that as well imo.

Yes I am a Flames fan, so this maybe biased, but anyone who says they wouldn't want Tkachuck on their team p!55ing off the opposition and drawing penalties is bending the truth.

[lobo1969]

All of the three hits were fine and none were to the head. They look worse than they were due to the fact that Kassian doesn't have his chin strap done up, which I believe he is supposed to do, he puts himself into a dangerous position by not doing that.
All three were big hits and Kassian was upset that he had been put down three times. His actions could have ended Tkachuck's career, pulling a player from behind, down to the ice and then laying down punches when the player is in a vulnerable position is not following the so called 'code' that these past players have been harping on about, these were the actions of a blind rage thug. The 2 games suspension should have been more.

The element of this that is not mentioned is the cross check from behind by McDavid, prior to Kassian jumping Tkachuck. If you want to talk about protecting stars, there is a prime example because he deserved two minutes for that as well imo.

Yes I am a Flames fan, so this maybe biased, but anyone who says they wouldn't want Tkachuck on their team p!55ing off the opposition and drawing penalties is bending the truth.

Kassian's chin strap? McDavid's cross check? Ending Tkachuk's career?

Yep, only your Flames fan bias would see fit to split these kinds of hairs.

[blayze]

I for one, am glad Tkachuk got the shit beaten out of him. I wouldn't be surprised if other players around the league decide to give him the Kassian treatment given his scumbag reputation.

What goes around comes around.

[lucafen4]

I'm winning PIM pretty handily in the pool I own Kassian this week... I hope he controls his temper and saves his next hot-head moment for when I need it more.

[rataylor22]

This thread has taught me that lots of people have a very weird definition of "getting the shit beaten out of you", which in a way makes lots of things on this forum make more sense.