|
Chiarelli Reacts; Flyers Poll |
|
|
|
|
|
RALEIGH _ Back in The Triangle for the second time in 7 days ...
Let's set the record straight here: I abhor what Scott Hartnell did to Andrew Alberts, even though he did attempt to pull up.
Every player is responsible for their actions on the ice - both with and without the puck. Alberts took a chance going to his knees and never thought he would get socked. He was wrong.
Hartnell - unlike Randy Jones in a puck race to the back boards _ had more time to think and react, yet still chose to hit Alberts in a vulnerable position, although he had the common sense to lift his arm and shoulder over his head.
Yet, as Colin Campbell said, he still hit him. No one on the Flyers disputes that.
Here is the only quote we have today from Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli. He was asked on the Team 1200 in Ottawa whether disciplinary action should be taken against the Flyers.
Should GM Paul Holmgren and coach John Stevens be fined - which is entirely within the parameters of Colin Campbell's job. Chiarelli's response was:
"I don't think there has been another team that has had four separate incidents that have resulted in suspensions at the quarter mark in a season, so it speaks for itself."
Now here is an EARLY survey running on Philly.com:
Many NHL beat writers have called the Flyers a bunch of goons. Is that description accurate?
Yes. Four players have been suspended already. (23.8%)= 115
No. Hockey is a physical game. Get over it. (76.2%) = 368
Total: 483 votes.
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/
What does this say about hockey, and about Flyers fans?
Paul Holmgren got upset with me today when I suggested that some people will say there is a "pattern" of head shots coming from one team - the Flyers.
Truth is, if Campbell REALLY wanted to make an example of the Flyers, he would have done what Chiarelli was suggesting on the side - corrective action against one club that has had a series of incidents this season.
None of these 4 incidents are similar. Holmgren challenged me to show the pattern. My response was, the pattern is 4 head shots by the same team, different circumstances.
Jason Smith and other players today suggested the Flyers have to be more careful about the CIRCUMSTANCES under which they check players without sacrificing the integrity of their check.
Easier said than done at the speed of 30 m.p.h. on ice. Like a car sliding to a stop.
Our readers make a great point. The Flyers seem to be held to a higher standard this season than any other club. I am not justifying ANY of these hits.
But I am suggesting there is ample proof throughout the NHL that these kind of incidents are not isolated. They are occurring throughout the league every week.
That the Flyers happen to be involved, make them stand out.
All that said, if you look at this in summation, the Lord of Discipline (Colin Campbell) could haver fined the club, could have fined Stevens and Holmgren and caved to media pressure by making an "example" of the Flyers by citing a "pattern" of violent hits on the ice.
The NHL did NOT do that.
Which means the league does not buy into the theory being banied about across North America that Steven's Flyers are a Millennium version of the Broad Street Bullies.
You may believe that is the case but the NHL is saying you and me, "That's not the case."
Hence, 2 games ...
**
**
Ryan Potulny is out with another bursa sac injury. No word on how much time he'll miss...
**
Flyers GM Paul Holmgren was not happy. Neither was Scott Hartnell. I thought the punishment was deserved.
I think the Flyers are fortunate the league is not assessing them a team fine for multiple infractions involving head shots. There are some coaches and GMs right now who think the Flyers are out of control.
Holmgren:
“I asked Colin what was behind his thought process and he just felt Scott could have stopped,” Holmgren said. “He tried to stop. The video clearly shows snow from both feet. His momentum more than anything carried him into the player in a vulnerable position.
“What do you want player like that to do? You gotta make a decision in a very quick amount of time. Hopefully, a situation like that doesn’t arise again. We want our players to play hard and finish their checks, but we want them to be more careful in situations like that.”
Hartnell was not available. He is on the plane to Carolina for tomorrow's game. But here is what he had to say after the morning practice, anticipating his conference call with Colin Campbell:
“Even if I do get suspended, I am still going to finish my checks,” he told me. “If you watch the last few games, I go for the forecheck and the D has their back to me and I don’t finish my check that hard.
"You can rub them out and bury the guy from behind and it would probably be a legal check, but I am not that dirty of a player.”
I wonder how this affects the Flyers from here on in terms of hitting. Already, we have seen Randy Jones backing off a bit on board hits.
“You can’t worry about repercussions finishing your check,” Hartnell said. “I guess I could have skated away and not finish my check but that’s part of my game. Everyone in here finishes their check.”
I asked Jason Smith about these same issues: how do you play the Flyers style now and not wonder whether the hit is going to end up as a suspension. And I believe Hartnell's hit certainly deserved one.
“You have to continue to play,” Smith said. “If you play with hesitancy or fear, things don’t happen. We need to compete at the highest level we can and work at the hardest level we can.
“You have to realize that incidents happen and you want to limit the amount we’re a part of. If you go out and play hard, hopefully, we won’t get involved in any more of those. It’s something our team has to deal with.”
**
Hartnell suspended.
Details to come ...
**
Colin Campbell's conference call with Scott Hartnell and Flyers' GM Paul Holmgren is set for 1 p.m.
Hartnell's hit of Boston's Andrew Alberts is the topic of discussion. I think it's 2-5 games on a suspension.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»