Batherson Injured on a Filthy Dirty Hit

[hockeymanG23]

It's not a good play by any means and the outcome was certainly bad but on repeated viewing I had some of the same thoughts Invictus mentioned. If a player is in a spot without the puck it's on the other players to avoid them. Doesn't matter if a player "sucks", they are entitled to their space on the ice.

Dell doesn't move from his spot, is he obligated to? Most goalies get back to the crease ASAP, they are allowed to stay out, but Dell DID have adequate time to return to his crease so I don't buy the argument of goalies being poorer skaters in this instance.

It could be interference at the minimum since it wasn't necessary for Dell to remain there, and while he didn't "lunge" towards Batherson he did "lean" into him when he had no need to remain in that area. Again though, he is allowed to be there and it's the forecheckers responsibility to avoid a player without the puck.

I really hate the way so many players attack the crease. Sure, penalties will get called but there are also many times a goalie is injured IN their crease when contact was avoidable but its just considered incidental when fans, rightly or wrongly, may view the same play as intentional and the forechecker gets no real punishment. This obviously wasn't a play in the crease but I can see goalies being more sensitive to players rushing towards them in that general area.

I am interested to see what the DoPS has to say about it because it was reckless and unnecessary but I really could see them going either way on this one.

[The Comish]

Without breaking it down too much and only having seen it a couple of times, I think it could have been borderline interference. I don't like that Batherson was injured on the play, but I also don't think that contact deserves supplementary discipline. That said, I also might be a little too old school (keep your head up type).

[Invictus]

I don't like that Batherson was injured on the play, .

Ya nobody should... :/

Dell doesn't move from his spot, is he obligated to?

There's no obligation.

dell.png

Batherson had so much time to pick a different path but instead decided to cruise through Dells lane back to the net. Dell didn't move from this spot. The puck left Dell's stick only a second before Batherson made contact.

Dell's hit on Tolvanen was way worst play imo.

[forumname]

Dell hurt Mark Stone a while back, the same exact way.

Good call, it's almost identical.

[Invictus]

Good call, it's almost identical.

Only seen a shortened clip of the Stonen one, but some differences. Dell wasn't behind the net/goal line on that one. Also outside the trapezoid. Looks like he lunged forward a bit on Stone too.
So ya I'll also add that to the Tolvanen one on being a worst play.

If you aren't allowed to hit goalies, then they shouldn't be allowed to hit players.

I don't see him hitting Batherson, just standing his ground.

[striderz]

I'm watching the same clip as yall and Dell clearly rotates his body so it is wider, and then he leans over as he braces his shoulder. He moved about 1ft at the last second and that's all it takes.

Batherson does not make contact with the center of Dells mass.

I think this is a dirty play and that he will be penalized.

[2014olympicgold]

We don't call for a suspension unless Batherson is hurt. We laugh and go "ohhh goalie" or "woah what a hit".

Or we call for a player to be suspended if he does this to a goalie (clifford on Mrazek)

The way the taboo around goalies are causes this to be an issue. To me I wish you were fair game when you aren't making a goalie play (like the NFL, when you aren't making a QB play, you're now a runner). However I don't know if they'd ever change these rules around a position that can make or break a teams potential stanley cup run.

Oh, I believe Dell meant to brace for any contact that was there. He took a space on the ice and once Batherson cut thinking he could get as close to Dell as possible, Dell popped him. If anything, it's interference.

[tweetdrivr]

It’s interference. The main problem here is that Batherson is moving at a good clip and Dell knows damn well where they are in relation to the boards. That’s the dangerous part of this play. Dell’s intent was to injure. There is no way that play ends any other way than a violent collision with the boards.

[2014olympicgold]

Intent to injure would open the door to every hit along the 5foot distance to the boards as intent to injure. Any.

Dell doesn't get the intent to injure claim if Batherson isn't hurt. A crosscheck to the face regardless of injury will get hit with the intent to injure claim rightfully. I would disagree with the intent to injure claim. But if you do say intent to injure, all hits close to the boards would then need to be open to this claim regardless of outcome, because a hit close to the boards would be intent to injure.

[tweetdrivr]

I disagree. Just about any hit these days, from behind or otherwise, that distance from the boards ends up penalized. Players always go in awkwardly like that. And the NHL often does punish based on injury. Dell clearly knows he’s clipping Batherson in a very bad spot. It’s a dirty play plain and simple. It deserves a suspension. I’ll be pleasantly surprised if it gets one.

[tweetdrivr]

Guess the DOPS feels it was a dirty play. Hunh. It’s almost like it was...

https://twitter.com/nhlplayersafety/...419083785?s=21

[saucelife90]

Guess the DOPS feels it was a dirty play. Hunh. It’s almost like it was...

https://twitter.com/nhlplayersafety/...419083785?s=21

It's almost like the DOPS never gets things right, and there's no rhyme or reason to the outcome of these things!

If this is a suspension, why is there no suspension on Greenway for hitting Kuemper the other night? Make it make sense.

[Invictus]

I'm watching the same clip as yall and Dell clearly rotates his body so it is wider, and then he leans over as he braces his shoulder. He moved about 1ft at the last second and that's all it takes.

Batherson does not make contact with the center of Dells mass.

I think this is a dirty play and that he will be penalized.

That's wrong.
He turned and made himself a lower profile before the hit. Batherson does not make contact with the center of Dells mass because he's not trying to hit Dell.
Bath.JPG

Tell me how he's suppose to get lower profile than that?
Ya he leans over and braces with the shoulder (not elbow!) to brace for impact! He has the right to brace himself and not be the one laid out.

Intent to injure would open the door to every hit along the 5foot distance to the boards as intent to injure. Any.

Dell doesn't get the intent to injure claim if Batherson isn't hurt. A crosscheck to the face regardless of injury will get hit with the intent to injure claim rightfully. I would disagree with the intent to injure claim. But if you do say intent to injure, all hits close to the boards would then need to be open to this claim regardless of outcome, because a hit close to the boards would be intent to injure.

I wouldn't mind seeing some sort of rules in place to limit hits in and around the net. Players are in a more awkward stances at this spot and looking down at the puck. (Thinking Scheifele hit for one )

Guess the DOPS feels it was a dirty play. Hunh. It’s almost like it was...

https://twitter.com/nhlplayersafety/...419083785?s=21

Meh he probably deserved one for the Tolvanen and Stone hits anyway.
DOPS only seems to look at things when an injury is involved, which is BS.

[Blues_fan1000]

Batherson out long term now. If it's a fractured ankle, likely out the rest of the year

[audiopile]

Dell has a long history of dirty moments. This is just another one of them. Time for him to get a time out from DOPS. Invictus, you are way off here, sorry.

Or we allow players to hit goalies outside the blue. You choose.