Here is a video of the hit. Torres on this angle seems to hit him high in the chest, maybe even the chin. He had huge momentum behind him and while his left skate looks down as his shoulder leans, he leaves his feet at the point of contact. Reckless hit and pretty disgusting. Torres was playing great disciplined hard hockey and was one of the Coyotes best players so far in the series. Dumb decision and he might have just given the Hawks the rallying point they need.
As McKenzie showed, the hit is similar to the Aaron Rome on Nathan Horton hit in the sense that this second was .83 seconds after the puck left while Rome's was .87, that was a clear benchmark for "late" hits.
Marian Hossa is one of my all-time favourite hockey players, a player that embodies the two-way game and is every inch a class individual. You never want to see a player leave on a stretcher for any feasible reason. Reports are coming out that he is concious in the hospital and talking to doctors. I think we can all agree that the entire hockey world is hoping him the best and a speedy recovery.
My question to you is this. Taken his prior offences, the illegality of the hit, the precedent set by the other disciplinary acts of the playoffs and the injury (it will be a factor), how many games does Raffi Torres receive?
For me I feel his history, the leaving the feet at such momentum, the strangeness of the wheel of justice and the injury which appears to be cautiously serious he will receive a 7 game suspension and the max fine of $2500. They will want him out of the series against the Hawks, and I feel they throw the book at him.
Update: Hossa left the hospital under his own power.
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